AVN has received the following press release from Adam Grayson, CFO of Evil Angel:
VAN NUYS, Calif.—Adult industry leader Evil Angel has struck the latest blow against California state regulatory agency Cal/OSHA’s campaign to derail X-rated entertainment.
In an administrative hearing held yesterday in Covina, Calif., Cal/OSHA dropped all charges against Evil Angel as related to adult movie production. The move came almost a year and a half after the agency’s inspection of Evil Angel’s office, and a year after citations were issued. Evil Angel had vigorously denied any wrongdoing against the unfounded production-related charges.
Dropped charges included such catchphrases as “bloodborne pathogens” and “other potentially infectious materials (OPIM),” as well as ample references to vaginal, anal and oral sex. All that remains is for the administrative law judge in the case to rule on minor violations.
“Yesterday OSHA made a motion to the judge to drop all of the production citations,” said Evil Angel CFO Adam Grayson. “All of what remains is ticky-tack warehouse stuff, the same as you would find in any warehouse in California, big or small, adult or otherwise. An extension cord here, an unlabeled breaker switch there.”
Evil Angel owner John Stagliano led the fight. “We are in a culture war. Many people would love to have the power to control what we do with our bodies,” said Stagliano. “The porn industry by its very existence fights for freedom, for the freedom to do what you want with your body and show that to the world. This is a small victory in the war on our freedom.”
Attorney Karen Tynan, who has represented a number of other adult companies in OSHA cases, represented Evil Angel in the matter. “We never considered settlement; we always knew we were in the right, and John refused to be bullied by the State of California,” said Tynan. “I can’t praise John Stagliano enough for what he’s done for the adult industry. I’m so proud to have worked with him and Adam to defend Evil Angel and the industry.”
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"A win is a win, and people should know about it and people should be emboldened by our success here," Grayson told AVN earlier today.
When asked by AVN, Grayson stated that no specific movie titles were mentioned in the complaint.
"Because of the business model here at Evil Angel, we don't produce any movies, so it was finally reduced to discussing a scene John did pay for, a solo scene, out of the Evil Angel bank account and a girl got to squirt on his arm; that's what it had been reduced to at one point," Grayson said. "They saw a movie that said 'Evil Angel' on it—I believe it was Buttman's Stretch Class 17—a girl was having solo sex in it, and that was kind of their foundation. But that never came up in court. By the time they had to start talking about where these things happened, in what movies, that's when they dropped that part of the citation. I think they just finally came to the conclusion that there was nothing here, which is what we've been saying for the past year and a half on this. There's no smoke or fire."
