Stagliano Launches Website at DefendOurPorn.org

LOS ANGELES - Evil Angel has launched a new Website at DefendOurPorn.org in response to federal obscenity charges filed against the company and its owner John Stagliano.

DefendOurPorn.org allows adult industry members and fans to donate to Stagliano's defense via PayPal. The site also includes news updates, links to media coverage of the case and a 'Contact Your Congressman' page. 

"In the days following the indictment, Mr. Stagliano received an outpouring of support from adult industry members and fans, asking how and where they could donate money to help fight the legal case," reads a statement on the site.

The site states that "any money which is donated and not used towards the legal defense of the John Stagliano / Evil Angel case will be rolled over in the DefendOurPorn fund and will be earmarked for future First Amendment / obscenity prosecutions."

According to a news bulletin on the site, Evil Angel will hold a press conference at the District of Columbia courthouse on April 21 following Stagliano's arraignment. Stagliano and his attorney Allan Gelbard will be present to answer questions.

AVN's Mark Kernes notes that "this is the first time that an adult producer has taken the bold step of creating a Website to encourage support of himself and his company in the face of a federal obscenity prosecution ... although admittedly, prior to the four recent producer indictments (Extreme Associates, Max Hardcore, Evil Angel and the now-acquitted JM Productions), the last wave of such indictments took place more than 15 years ago, before the Internet was much more than a hobbyist's toy (and, of course, a Defense Department packet-switching system)."

"In the very near future, DefendOurPorn.org will be formed as a non-profit organization," Evil Angel's publicist said. "Unfortunately, the Justice Department released a press release about the indictment against John Stagliano / Evil Angel before actually notifying the defendants, so we have been organizing things here while keeping day-to-day operations on schedule."