This whole Kocis saga, from beginning to end, has been a fascinating case study in human nature. Some of the best qualities of mankind have been put on display, along with some of the very, very worst. With the incidents of the worst being in the clear majority, which is probably why most of us have found it so entertaining.I've been told via 'do-not-publish' comments that I should write a book about this saga; that I would be the perfect man to tackle such a literary endeavor.
Well, I'll start off by giving my response to that suggestion: Have you been reading this blog since the beginning? Good, then you've been reading my book.
Are you reading this blog now? Well of course you are. And this means you are almost done reading my book. Read on.
It's time to write the conclusion to this online book. I'll now attempt to wrap up the loose threads that went before it into a more unified whole, while also highlighting those events that I think are most critical to a proper understanding of the whole story...many of which I do not think have ever gotten the full attention they deserve.
I like to think of this saga as having three stages: The Underage Scandal (the period before the murder), The Investigation (after the murder, before the arrest), and The Trial (after the arrest). Lets begin with The Underage Scandal.
The Underage Scandal
--------------------
I've always said the biggest flaw in the two major Kocis murder articles (Out and Rolling Stone) has been the scanty explanations of the whole Cobra Video underage scandal. Rolling Stone was particularly egregious in this, devoting exactly one sentence (!) to the subject. Trying to explain how and why Bryan was murdered without adequate reference to what went before, is like trying to explain how an atom bomb works, without first describing what Plutonium is.
I don't want to have to rehash the whole thing here. Fortunately I don't have to, because as it turns out...I already have! Part 2 of my three-post series on Chris Henriquez inadvertently happens to be a good little summary of that whole time period, drawn from all the extant primary sources (Siren's Tale, the Cobra lawsuit, and various interviews). I heartily recommend everyone take a break, and re-read that post right now. Go! Now! READ!
OK, everyone done re-reading? Good. Looking back in hindsight, three things from this old post jump out at me, and really deserve re-emphasis:
1) As I indicated in that post, I am STILL to this day amazed how little blame people generally assign to Chris Henriquez for giving birth to this saga. It was Chris who wanted sooo badly to star in pseudo-ephebophile porn for Cobra Video, not Brent. Brent was literally asleep when Chris was selling himself as a porn star to Bryan Kocis, offering his then 16 y/o boyfriend as a bonus gift with purchase.It was Chris Henriquez who forged and sent in Brent's I.D.s, not Brent:
And it was Chris Henriquez' machinations which led to the underage secret eventually being revealed. Yet despite all this...you still see people today laying ALL the blame for the scandal on Brent. Such pontifications while in a state of obvious factual ignorance is simply astonishing to me. But I guess facts don't really matter when media attention is your true goal.
2) Bryan Kocis first discovered Brent's true age from another desperately aspiring Cobra applicant, porn star Jonathan Deverell, shortly after Every Poolboy's Dream was completed. OK, this is one of those largely unsung pivotal moments that I mentioned above that I was going to spotlight.How big was this moment? It was HUGE, and I'll show you why using alternate history.
Consider an alternate universe where Bryan's reaction to the information was totally different from his historical reaction. In this alternate timeline, Bryan (not Sean) becomes the courageous whistle blower, and he immediately pulls EPD from circulation. He drafts a press release stating the reason for the recall, apologizing to the industry for his momentary lack of diligence. He bans both Sean Lockhart and Chris Henriquez from further Cobra video work, a ban that is enthusiastically adopted by the rest of the gay porn industry. Cobra Video is then honored by various child welfare agencies for taking a stand against underage porn, and at the 2009 GAYVN Awards "Bryan Phillips" is formally inducted into the "Hall of Fame," being hailed as a pioneer in a new media known as Internet porn, and "truly a visionary."
But that's not what Bryan decided to do historically, was it? Oh no. No, no and NO he made a VERY different decision historically, at that momentous moment when Johnathan Deverell dropped the info bomb on him.
At that moment, in real history, Bryan Charles Kocis decided, AND DECIDED ALONE, to become a child pornographer.
And in doing so, he set in motion the real historical timeline that most of us are very familiar with today. He lost four videos, not just one. Brent Corrigan became the courageous whistle blower, the hero of the situation, thus earning for all time a place of honor in the industry. And surely most importantly from Bryan's perspective...Bryan ended up dead. His decision at that pivotal moment initiated the chain of events that would eventually lead to his own demise.
So, I ask myself, WHY? Why did Bryan take the wrong road here? I mean, even with the benefit of hindsight, it's pretty obvious his two options were between a smart, moral choice and a stupid, immoral choice...and he consciously chose to be stupid and immoral. Why?
Well, the answer is a simple one, really: At that moment, Bryan was obsessed with Sean Lockhart. Need I bother to elaborate? Love can make us all do very very foolish things, as I'm sure we all know through our own personal experiences. And in this case, the stupid and immoral choice was the only way for Bryan to keep his now 17 y/o obsession in his life. So, he chose it. The rest, as they say, is history.
3) Bryan's decision to sue Brent and Grant, and initiate the subsequent war of destruction on them both...obviously, another pivotal moment.
And as we now know, the lawsuit was a fraud all along. The one partner of Brent's first independent company who Bryan did not personally sue by name (that right there should have been a clue, folks), Lee Bergeron, was actually a double agent; a Benedict Arnold whose job it was to pass on sensitive information to Bryan, and to cajole them into accepting an equally fraudulent settlement agreement. The immediate object being for Lee to sellout to Bryan, and/or Bryan to allow Lee in as a Cobra shareholder; with the ultimate object being for Brent to be brought back into Bryan arms, both contractually and sexually. They had even planned to buy Brent his own condo in San Diego; a love nest for Bryan to visit whenever he was in town.Once again, you can see Bryan's obsession for Sean Lockhart dictating his actions. When Melody Kocis referred to Brent Corrigan as Bryan's biggest mistake...this pathological obsession was undoubtedly what she was referring to.
Anyways, Bryan's inability to let Sean go had negative consequences, the worst of which was the inevitable tarnishing of his public image. Not only due to the spending of reputedly over $300,000 in legal fees on this seemingly pointless and vindictive Federal lawsuit (all over a used Jetta?), but his other vile public acts committed in the course of the struggle as well - hired goons disrupting public appearances, hateful video box covers, smear campaigns via email blast, etc... It was no exaggeration when then AVN editor Doug Lawrence referred to Kocis as having a "terrible reputation" in the industry.
And as this hate campaign went on, Brent began to attract legions of sympathetic fans, as ardent in their support for Brent as they were in their disdain for Cobra Video. And two of these new supporter/disdainers happened to live in Virginia Beach.
Now, these two Virginia Beach residents had other pre-existing reasons to disdain Cobra Video (they were aspiring twink pornographers themselves, and considered Cobra Video in nearby Pennsylvania their "main rival"), but the horrific anti-Brent hate campaign kicked this up a notch, from disdain to revulsion. Kocis's inhuman actions dehumanized himself in the eyes of these two, not to mention others. In effect, Bryan signed his own death warrant.
--
I want to leave off here with just one more thought. Imagine, if you will, the night of the murder. It's 7:45pm. Bryan Kocis is pacing his living room floor, talking enthusiastically towards his Blackberry (sitting on his coffee table on speakerphone mode). How happy he is! The settlement is about to be signed. Heh heh heh! Finally! He and Lee have Sean and Grant RIGHT where they want them. Soon, Grant will be sent packing back to Texas; Sean will be cooped up in his Condo; Lee will be nearby, keeping him on a short leash...yes, everything is coming together! It's his moment of triumph, and he is openly exultant.
Openly that is, to the lanky, dark-haired twink fidgeting nervously on the couch sitting right next to the Blackberry. The twink, a prospective "new model," got here at 7pm, and he's been yakking on the phone here via conference call to Lee and Macias all this time? 'Heh, kinda rude of me' he thinks. Hmmm, he should probably end this call, as enjoyable as it is, and get down to some other "business." And in any case, should he really be talking so freely in front of this kid, calling Brent his "bitch" and such? Ah well, it probably doesn't matter. Once all the paperwork is signed, the trap will be shut...and there's not a damn thing Sean or Grant will be able to do get out of it. 'I got 'em by the balls,' he thinks, 'and they don't even realize it...yet!' Bryan smiles a sardonic smile...
At 7:50pm Bryan suddenly says to the speakerphone: "Oh hey, someone at the door...it's probably that new model!" (Bryan winks at the twink sitting on the couch) "Oh, yeah it's him, D(mumble), gotta run guys...we'll finish this chat later...yeah, just fax that paperwork on over tomorrow...yeah...bye! bye!"
Bryan walks over to the coffee table, leans over it, and disconnects his Blackberry.
...
There is some spirited academic speculation in the medical community as to how long, if at all, the human brain survives decapitation. The majority opinion is that death is instantaneous. However, others maintain there is possibly enough oxygen in the brain at any given time for life, indeed, even consciousness, for up to two seconds. The latter bolster their theory by citing anecdotal evidence from the French Revolution, where guillotined heads would open their eyes, and stare directly back at their executioners from the basket.
Assuming the latter theorists to be correct, what might have Bryan been thinking during those final two seconds? Did he have time to realize the obvious poetic justice inherent in the situation? Did the concepts of hubris, as it's known in the west, or karma, as it's known in the east, enter his thoughts? Did he have any remorse?
I'll leave those questions for the philosophically inclined amongst you to discuss.
Update: Harlow's lawyers ask to withdraw.
30 comments:
BRAVO
I hope you're putting your amazing analytical skills to good use in your real life, Jim, and will continue to do so. Not that this case isn't important, but maybe after this you could move on to solving the economic crisis or something.
Oh, and thanks for that image of Bryan's decapitated head and its "WTF?" final moments. It kept me awake last night.
"...after this you could move on to solving the economic crisis or something."
I'm on it! :-)
Jim, That is about the best and most accurate overall summery I have seen on this sad, sad saga. Good job!
>Grant
DAMN!!!!
You ARE good!
Jim, thanks for posting what I thought was a good, fair and honest blog about the whole mess.
As a friend of Brent's, I always appreciated the fact that you had a healthy bit of skepticism in all of this, didn't take spin at face value, were honest with your view, welcomed other POVs and were always willing to change your mind in light of facts, not opinions. Or profit motives.
Little sad to see you won't be opining on other matters; You always made for a fun read.
Jody speaks my thoughts better than I could.
Before you ride into the sunset, will you give us some clue as to, 'who was that masked man.'
Maybe some experiential background information to leave us with an affectionate understanding of what may have helped make Jim the kind of guy we came to know!
Jim,
Your blog post brought to mind one question for me. Do you really think Kocis was not aware that Brent was underage before the "bomb was dropped?" Why in your opinion was none of Bryan's "history" expounded on at trial? Don't you think that is odd? I grasp the concept of not putting the victim on trial, but in this case, I think it was an egregious error on the defense's part.
Also, the whole conversation on the blackberry as you portray it the night of his murder, quite interesting. Leaves the possibility open that perhaps Joe was sitting on the couch and Harlow arrived and knocked on the door.
There is still a lot of information that is not public knowlege about this case. I think the appeal will be more interesting than originally thought. You may want to rethink your blog ending.
"Do you really think Kocis was not aware that Brent was underage before the "bomb was dropped?""
Well, you look at Brent as he looked back then, and yeah, you kinda wonder...
But OTOH, you can't ignore Kocis' reaction after Deverell informed him. And that was to demand Brent produce a tangible ID, right when Schoolboy Crush wrapped up filming.
And when Brent failed to do so on the spot, he sent Chris and Brent to procure such a tangible fake ID...or else.
So yeah, Deverell triggered suspicion. Then Brent was tested, and his failure triggered confirmation. That's pretty much how it went down.
"Leaves the possibility open that perhaps Joe was sitting on the couch and Harlow arrived and knocked on the door."
How so? Harlow described the Blackberry conversation in detail on Black's Beach, not Joe. Or did you mean the other way around?
"Leaves the possibility open that perhaps Joe was sitting on the couch and Harlow arrived and knocked on the door."
Nope, you read that right. We know Joe accompanied Harlow to escort calls. This was for his protection or so it was claimed. It would be logical that Joe would "check out" Bryan with all they had been told about him and his activities and then he would let Harlow know when it was okay.
I know, I know, it doesn't match Harlow's testimony. But then there is still a whole lot about this that doesn't add up. However, it's been adjudicated and it's done now, at least until the appeal begins.
Don't you think the details of an overheard conversation would be discussed between the two of them? The question is who was the original knowledge holder?
Sorry, my instincts drive me to continue digging at this. There are still too many unknowns. Ask questions until the story makes sense with the facts. Thus far, there is still a lot left unsaid.
"We know Joe accompanied Harlow to escort calls."
But this was not an escort call. This was a meeting where both parties agreed beforehand they would be alone. And we know Kocis never opened the door to unknown and unexpected callers.
"The question is who was the original knowledge holder?"
Harlow made it abundantly clear on that beach that it was he.
"There are still too many unknowns."
The unknowns that remain only Harlow and Joe know, and I've resigned myself to the fact they either won't reveal them, or if they do, it will be impossible to know if they are telling the truth.
The only way I think we can ever know what happened for sure is if another realistic "sting" were set up; where either Harlow or Joe could be led to think they could talk about the murder candidly in prison.
But I just don't think we can ever get that set up.
"We know Joe accompanied Harlow to escort calls."
But this was not an escort call. This was a meeting where both parties agreed beforehand they would be alone. And we know Kocis never opened the door to unknown and unexpected callers.
And we don't know that such an arrangement wasn't set up in advance. It would not be out of character for Joe to "clear" a person before Harlow met them. Who's to say Kocis didn't accept these terms?
The question is who was the original knowledge holder?"
Harlow made it abundantly clear on that beach that it was he.
Did he? I think those tapes can be construed differently.
As to the answers to the lingering questions, a sting isn't needed for that. I am sure a letter to either one of them would be answered. As to the honesty of the content.....that would remain to be seen.
I guess the most frustrating part for all of us is that there is so much information that never made it into the record, that should have. So many questions would be answered.
Maybe the appeal will do this, maybe not. I am telling you there is far more to this than meets the eye, and until the questions have been answered, the full scope of this will not be known.
"And we don't know that such an arrangement wasn't set up in advance."
Well, like I said, we know the arrangement that was set up, and that was for them to be alone. We have the emails back and forth, Bryan and Harlow, agreeing to this.
As for the appeal, it's apparantly not looking so good right now per the Update. Do you know if Harlow is going to find appeals funding? It ain't cheap.
Although prisons do have law libraries, and prisoners tend to have spare time...so Harlow could always appeal pro se. FWIW.
What is this rage to demonstrate that Joe did it, or the bogeyman did it? Both murder conspirators were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Their sentences will likely be upheld. Of course there is more to it (as I speculated last September), but everyone involved is either lying or withholding information or dead, so the two convictions and life sentences are as close as we get to justice and close enough for government work.
Geoff Harvard says...
What is this rage to demonstrate that Joe did it, or the bogeyman did it?
There is no rage in my comments, especially not toward proving which one did it. I am not in a rush to prove either of them didn't do it. I am saying that there is more that is unknown than is known and there are too many unanswered questions. Not enough of the right questions have been asked.
Jim, I don't know what is going to happen with Harlow's appeal. I would be happy to comment more on this and more details once the appeal is over. Unfortunately, I can't release certain information until that is completed. I do however feel like the reason for the appeal might be changed if he is appointed counsel or goes pro se. Just a hunch.
While we know what the emails said, we don't know the content of the phone conversations. Many calls were placed that day and I doubt all of them were released or discussed.
The questions that need to be asked don't need to be asked of the four primary players. We know two of them would lie through their teeth and the other two have been victimized enough.
I think Geoff was talking about "rage" more in terms of "zeal," and yeah, I see his point: All these so calls unanswered questions seem more like unanswered quibbles to me.
True there are things that seem like quibbles but are actually highly important...but OTOH, sometimes quibbles are just quibbles.
Agreed, sometimes quibbles are just quibbles. But in this case, I think there is more to be answered that is highly important.
The case was tried and Harlow was found guilty. Joe took a plea. The person(s) responsible are punished. End of story.
However, what everyone needs to question further is not so much the who and how, that was answered. It's the bigger picture and the other players. I am sure not everyone understands the significance of that.
There was a bigger crime here than the murder. No one seems to want to look past the "big event" to see what that might be.
Jim, ask some "why" questions. Ask them until the story fits the facts and sense has been made. You might be surprised at what you find.
I used "rage" in the sense of Wallace Stevens' "blessed rage for order" or Morse Peckham's "man's rage for chaos."
Sassy, since you are the one allegedly with a PI license, I would like for you as a public service to find out if Kocis and Joe/Harlow had angel investors in common in their businesses. An angel investor is someone who puts up startup capital for a small business. I'm thinking of an individual or group who would put up $200,000-$500,000. This might be of interest to both prosecution and defense prior to the appeal being heard.
Sounds like we're beating a dead horse Sassy. :)
"There was a bigger crime here than the murder."
Bigger than murder. OK. Well, the only crime arguably worse than murder (some say) is treason, so, I really am perplexed where you are going with this.
Honestly, you are sounding a bit Elmish in that last post.
In any case, you say you have this knowledge you can't reveal. You've said this before...except before, it was the trial that was holding you back.
Well, I guess what holds you back from revealing hidden knowledge is a flexible concept, because I now note it's the appeal now that stays your tongue.
How a pending appeal (which will take years) would matter in this is beyond comprehension. Have you ever been to an appeals court hearing? It's not a place where surprises are sprung.
No Sassy. I'm afraid not. If you had real info on all this, you would have revealed it long ago.
"Sassy if you had real information on this you would have revealed it a long time ago"
B-I-N-G-O-
and Amen to that!
and yes, there is more than a slight bit of the ole Elmism coming out of Sassy.
While we know what the emails said, we don't know the content of the phone conversations. Many calls were placed that day and I doubt all of them were released or discussed. You are right Sassy, we don't. But I have a good idea the DA, the FBI, the Court, the police, even the NIS do. They all have a pretty damn good idea of what was in those emails and occurred during those phone conversations.
And they got the right douchebags.
I never knew I sounded like Elm, but after re-reading the comments this morning, I can see where that comes from. As a friend of Elm's I take that as a compliment. As an investigator, I apologize for the appearance of secrecy.
Jim, what stays my tongue is the fact that the purpose for the appeal can be changed if/when new attorneys are assigned. If for some reason a new trial is granted, there is a lot of information I have that was never brought up at the original trial. To bring it up on the blogs before the appeal decision is made could be detrimental to the appeals process. If nothing else, you should all appreciate my position on that.
PC, as to whipping a dead horse, btw, as a horse owner, I hate that term....but to address this, we are in a way doing so. But if you have continued to dig, as I am sure you have, you are beginning to see the bigger picture.
Geoff Harvard, as to investors in common, there are none, but the investors in question are some pretty interesting people.
Jim, we aren't talking treason here, just that there were so many more illegal activities all taking place at the same time by people involved in this. Their crimes were conveniently unnoticed and to date un-prosecuted.
They continue to commit these same illegal acts and no one seems to want to do anything about it. I think more needs to come out about them and what they are doing.
Harlow's trial lawyers were paid professionals. If they opted not present evidence potentially useful to Harlow up at trial, we can only infer that in their expert judgment, the relevance, quality and/or reliability of that evidence was lacking.
And considering some of the stuff they did opt to hurl into the trial, hoping it would stick ("look folks, he throws a football like a girl!"), any imagined exculpatory evidence out there that did not make the cut must have been really bad indeed.
"They continue to commit these same illegal acts and no one seems to want to do anything about it. I think more needs to come out about them and what they are doing."
Yeah, pretty much what Elm has been saying for years. This is his cup of tea, not mine. Thus I feel quite comfortable leaving it in his capable hands.
Although I should add...if these continuing acts are illegal, don't you have a moral obligation to report them? Doesn't the interests of society at large greatly outweigh the highly speculative interests of an incarcerated felon, based as they are on the increasingly remote chance of that new trial ever being granted?
In fact, I would think that new bombshell revelations would be just the shot in the arm the apparantly depleted Harlow Defense Fund needs right now.
Oh, and speaking of that...!
Brynawel brought something interesting to our attention the other day:
"His family is looking for an "appeals attorney". They are asking for donations.
And while they are at it, they accuse an unnamed person to have taken advantage of the "defense fund"."
While we got you here Sassy, could you shed some light on this?
Jim,
I cannot speculate on the person who took advantage of the defense fund. I have no idea what the family is working on nor what they mean by that statement. I have found that to be typical of family members of a convicted person, it is always due to someone else's actions or lack of action that the person got convicted. It never seems to be because the person is guilty of the crime.
As to reporting the illegal acts, authorities know about them. It is, unfortunately, a slow process to get things moving. Being like most people these days, I think it goes faster if I do it myself, at least that's how it seems. But I understand the procedures that must be followed.
Somehow, I don't think a bombshell of any kind will help the defense fund. Nice thought though.
Jim - you cannot leave on the
15th -
you just can't!!!!!!! :)
Sassy,
I am trying to understand this correctly.
You have information, that you cannot divulge [at this time] that would [maybe] help Harlow?
I do not mean to be rude but I feel sorry for anyone that has paid or would pay for your services as a "Private Investigator"
I mean there goes Harlow for the rest of his life BUT you have info. that you just can't divulge.
It adds a little to the end of this saga-
comic value-
V.J.
I can't divulge it to the blog readers. Most of it's privileged and what is not doesn't really make sense without the privileged portion of the information.
It won't become "unprivileged" until the trial/appeal/new trial/new decision and the information is divulged during testimony and made part of the public record.
I do have to agree with you V.J. that Jim should not shut the blog down on the 15th. I think you should follow this through at least the appeal.
Sassy blabbers...
"There is still a lot of information that is not public knowlege about this case."
Oh really?
"Did he? I think those tapes can be construed differently."
A jury of 12 does not agree with you!
"I know, I know, it doesn't match Harlow's testimony. But then there is still a whole lot about this that doesn't add up."
Again, a jury of 12 does not agree with you. I think you are beating a dead horse.
"The questions that need to be asked don't need to be asked of the four primary players."
Well then ask! Don't let two innocent people rot in prison because you did not ask some questions that only you were able to ask.
"While we know what the emails said, we don't know the content of the phone conversations. Many calls were placed that day and I doubt all of them were released or discussed."
ALL the calls were released and discussed. I sat there in court the day the the phone logs were projected on the screen. The full day of the murder, they were there up on that screen in black and white. Even what Bryan ordered for lunch from the deli was discussed in detail. Hell even the deli guy who took that phone order was on the stand to talk about that call and the exact food ordered, what time it was ordered and how often Bryan orders from this place, and the prices of the food Bryan ordered.
All the calls were gone over with a fine tooth comb. The length of each call and who it was from. This was a very important part of the trial. The DAs office spent a lot of time on the "calls" part of their presentation and what each call meant.
So no, you are mistaken, the phone company statements were used, evey call gone over in detail, and the phone company person was there to confirm that these were the entire and complete phone logs for Bryan's phone.
"Geoff Harvard, as to investors in common, there are none, but the investors in question are some pretty interesting people."
Since all matters of fact have been entered in the Harlow/Joe cases, and no appeals court can change those facts, it would not influence those cases for you to name those investors. I have found on these blogs that many people who claim to have information do not legitimately have that information.
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