IndiaPost.com - Witnesses can't recall anything in Anand Jon case

India Post News Service

LOS ANGELES: A string of prosecution witnesses in the Anand Jon sexual assault case have testified over the last two weeks. The common theme that runs thru a majority of them is the answer to the defense’s cross-examination "I don't recall". In fact, the phrase got to be so commonplace that the defense attorneys asked if the witness had been told by the prosecution to use that phrase. "I don’t recall" was particularly useful for Holly Gavel, 20. Gavel used "I don't recall" over 80 times during her cross by Anthony Brooklier.

The randomness that she used the phrase verged on comical when confronted with her completely different testimony from the police reports, the grand jury and, currently, the trial. When asked by Brooklier whether …"she was lying then or lying now", after a long pregnant pause that could only lead to self-incrimination, she replied, "I don't recall." Holly G’s emotional swings on the stand seemed indicative of being caught in a lie.

Holly G testified strongly that her cell phone had died. She couldn't call anyone for help she said. Brooklier pointed out that New York City, a city of 8 million people, has at least 100,000 cops. She wasn’t held captive she admitted and even walked to church with Anand Jon and then went to the gym with Anand Jon where he coached her on working out, doing sit-ups and losing weight. This is hardly common practice for an assault victim. It was when Brooklier pointed out Holly G’s cell phone records that was perhaps the most damning testimony for the New Jersey native. Comparing her records and his records show incessant calling from her to him for many months after the alleged assaults.

More importantly they show that not only was her claim that her phone had "no charge", "no juice" clearly a lie, she made many calls, even to her mom for 4 minutes and several to check her voice mail. Holly G also testified that she didn’t see Anand Jon after that day. Holly G was caught fibbing though when she had to admit that she went to a Nigel Parry’s photo exhibition with Anand Jon and several others as well as the press conference at the United Nations in NY for the kick off of the Sanjana Jon AIDS Awareness Tour.

Brooklier showed several images of Holly holding up the backdrop and smiling at Anand Jon as he addressed the media and gave a speech on his family’s important charity efforts in India. Holly then admitted what a wonderful experience going to India with Anand Jon’s family was to help raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic. Next, during her testimony, Jessie B. tried to present her contact with Anand Jon as "purely professional".

Defense Attorney Donald Marks then asked if she addressed emails to all her employers as "Hey Babe!" and concluded with, "Can’t wait to see you. Miss you. XOXO" The icing on the cake was the image put up at the end of the cross-examination: Jessie B’s MySpace page at the time with the quote: "a look of entrapment may be hazardous to your health." This was next to a picture of Jessie B dressed up like a Harlequin doll. Marks inquired if she knew the definition of entrapment. Kristen S. continued to respond with "I don’t recall," same as Holly G. before her. Defense Attorney Eric Chase quickly questioned this response and asked if the prosecution coached her. Kristen S. was a mystery as to why the prosecution even called her.

Kristen seemed only to complain about her friend, Sony, in Brooklyn, NY, abandoning her, Anand Jon and his sister Sanjana. Kristen had worked on models’ makeup during one of Sanjana’s fashion shows. She complained that they were demanding during the intense fashion show preparation. It wasn’t until the North Carolina native finally admitted during cross-examination that during her time in New York that Anand had "hit" on her, she said, "No" and he stopped; he backed off. "She said, ‘No,’ and he backed off," Chase repeated for effect to ring in the jury’s ear.

The theme of "She said, ‘No,’ and he backed off," was echoed in at least three person’s testimony: Courtney S, Kristen S and Autumn A. Although with Autumn A it was attributed to snuggling on the couch. A claimed that Anand Jon "touched her inappropriately" but her actions do not reflect any kind of sexual assault. She spoke with her friend Heavenly, claimed to have said something about the assault, but didn’t, according to Heavenly’s police report and even Ms. A’s testimony.

Ms. A also spoke to her mom and instead of insisting on being picked up, stayed even longer, walking to a farmer’s market, copying and reading a script and calling Anand Jon to join her, Holly and Lori for lunch. It was her contact with Holly G that stood out. In fact the contact that Holly G is having with many of the girls is highly suspect. During Holly’s testimony it came out that she was contacting many of the girls. Holly was also in possession of attorney client information pertaining to the defense of Anand Jon that was hacked from Jon’s computers and emails. This information almost flew by too quickly in testimony.

Holly G was also in possession of personal information about each of the girls associated with charges against Jon that can only be obtained by law enforcement. All this hacking information including a chat between the hacker and Holly G. was turned over to Detective George Elwell of the Beverly Hills Police Department in September of 2007; Detective Elwell sat on it until July 30, 2008 when it was turned over to the defense only after NY grand jury transcripts referred to the information. Holly G really got defensive when Brooklier questioned her on her arrest record. Holly G was arrested in Suffolk, VA for theft.

Even though all documents from the case have a full admission of guilt from Holly G, she nonetheless tried to pass it off as the bad influence of "her friend, um, ‘ex-friend’. This small example clearly contributes to the credibility of her character, especially relating to correspondence submitted where Holly G admits to trading sexual favors for modeling jobs.