Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

Disturbing news concerning Gordon Sussman, founder and former owner of Rutabaga
paddle shop (home of Canoecopia) in Madison.

http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/stories/56119.php


g.c.

Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

Folks,

The news article failed to mention that the accusor has made similar
accusations in the past against others, has been in psychotherapy for the
entire time I've worked with him (with nary a hint of accusation of abuse),
and made his accusations months after I stopped working with him. Nor does
it mention that I've lived my entire adult life in Madison, raised my kids,
grew a business, served my community in many ways, with no hint of
impropriety in over 30 years.

Kind of strange that the Cap Times had the story before I'd even seen
the charges. There was quite a press ambush at my initial hearing...well
orchestrated by the Madison Police. Nice environment in which to receive a
fair trial.

Look, I'm ruined and my family is disgraced. I'll be proven innocent at
a trial in a year or so but it won't really matter by then. And my
successors at Rutabaga (whose sale was in the works well before allegations
were made against me) are burdened with press allusions to the business and
my former connections to it.

Say, George Cleveland, who are you anyway, and why do you think unfounded
allegations are so important to our fellow paddlers?

Gordy Sussman








"George Cleveland" wrote in message
...
Disturbing news concerning Gordon Sussman, founder and former owner of
Rutabaga
paddle shop (home of Canoecopia) in Madison.

http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/stories/56119.php


g.c.

Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

On Sat, 06 Sep 2003 21:56:49 GMT, "Gordy Sussman" wrote:

Folks,

The news article failed to mention that the accusor has made similar
accusations in the past against others, has been in psychotherapy for the
entire time I've worked with him (with nary a hint of accusation of abuse),
and made his accusations months after I stopped working with him. Nor does
it mention that I've lived my entire adult life in Madison, raised my kids,
grew a business, served my community in many ways, with no hint of
impropriety in over 30 years.

Kind of strange that the Cap Times had the story before I'd even seen
the charges. There was quite a press ambush at my initial hearing...well
orchestrated by the Madison Police. Nice environment in which to receive a
fair trial.

Look, I'm ruined and my family is disgraced. I'll be proven innocent at
a trial in a year or so but it won't really matter by then. And my
successors at Rutabaga (whose sale was in the works well before allegations
were made against me) are burdened with press allusions to the business and
my former connections to it.

Say, George Cleveland, who are you anyway, and why do you think unfounded
allegations are so important to our fellow paddlers?

Gordy Sussman








"George Cleveland" wrote in message
...
Disturbing news concerning Gordon Sussman, founder and former owner of
Rutabaga
paddle shop (home of Canoecopia) in Madison.

http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/stories/56119.php


g.c.


I live in northern Wisconsin and the link to the Cap Times article was sent to
me by fellow paddlers in Madison. They are UW employees, not associated with
either the Madison or Dane County governments or Rutabaga's competitors. I
posted it because, like it or not, it is a news item that is in the parvue of
the paddling community. By posting it and receiving your response you have had
an oppurtunity to put your side of the story in front of that community.
Certainly this is better than people only being exposed to the media's and
prosecutor's versions. Personally I hope you are exonerated. I have not
pre-judged you in any way. I'm quite aware of prosecutorial abuses, one of my
acquaintances was falsely accused of murder and sentenced to death in Illinois.
Even after the FBI informed the county prosecutor that they had proof he had
charged and convicted the wrong man, the prosecutor refused to recommend his
release. The State eventually released him and had his conviction reversed.

I am also aware of the knee jerk reaction that charges such as pressed against
you elicit in the community and how vulnerable everyone is to the ostracism that
a false charge could bring . With your permission I'll forward this post and
email to my friends, who, like me, were very disturbed by the article.



George Cleveland

Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

Mr. Sussman,
This is, indeed, sad news. And here in the good old U.S. of A., people are
innocent until proven guilty. But that goes for the alleged victim here,
too. He's innocent of lying about you, Mr. Sussman, an accusation that you
imply but do not overtly state. I'll watch this story now that I know about
it, and I'll support the court's verdict. In the back of my mind at the same
time is the information that there are a lot of little details in the
newspaper report that your average kid would not know about how sexual
offenders get close to their victims, abuse them, and keep them quiet
afterward. I try to notice these things because I work with sexual
offenders, and have for several years, now. I'm not a forensics or sexual
abuse expert (like I said, I work with offenders far more often than with
victims), but some facts just seem surprisingly accurate. Good luck with
your defense. I wish the victim luck with his recovery.

Darrin R.
Columbus, OH


Gordy Sussman wrote in message
...
Folks,

The news article failed to mention that the accusor has made similar
accusations in the past against others, has been in psychotherapy for the
entire time I've worked with him (with nary a hint of accusation of
abuse),
and made his accusations months after I stopped working with him. Nor
does
it mention that I've lived my entire adult life in Madison, raised my
kids,
grew a business, served my community in many ways, with no hint of
impropriety in over 30 years.

Kind of strange that the Cap Times had the story before I'd even seen
the charges. There was quite a press ambush at my initial hearing...well
orchestrated by the Madison Police. Nice environment in which to receive
a
fair trial.

Look, I'm ruined and my family is disgraced. I'll be proven innocent
at
a trial in a year or so but it won't really matter by then. And my
successors at Rutabaga (whose sale was in the works well before
allegations
were made against me) are burdened with press allusions to the business
and
my former connections to it.

Say, George Cleveland, who are you anyway, and why do you think unfounded
allegations are so important to our fellow paddlers?

Gordy Sussman








"George Cleveland" wrote in message
...
Disturbing news concerning Gordon Sussman, founder and former owner of
Rutabaga
paddle shop (home of Canoecopia) in Madison.

http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/stories/56119.php


g.c.

Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

Good luck with
your defense. I wish the victim luck with his recovery.

Darrin R.
Columbus, OH

At this point, *alledged* victim.

Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

On 07 Sep 2003 07:40:01 -0400, Mary Malmros wrote:

(George Cleveland) writes:

[snip]
I
posted it because, like it or not, it is a news item that is in the parvue of
the paddling community.

And if I'm accused of axe-murdering my neighbor's chickens, is it a
matter for RBP, simply because I'm a paddler?

Please, cultivate a sense of the appropriate. You're a ways off
base here.

--
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.
Actually I agree. This is one of those posts that proves the point that if your
not sure you should post something, don't.

g.c.

Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

Good luck with
your defense. I wish the victim luck with his recovery.

Darrin R.
Columbus, OH

At this point, *alledged* victim.

No, since this has been sprayed all over the 'net, I'd say there definitely
*is* a victim; either the child or Mr. Sussman...

Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

Felsenmeer wrote:

Your reason for spreading a serious, as yet unsubstantiated
accusation onto a forum read world-wide is that its "a news item that
is in the parvue of the paddling community"?? Since when did RBP
become a rap sheet for the paddling community? This should have been
left a private matter for the people involved in it.

And then you want permission to forward all this to yet another bunch
of people? I would be very curious to know what exactly you expect to
accomplish?? I'm guessing Mr. Sussman would rather leave this in the
hands of his lawyer.

I dislike being in this thread, but I've got to say that you've overstated
your case. When charges are brought, and when a story is cleared by a
newspapers editors, it is certanily more than an "unsubstantiated
accusation"
on USENET. Whether you like it or not, it has become very public knowledge
at that point.

I hope it all works out as best it can, for all - but I think you'd be
better off (if you really want this off RBP), to just let the thread die.

Rutabaga's Founder Arrested
 

Felsenmeer wrote:

Your reason for spreading a serious, as yet unsubstantiated
accusation onto a forum read world-wide is that its "a news item that
is in the parvue of the paddling community"?? Since when did RBP
become a rap sheet for the paddling community? This should have been
left a private matter for the people involved in it.

And then you want permission to forward all this to yet another bunch
of people? I would be very curious to know what exactly you expect to
accomplish?? I'm guessing Mr. Sussman would rather leave this in the
hands of his lawyer.

I dislike being in this thread, but I've got to say that you've overstated
your case. When charges are brought, and when a story is cleared by a
newspapers editors, it is certanily more than an "unsubstantiated
accusation"
on USENET. Whether you like it or not, it has become very public
knowledge
at that point.

I hope it all works out as best it can, for all - but I think you'd be
better off (if you really want this off RBP), to just let the thread die.


Well, you're right, "unsubstantiated" might be the wrong choice of words;
but he certainly hasn't been found guilty of anything, either. Bringing
charges against someone is no guarantee that the charges are valid- IMO,
anyone facing legal action should be considered innocent until the facts
have been sorted out and the deliberations complete. My point, really, is
that there is public knowledge, and then there is VERY public knowledge.
Just because this appears on the Cap Times website doesn't make it right to
spread it around and make sure as many people as possible can hear about it.