Friday, April 24, 2015

Norman, OK Jiu Jitsu coach charged with attempted rape, lewd acts

Looks like another one.... Cleon Quentin Self, 38, of Moore, was charged Friday in Cleveland County District Court with attempted rape, forcible sodomy and two counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16. The arrest affidavit containing the details of the allegations appears to be unavailable online due to the age of the victim.

The victim is one of Self's students, a fourteen year old girl. He is the instructor at Edge Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Norman Oklahoma. It seems their website is down.


Self was a coach for Sandro Sampaio, a Carlson Gracie BB, and helped with the children's class there, according to contemporaneous Facebook posts. According to Tracy Sampaio, Self was asked to leave because of complaints by other female students.... "The Adult female students said Cleon Self had contacted them Via Facebook soliciting sex and offering private BJJ lessons at his home.  Sandro has a zero tolerance policy and Cleon was banned immediately. "

Here he is fighting Mark Francescutti of BQuick Jiu Jitsu, in 2012 in Dallas. Self is in the white rashguard.




Here's a link to his lengthy court record... in 2013, he was convicted of criminal control and resisting arrest during a situation in which his intoxication appeared to endanger an infant in his car.


I cover Self's history more fully in my article about him on Bullshido.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Why did I soft-pedal Alvis Solis?

Listened to a podcast recently in which I was accused of covering up "one of the biggest sex scandals in Texas" because of racism.  I'm not gonna link it because it doesn't deserve your time.

I report facts.  I don't expose myself to slander lawsuits. I report facts like
-- Alvis Solis steps down and turns academy over to Roy Davis
-- Washington DC filed charges against Nick Schultz and Matthew Maldonado
-- The medal chasers fled TLI in the middle of the night
-- Police report is filed for assault domestic violence by Nelson Monteiro
-- Eben Kaneshiro is arrested for sodomy and sexual abuse

When I don't have facts, I don't report them.  Not everything immoral is illegal, so, criminal charges won't always be filed. When that is the case, I don't report gossip.  I don't want to subject myself to having to defend myself in court. Even if what I report is true, it's not "truth" until a court says so.

Some blithering idiots don't get it.

Q&A about the surveillance camera video, part two.

I titled my previous post on this subject "part one" and didn't get around to writing part two until later.  Then I forgot and left this in the drafts.

What spurred me was a comment to this older post that came in.



Blogger The truth be told said...
This story totally contradicts the police report. Aaron said she had on pants and that they carried her. Police report said that they walked in together and that she had a dress on. Who do you believe?
1:03 PM
 Delete
Blogger Georgette said...
Jesus, are you serious Victor?

Strangely enough some women wear leggings under dresses, or tunic tops that look like dresses, especially in cold weather. Even more strangely, men don't always know what to call womens' clothing items, and leggings can be confused for pants in the masculine mind.

Even MORE strangely, two people can watch the same video of someone being assaulted in a parking garage and come up with differing interpretations of clothing seen in that video and STILL NOT BE LYING as to whether there is an assault on said video.
1:10 PM
 Delete


That's what I mean. People will take slight differences in peripheral stuff and from it attribute lying on important stuff.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Another rash of allegations of sexual abuse by BJJ instructors...

First in Texas-- the well-known third-degree Carlos Machado blackbelt, Alvis Solis... my initial article about it here on Bullshido is very tame, because I had no other facts I could verify and report without exposing myself and Bullshido to legal liability. However, numerous anonymous sources have reported their experiences on the Bullshido thread and you can read and decide for yourself.


And just now, I've learned that Eben Kaneshiro, 35 year-old head instructor at New Breed in Portland Oregon was arrested yesterday, April 19, and is held on a $500,000 bond on numerous charges of sexual abuse. He has a court date on April 27, 2015. Here's the MMAUnderground thread.


He's got 3 counts of 1st degree sodomy, one of coercion, 3 counts of 1st degree sexual abuse, and one of contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor.  Details on those criminal statutes is at the end of the post.

I can't pull up the New Breed Portland website.  This article in MMASucka back in 2012 indicates that Eben Kaneshiro is a Kauai native, a BJJ black belt, and that he runs the New Breed academy in Portland as well as Kauai.

This is Eben on the left, in 2009. According to Sherdog, Eben has a 19-12 record in pro MMA.


And here are the statutes he is charged with violating:

§ 163.405 Sodomy in the first degree

(1) A person who engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another person or causes another to engage in deviate sexual intercourse commits the crime of sodomy in the first degree if:
(a) The victim is subjected to forcible compulsion by the actor;
(b) The victim is under 12 years of age;
(c) The victim is under 16 years of age and is the actors brother or sister, of the whole or half blood, the son or daughter of the actor or the son or daughter of the actors spouse; or
(d) The victim is incapable of consent by reason of mental defect, mental incapacitation or physical helplessness.
(2) Sodomy in the first degree is a Class A felony. 

(That's up to 20 years in prison.)

 §163.275  Coercion
(1) A person commits the crime of coercion when the person compels or induces another person to engage in conduct from which the other person has a legal right to abstain, or to abstain from engaging in conduct in which the other person has a legal right to engage, by means of instilling in the other person a fear that, if the other person refrains from the conduct compelled or induced or engages in conduct contrary to the compulsion or inducement, the actor or another will:
(a) Unlawfully cause physical injury to some person;
(b) Unlawfully cause damage to property;
(c) Engage in conduct constituting a crime;. . . 
(2) Coercion is a Class C felony. 

(That's up to 5 years.)

§ 163.427  Sexual abuse in the first degree

(1) A person commits the crime of sexual abuse in the first degree when that person:
(a) Subjects another person to sexual contact and:
(A) The victim is less than 14 years of age;
(B) The victim is subjected to forcible compulsion by the actor; or
(C) The victim is incapable of consent by reason of being mentally defective, mentally incapacitated or physically helpless; or
(b) Intentionally causes a person under 18 years of age to touch or contact the mouth, anus or sex organs of an animal for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of a person.
(2) Sexual abuse in the first degree is a Class B felony.

(That's up to ten years.)

The last and least of his worries is the delinquency charge which I attribute to a careful, wise prosecutor.

§ 163.435  Contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor

(1) A person 18 years of age or older commits the crime of contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor if:
(a) Being a male, he engages in sexual intercourse with a female under 18 years of age; or
(b) Being a female, she engages in sexual intercourse with a male under 18 years of age; or
(c) The person engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another person under 18 years of age or causes that person to engage in deviate sexual intercourse.
(2) Contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor is a Class A misdemeanor.

I will post as more information becomes available.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Rashguard review: Detales longsleeve ranked rashie

This is the second rashie I've reviewed for Detales (my other posts about their gear can be found here and here.) Once again they hit it out of the park for comfort, fit, and workmanship, with one hardly noticeable bobble on the tag which will be fixed by the manufacturer on the following batches.  Let's dive in...

This is a long sleeve, ranked rashguard that meets IBJJF requirements for nogi grappling wear (your belt color must appear on 50% of the rashie surface, according to rule 8.1.14 here.)  

Like Detales' other rashguard (made in the United States for, and designed by, women who train) it fits a female form very well-- not so tight around the bottom hem that it rides up from hip-height to the waist. It stays where I want it, covering the muffin. The neckline is what I'd call a relaxed crew neck, it doesn't bug you because it's tight around your throat and it's easy to pop your head through even if you have a thick braid or ponytail.  The sleeves are raglan so this will fit comfortably whether you have broad muscular shoulders or narrower ones, and it won't dig into your underarms.


I like the graphic design. The fabric is a hair thicker than a basic underarmor rashie, but very smooth and light feeling.  It doesn't snag either with rough fingernail edges or in the wash, even when I washed it with a zipup fleece that I left unzipped.


You can't feel the seams inside, because of the interlock stitching.

 

In an abundance of caution, I got a large-- I'm 5'2, 140ish, 36C, and been hitting the comfort eating too much.  I also have broader shoulders and bigger biceps, so I lean towards getting a larger rashguard than a smaller one.  The sleeves and torso length and width would be fine on a taller or heavier lady; I feel like I could have done a medium and will, on my next order.  (This one was free for the review, in all fairness, but I totally would spend the money on it myself.)

I wash in warm and dry on hot with all my other training gear and have not seen any shrinking, pilling, fading or other problems, though it's only been about ten days.

The only imperfection I could find after training once or twice a day in this for a week straight is that the (very soft, comfortable) label inside the neck was starting to peel up.  (Detales tells me this is being fixed by the manufacturer for the next run of rashguards.) This was not a problem for me, since... I don't care about the label.  I tugged on it a good bit to see if I could peel it off all the way, but no. And I don't want to accidentally rip it, so I'll just let it fall off in its own time.


The label is made of stretchy very soft material so I don't notice it at all, even sticking up.


The short sleeve rashie is solid black, for $36.  The ranked rashies are available in blue, purple, and  brown for $56, and they're out of the white ones at the moment (but taking preorders.)  You can buy one on the Detales website right here, and I highly recommend it :)

Monday, April 06, 2015

BEST LIST SYSTEM EVER

worth all caps.

I am an inveterate list-maker.  I need to stay organized and prevent things from slipping through the cracks.

This Bullet Journal system is the bomb.  Short video, worth a watch.



From bulletjournal.com

Help if you want to train in Brazil...

I just wanted to invite you to check out the site Train In Brazil Group. Anyone interested in training in Brazil (either BJJ or MMA) can use their services for a hassle-free trip. Everything is organized and taken care of before you reach beautiful Brazil.

Team Kazulu

What makes this experience unique is that you can choose from different cities (São Paulo, Campinas or Rio de Janeiro) and academies for your experience; there are also different accommodations to choose from, as well as tours. They can also register you for tournaments, which can be a big hassle as a foreigner wanting to compete in Brazil.

Also, for any of you interested in learning some Portuguese, you can sign up for their mailing list and receive an e-book for free.


A few words from the owner, Brandon: (he's in the center of this photo)


"My name is Brandon Pennington and I am the founder of Train In Brazil Group.  I have been  involved in martial arts since the age of six. I first came to Brazil on  a business trip in 2005 with  other students from my MBA program. Since the first trip, I fell in love with Brazil and wanted to  move here. Eight years later my dream became a reality.

A year before planning to move to Brazil, a friend of mine introduced me to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. This was a point in my life when my love for martial arts and Brazil grew even stronger. I started training with my friend from work at an academy in Chicago. I told the guys there that I would be moving to Brazil in a year. Everyone was so jealous of me and they said they were planning a trip to Rio de Janeiro to train BJJ and see Brazil.

It wasn’t until they came here to visit that I realized the difficulty that foreigners have when trying to organize a trip and travel in Brazil. I helped them by calling the academies to find out when they had training sessions, how much it would cost to train, places to stay, visit, and other things related to Brazil that only a local or someone who speaks Portuguese and knows the country would be able to do. My team from Chicago thanked me for my help and realized that their trip would not have been possible without me. The rest is history!"

Friday, April 03, 2015

Trust your jiu jitsu...

Tonight I observed (and semi-participated) in some events which probably happen all the time anywhere in any jiu jitsu academy around the world. But it was the FIRST time for me!

Forgive me for possibly telling too many details, in advance.

I arrived at the academy early because I wanted to do some little things around the place (hanging a corkboard for announcements etc).  There were 3 people waiting outside already, early-- a girl and two guys.  My instructor arrived at the same time I did and we greeted everyone.  She was just watching, one guy brought a gi.  White belts. I cleaned the mats and got dressed while my instructor chatted with the guys and got a waiver etc.

One, I'll call Nick, attended last night's class and borrowed a gi, and this was his second day with us.  His friend, Dick, seemed kind of cocky, but that's not uncommon.  He trained with a local guy mostly nogi, a few years ago, had two fights, pretty ordinary story.  While my instructor got dressed and stretched out his back with a foam roller, Nick and Dick rolled a bit to warm up. Dick had a nice gi,so I figured he'd at least done some gi training too.

After Nick and Dick got done with their roll, my instructor invited Dick to roll.  Meanwhile, a black belt under the other head instructor came in (I'll call him X) and was getting dressed, and another white belt arrived.  So I invited Nick to roll... I explained my neck injury, and he seemed nice enough, and so we rolled a bit.  I pulled guard, played nice and mellow, got passed, got back to guard, swept, mounted.  While I was mounted on him, he kept pushing with straight arms, so we talked about arm bars a bit.  "I'm impossible to arm bar" is I believe a direct quote, which X overheard. X invited Nick to roll next, and I turned to watch my instructor and Dick.

Just in time to see Dick sit back, wrap up a perfect heelhook, and slam himself over bellydown 180 degrees in the nastiest heelhook I've ever seen in real live sparring.  My instructor started tapping when Dick's wrist cupped the heel but that didn't stop Dick. I even yelled "No heelhooks!" My instructor was slapping Dick's shin and then the mat really hard as he tried to roll with the sub.

Dick bounded up angrily and yelled that it wasn't a heelhook.  Then he backtracked and said something about "but you're a blackbelt." Dick yelled a few other things and was visibly out of control.  It was pretty scary. My instructor invited Dick to leave. Dick stormed around gathering his clothes while his girlfriend apologized to us. My instructor was unhurt, but clearly restraining himself, and we all sighed with relief when Dick stomped out.

Nick meanwhile was being armbarred by X, of course. (He wouldn't tap.. and then he yelped.) Afterwards he was very cool about his friend and indicated it wasn't the first time he'd had a blowup. Class was kind of derailed by that emotional energy so we ended up having kind of an open mat/lab/training session instead. But I learned more lessons after class when I had time to process.

Here's what I learned... number one, sometimes you can just tell with your spidey-senses that something weird is up.  I felt some kind of suppressed tension in the air and I'm glad it wasn't me rolling with Dick (my instructor felt it too, and in a way threw himself on the grenade.) Listen to those instincts.

Number two, the profound wisdom from my instructor, who said afterwards -- look, when I know you and trust you, I will let you do anything to me, I will get into bad positions, you can tap me as much as you want, it's all about learning. But if I don't trust you to take care of me the way a partner should, then I must take care of myself by not letting you get into a position where you could hurt me. That's a big lesson and fortunately one learned without physical injury.  Even a blackbelt, even a whitebelt... yeah. You can't afford to assume that someone has your best interests at heart unless you know a little bit about them. Be safe, don't be sorry.

Number three, I learned that (although I prefer playing top) my safe place with a new person is, surprisingly, guard.  That's a big eye-opener for me.  I usually view guard as a means to getting on top-- like cake is a delivery device for frosting.

 

(this picture came from here, which happens to have a seriously bad ass chocolate cake recipe and frosting recipe.) 

But I realize that for a little while now I have been approaching new students of all training backgrounds from my guard.  It's inoffensive and un-intimidating to a scaredy person... it's non-threatening to a "I train UFC bro" guy... it's not aggro, it's receptive and chill and yet very safe.  I felt awesome when I realized that my guard has grown enough to stymie most pass attempts by a young-20-something self-proclaimed "fitness nut" and even when I got passed (which I kind of let happen, truth be told) I was able to escape easily.

Of course I'm not really saying I'm all that-- he's a white belt, I should be able to escape, and I did have to work to sweep him (and I doubt I could've submitted him without a major fight.) But I felt a bit closer to understanding the Helio perspective-- if you can't hurt me, I win.

Thanks for listening. :)