Thursday, October 22, 2015

David Vitter - Interview with Jeanette Maier

In 2003, Jeanette Maier was indicted by federal prosecutors along with eleven other women for operating a brothel on Canal Street here in New Orleans. The story made national news and although Maier produced a list of clients not a single man was indicted for their solicitation of the brothel's employees. In fact, Jeanette's notorious client list was sealed by Federal Judge Ivan Lemelle.

While the client list remains sealed, Jeanette has since spoken about some of her more prestigious clients including now candidate for Lt. Governor, Billy Nungesser, and candidate for Governor, Sen. David Vitter.

Maier suggested multiple times that Vitter was a "client" but it was unclear if he actually visited the Canal Street Brothel since she also admitted his name was not on her client list. I've always wanted to clarify what she meant by these admissions and I got the opportunity to interview her on camera this week.

The first question I asked, "Exactly how did you service David Vitter?":

Jeanatte on St Charles party from Jason Berry on Vimeo.


Jeanette mentioned Michelle, one of the escorts who allegedly had sex with David Vitter at the house party on St. Charles Avenue.  Michelle supposedly committed suicide on a boat that was docked in Biloxi, Mississippi.

The woman's full name was Michelle Mosgrove, she was 28 when she died.





Her death took place on August 7, 1997.

Article from Sun Herald, August 1997
The suicide occurred on a boat owned by a man (now deceased) named William Andre Droulia. The tragedy occurred in a boat slip (the boat was docked) at Point Cadet Marina in Biloxi, Mississippi. The investigation was handled by the Biloxi Police Department:



The public records request for the police report only produced the front page of the report and the name of the boat owner was redacted.  However, I have established Droulia was the owner of "AERA" through a former captain of the 74' Willard vessel...Captain Ron Canatlano piloted the boat in the early nineties previous to the 1997 suicide event. Note that the police report says there are four successive "narrative" pages...these pages weren't provided in the public records request.

I've spoken with several people who knew Michelle (they wish to remain unnamed in this story) and worked in the "industry". All were skeptical of the suicide claim including Wendy Ellis and Jeanette, who elaborates on the matter in this byte:

Jeanette on Michell Musgrove 1 from Jason Berry on Vimeo.


Jeanette mentioned that there were three women at the party on St. Charles Street, which Maier says occured in 1996, one year before Michelle's suicide.  Jeanette said two of the women had sexual interaction with David Vitter...one being Michelle and she declined to identify the second.  The third woman was named "Zoey".

I have tried desperately, for months, to identify Zoey (stage name) by her real name and confirm the story with her as a firsthand source. I've been unsuccessful in that quest but I believe her real first name may have been Casey and she spent a lot of time around Bourbon Street in the mid-90's.  One source thought she may have moved to California...regardless I have not been able to establish her last name.

After researching this story for the past five years, I've come to realize just how dangerous this lifestyle is for these women. Jeannette told me of being raped and manipulated by police officers early in her life and in this byte she points out how prostitutes are immediately dismissed as credible sources:

Jeanette on Michelle and discrediting prostitutes from Jason Berry on Vimeo.


I asked her about the double standard that occurs when "politricking" scandals break:

Jeanette on politricking from Jason Berry on Vimeo.


Perhaps this prosecution of women vis-a-vis the protection of "johns" speaks to an underlying misogyny in our national culture or perhaps it's a localized phenomenon in Louisiana politics but the trend seems to be repeated every time a sex scandal comes to light in our state.

I would ask you to please listen to what Jeanette has said in this final byte and consider the price these women, like Michelle, have paid for being involved with powerful political figures.

Ashe'

Much thanks to Doug at Slabbed for his help in this story.  

Note:  I originally stated that Judge Kurt Englehardt oversaw the Canal Street Madame case, it was Judge Ivan Lemelle.  I have since corrected that mistake.

  

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

I see a new slant to this story, so are you an investigative journalist working to uncover wrong doings by politician David Vitter or a feminist working for the rights of women, specifically women in the sex industry?

You can’t have it both way you know, the investigative journalist is, like the politicians, using these women for his own ends and means. The journalist has a story he wants to expose, the feminist wants to make life better for all people and especially those in the lower stratas of society.

If you want to be a feminist, you have to stop using these women for your own benefit. Stop making prostitution the primary focus of any discussion of David Vitter because that only makes these women’s lives and circumstances more difficult.

Work for a world that looks at this story and says so what. So what David Vitter visited prostitutes. Let’s focus on his horrible record as a politician. Focus on his efforts to curtail and remove the rights and liberties of all citizens, his relationships with corporations that are destroying this state. Focus on the absolute corrupt political parties this country has, and that given his disastrous record the Republicans are forced to support him. Now that’s a story!

And that’s being a feminist. Wendy, Jeannette, Michelle, Vanna and all the others whose lives are being exposed and held up for our scrutiny here on your blog would be better served with that kind of investigative journalism.

Jason Brad Berry said...

Blogger. com or Wordpress.com.....go knock it out.

michael patrick said...

I think he's clearly making LYING the primary focus of this investigation, though I can see how it might seem to be about the ladies.

Jason Brad Berry said...

Show me where I'm lying...please.

Anonymous said...

Okay Michael Patrick, lying. Let’s examine this lying that Vitter is being accused of.

In a courtroom Vitter would be the defendant and Berry would be the prosecutor. Vitter has only proclaimed his innocence and the prosecutor has produced nothing but witnesses giving testimony, the vast majority of this testimony is heresay which is not admissible in a court of law.

At this point the judge, speaker and representative of the jury would ask for and require evidence, please Mr. Prosecutor present some evidence in this case, anything, one piece of evidence for the jury (us) to examine and balance against Vitter’s proclamation of innocence. If not the jury must return a verdict of not guilty. Case closed.

Jason Brad Berry said...

The prosecution would like to call to the stand , Rickie Ketchum:

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/2015/10/22/new-witness-puts-vitter-at-scene-of-alleged-trysts-in-1990s

Anonymous said...

Have you interviewed Dr Lippton. He told the Feds everything. I bet you he knows who Jonathan is.

Anonymous said...

The prosecution is really reaching here. It may be "funny" or suspicious that Vitter got his haircut at Headquarters, but the statement that "he would come in and get his hair cut while he was waiting for the girl across the street to get home" is heresay, the barber who cut Vitter's hair is dead. Unless that barber left a sworn affidavit that is not admissible.

Here's my summation: Just because Vitter got his haircut at Headquarters doesn't prove anything except he got a haircut. Being at the scene of a crime does not make you the perpetrator of that crime. Basic law 101.

The prosecutor better come up with some evidence soon or the judge and jury will get tired of the salacious tidbits and close this case.

Jason Brad Berry said...

Yeah, well counsel...you're in the court of public opinion, not a court where you can buy the judge and jury. Ketchum said he saw Vitter coming and going to see the girl across the street, not simply coming in to get his hair cut.

sutton said...

Anonymous, I don't have a dog in this particular hunt but I can tell you from my recent experience in Federal Court, "evidence" is no longer a requirement.

Anonymous said...

You should see this. http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/13785472-172/man-arrested-after-trying-to

Anonymous said...

Let me guess...you are a self-centered, hairy, knuckle dragging,
whoremongering MAN who enjoys putting your foot on the neck of any woman in your life. While you may not care about these women, I can assure you that most, if not all, women sympathize with these poor unfortunate women. Please do us a favor and crawl back into the cave from which you came.

Anonymous said...

Did you miss the part where he linked Vitter with murder?

Jason Brad Berry said...

No, I did not. But you just did.

Sock Puppet said...

Jeanatte Maier has massive nads. She is a very nice person, and she has nothing to gain by doing this. And she is right about what this has done to her life, while certain men her service seviced just gain more money, power, and ill-gotten respect. Jeanette and her daughter are straight-shooters. Go Gidget! Go Jazz!

Anonymous said...

To anonymous October 23, 2015 at 10:16:00 PM CDT,

You are beyond adorable and unfortunately represent what is so wrong in social media. As soon as you read something that makes you uncomfortable or makes you think outside the box you have to shut not the idea down but the person who wrote it. My dear sweetheart you are so misguided.

My feminist roots began in the 70s with an older sister who fought for women’s lib, as it was called back then. She bought me Our Bodies, Ourselves, a savior for my teen years. My sister used our home telephone as a rape crisis line and she marched and worked for the passage of Roe v. Wade.

I appreciate Berry’s work and my criticisms should be valued by him and his readers. He can only grow and be a better journalist from people who can be the devil’s advocate. I won’t give obvious examples but powerful public people who surround themselves with only yes men frequently prematurely fall, often fall hard. Berry doesn’t need people to only rah rah him, he needs people who challenge him and pique his desire to be better!

I like to believe and sincerely hope that he sees my posts in that regard, that they help him improve his work.

Namaste to you dear sweet anonymous October 23, 2015 at 10:16:00 PM CDT.

Anonymous said...

Dumaine St. 905, Dauphine St. 901-03: Julie A. Mowry Houston

Jason Brad Berry said...

try J.B. Houston. Same address.

:)

Jason Brad Berry said...

And keep in mind you're not arguing with me at this point, you're just talking to Mr. Fed.

But I encourage you to keep arguing with me. Muchos gracias.

THE REST OF THE STORY said...

Here's to the want to be lawyer aka anonymous. Have you ever heard of cases based on circumstantial evidence. No DNA available as you seem to require. Try the following on for size:
(1) In 2007 Wendy Ellis interviewed with Hustler and exposed Vitter as a client and passes a lie detector test. (Granted not admissible in a court of law, but used ALL the time by law enforcement and DA offices as an INVESTIGATIVE TOOL)

(2) Vitter later admits to a "serious sin" only doesn't elaborate, leaving one to believe that he is referring to the DC madam scandal (which he knew he couldn't deny)

(3) Wendy Ellis gives a much more detailed interview with this blogger outlining specific details of the tryst and providing the address of the Escort Service.

(4) Records reflect that in fact the address provided was occupied by New Orleans Escorts and Erotic Messages. (Posted on this site as well)

(5) Wendy Ellis in her Hustler interview speaks of a distinguishing mark on Mr. Vitter (presumably referring to his "item of interest" ) which of course could only be proven if the prosecutor subpoenaed his urology medical records - which they would.

(6) Wendy Ellis goes on to say that a child was born that Vitter fathered. The only way for anyone to provide this is to provide DNA evidence from the child and Vitter or his children, which we all know will not happen. HOWEVER, records reflecting that Wendy did in fact have a child during this period would certainly prove that she wasn't lying about that fact. (THIS I BELIEVE IS THE REASON VITTER CANNOT EVER ACKNOWLEDGE EVEN KNOWING WENDY ELLIS) Meaning the admission would put him in the area of the tryst and child.

(7) The barber's testimony. Now anyone would have to ask why would he lie. He didn't seek out the media to tell this story,mthe sought him out. SO JOHN Q PUBLIC, TELL ME WHY WOULD HE BE LYING?

NOW THAT WE'VE HAD FUN WITH OUR MOCK COURTROOM ARGUMENTS, LETS TALK REALITY. BASED ON THE ABOVE LISTED CIRCUMSTANCE,(S), WHAT DOES THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION THINK?

Anonymous said...

Testimony is evidence.

Clay said...

This just popped up

Dateline: September 1st, 2016 http://washingtonbabylon.com/how-did-a-new-orleans-escort-linked-to-senator-david-vitter-end-up-dead-in-biloxi-oh-yeah-and-on-a-boat-owned-by-a-big-vitter-oil-donor/ David Vitter and hookers

SEX INDUSTRY EXPERT said...

https://www.facebook.com/sexindustryadvisor I knew these women, and others who didn't make the news. It starts to make you really take the death threats you're getting seriously - signed the High Tech Madam

SEX INDUSTRY EXPERT said...

I don't care WHAT his motivations are, because what I see here is yet another person wanting these stories BURIED. How convenient. I do not believe that Sylvia Landry, Michelle, Brandi Britton, Jeanne Palfrey and Jeanette Maier all having in common David Vitter as a client have all killed themselves when no one who knew them believed it was a suicide has a damn thing to do with prostitution! There is something else clearly going on here that this person above is trying to discourage ANYONE from digging deeper into what's going on here! I knew all of these women personally except for Michelle, and as their friend, I'm tired of seeing it swept under the rug and I WANT people to keep talking about it, I don't give a damn what their motivations are, until there is a proper investigation done because I frankly believe it was murder. They all had in common dying right before they were ready to open their mouths about stuff going on in this industry that I myself know about, and I've had more than one attempt on my life as well. Signed "the high tech madam"