Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1992 11:27:32 -0500
From: Craig Neidorf <
[email protected]>
Subject: File 8--The Harsh Reality of Life
THE HARSH REALITY OF LIFE
by Craig Neidorf
[email protected]
January 18-19, 1992 marked the two-year anniversary of my visit from
and subsequent raid by the United States Secret Service, Southwestern
Bell Security, and the University of Missouri Police Department.
The publicity and attention that once surrounded United States v.
Craig Neidorf has long been over, and; for most people involved life
has returned to normal and those events are history.
Unfortunately things are not quite as simple for me.
After my trial concluded, I went back to school at the University of
Missouri, and hit the books hard. I earned a 4.0 (straight A average)
that semester, focusing on political science and pre-law courses. I
did almost as well the following spring and summer semesters. I
graduated on August 2, 1991.
However, my legal bills remained very high. In fact, my parents and I
still owe close to $50,000.
I have always been uncomfortable with the idea of actually making a
direct appeal to people to send donations in to my defense fund, but
over the last year and a half, my idealism about the future has faded
and been replaced with reality.
At the end of my trial, my legal fees totaled about $108,000 and this
figure does not include travel expenses in going back and forth to
Chicago from St. Louis and Columbia or any other related expenditures
that I had to make during that 7 month period.
- This figure does not include the money I lost by having to drop most
of my classes at the University of Missouri that semester because I
could not consistently attend class during my ordeal.
- This figure does not reflect the pain and suffering that my family
and I were put through by a malicious and ignorant prosecutor and
other similarly unpleasant people at Bellsouth, Illinois Bell,
Bellcore, and AT&T.
- This figure does not include the traumatic incidents of my
suspension from the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity or the threats of
expulsion I received from the Chancellor's office of the University
of Missouri.
- And finally this figure does not include the additional $900 I had
to spend to finally get my arrest records expunged. That fee could
and should have been avoided altogether except as with the trial,
William Cook (the assistant U.S. attorney) opposed my motion for
expungement and so several more motions and court appearances were
necessary for me to achieve victory.
The number one MYTH about my legal fees is that they were paid by the
Electronic Frontier Foundation. This is complete fiction. Although I
appeared to have been somewhat of a spokesperson and "poster-child"
for the EFF throughout 1990 and 1991, and despite what you may have
read anywhere else, there were no monetary contributions granted to me
by that organization. NONE. There was a private and very generous
donation made by Mitch Kapor personally, but this is separate from the
EFF.
EFF did pay for some legal motions to be filed in my case regarding
the First Amendment, but since these motions were denied, they
impacted only slightly on the outcome of my trial. The most
beneficial outcome of the EFF's involvement with my case was the
general increase in awareness in the community at large to the issues
my case presented.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Well more than a year has passed since the day my trial ended...
My entire life savings that I had stored for college and law school
was needed as a downpayment on my legal fees and my parents of course
had to give up most of their savings as well. A payment plan was
arranged over what looks to be a 10 year period. We had no choice,
but to accept that these were the cards life had dealt us and after
all things could be much worse. I have my health and my freedom (such
as it is) and such things are worth more than money.
However, I am a young person starting out in life. I have applied to
several law schools across the country, both public and private.
Unfortunately, after reviewing my financial options, I have discovered
that the expense of a legal education may now place it very far beyond
my means.
Like a very large number of Americans, the recession has hit home,
putting my father out of work and keeping my mother in a job beneath
her talents.
It seriously pains me to have to do this, but trust me when I tell you
that I've thought about this for a long time. I need YOUR HELP to get
my legal bills paid. I need to be able to live my life without this
debt hanging over my head. There are at least 343 people on the
Phrack emailing list alone: If each person only contributed $30 it
would save me over $10,000. You see helping me out is not beyond the
reach of our community if we all work together. Consider it an
investment in your future, because what happened to me can happen to
anyone and with a legal education I'll be back to return the favor.
If you find that you can afford to help me, you have my most sincere
thanks and appreciation. I know a lot of you are in tight financial
situations like me and can sympathize with what I am going through.
If you are unable to help me because you are having problems of your
own then you have my sympathy as well.
Please make checks or money orders payable to: Katten, Muchin, &
Zavis
Send them to: Sheldon Zenner
Katten, Muchin, & Zavis
525 West Monroe Street
Suite 1600
Chicago, Illinois 60606-3693
And do not forget to write my name in the memo section or enclose a
letter explaining what the check is for. If you neglect to do that,
KMZ will not credit my account for the amount of the check.
PS - I'd also appreciate any tips or leads on potential sources of
financial aid, grants, and scholarships available for an aspiring law
student.
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