Article Schmarticle
Or should we say artículo shmartículo?: Regarding Gus Garcia-Roberts's July 19 story, "Killer Spook," about top CIA official Enrique "Ricky" Prado: In this treacherous world, there is neither truth nor lies... It all depends on the color of your glasses. En este mundo traidor, nada es verdad ni es mentira.... Todo es según el color... del cristal con que se mira. Hard to comment on this "article," since none of the participants will reveal themselves.
Mistified
Correct Me if I'm Wrong
Editor's note: Doug Reynolds, a lawyer for Chris Dahm, the father whose daughter's kidnapping was described in Chris Sweeney's July 19 story, "Gone Gabby Gone," raised concerns about some points.
The accusation: Some corrections to the article: Leslie and Chris got married at Saint Pius X Catholic Church in Fort Lauderdale, not the St. Regis. The reception afterward was at the Hyatt Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale.
Chris never gave Leslie a gun to use for any reason. The only loaded gun in the house was in their nightstand, in their bedroom. Chris never said that anyone was looking for him, because they were not. Chris was always very easy to find. In 1995, Chris never went berserk or tore off an armrest.
Chris says he never claimed anyone's condos were sold; he contends that people who worked for him made those claims to the public.
Chris maintains he never stashed loaded guns around the house, nor did he ever rip anyone off. All of the other guns were locked up and not loaded. He further claims that he never stole anything from anyone.
There was never a "lockdown" situation at his residence. It should be noted that Leslie had the full opportunity to raise her concerns at the trial, which she did, and they were considered by the court in its decision. Please correct your article accordingly. Thank you for your consideration.
Doug Reynolds, attorney for Chris Dahm
The response: Mr. Reynolds is confused about the article, either because he didn't read it or because he chose to misunderstand the obvious. On the first point: I never wrote that Chris gave Leslie a gun. I quote her saying that he put one in her drawer. It's a direct quote. This point is discussed in court documents filed during the divorce. And Chris told me that Leslie once discharged the gun when trying to take it out of the drawer.
With regard to Mr. Reynolds's statement that Chris never said anyone was looking for him: This is also directly quoted from Leslie. Furthermore, the court documents include Leslie discussing that someone came to their house looking for Chris.
Though Mr. Reynolds states Chris never went berserk in 1995, the arrest report that I viewed describes how Chris was handcuffed and placed in the back of a squad car. He quickly managed to get the cuffs in front of him and "pulled the armrest off," according to the report. In the story, this assertion is qualified with "police records show." He was removed from the car and pepper-sprayed, according to the report. He was charged with "resist/obstruction w/o violence," among other things.
Mr. Reynolds says Chris never said that anyone's condos were sold as part of a real-estate scam and that it was the people who worked for him who made these claims. I noted that Chris pleaded no contest to felony fraud charges for his role in this scheme. Court records described how the scam worked, including that people were told their condos had been sold.
Mr. Reynolds again says Chris never stashed loaded guns in the house, yet Chris told me that his ex-wife discharged a loaded gun that he had put in the dresser drawer. Furthermore, a court document filed by Leslie states, "Additionally my husband had loaded firearms which he kept in the bedroom where we slept with my infant daughter." Also, Mr. Reynolds's assertion that there was never a "lockdown" situation is contradicted by the same court document from Leslie, which states, "my daughter and I, for the brief time we resided with Christopher Dahm, literally were in a lockdown situation."
The lawyer maintains that Chris never ripped anyone off. Yet Leslie stated several times that Chris did rip people off, including co-workers. Mr. Reynolds also suggested that I should make it clear Leslie had an opportunity to raise these points in court. This was abundantly clear in the article — the story even cited the judge's final decision, in which he noted Leslie's substance-abuse problems.
As for the debate over where Chris and Leslie married, Mr. Reynolds notes they were wed at Saint Pius X Catholic Church, which I neglected to include in the story, and had a reception at the Hyatt Pier 66. Though Leslie told me twice that the reception was at the St. Regis, it appears Mr. Reynolds is correct. I apologize for the error.
Chris Sweeney, New Times staff writer
