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Robot_Apocolypse

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Robot_Apocolypse

Robot_Apocolypse

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Alain Maridueña (better known as Alan Ket) grew up between Jackson Heights, Miami and Brooklyn. He is the first born to his parents, both immigrants from Latin America. A native of Ecuador, Alain's father came to New York and landed a job as a machinist in Astoria - a far cry from his family's home in Guayaquil. His mother emigrated from Cuba with the rest of her family and landed in Washington Heights like the other Cubans in the '60s. Alain was raised by his mother and grandparents in the Latino enclave of Jackson Heights until the age of seven, when he moved to Miami. As a child, Alain passed his time with Spider-Man comics, Hot Wheels cars and an equal dose of TV like the Smurfs and Happy Days.

 

At 10 Alain returned to Brooklyn to live with his dad. Summers in Brooklyn meant playing sports, learning how to breakdance and copying Bruce Lee moves. Midwood High School was the backdrop to Alain's teen years in Brooklyn. His goal was to pursue his interest in science and leave the neighborhood that was exploding with crime, drugs and escalating violence. Working his way through high school, Alain forfeited baseball and lacrosse with the other kids to help with the household bills and his own expenses. It was during these years of taking the 5 train to school that Alain fell in love with graffiti art and the soundtrack of his Brooklyn neighborhood sparked his love for Hip Hop music. After high school, he moved out on his own to escape the domestic abuse at home. It was during these years that Alain became known in the graffiti world as a serious artist and outspoken political activist.

 

He went on to study at Borough of Manhattan Community College, eventually earning a scholarship to both Vassar and New York University, where he completed his studies in graphic communication technology and management in 1996. While at New York University, he married, had a daughter and started his first business, Stress Magazine. With this venture, Alain combined his NYU education with his passion to communicate the urban experience of young people of color who participated in Hip Hop culture. During Stress' existence (1995-2000), Alain and the magazine became known as advocates for prisoner's rights, political prisoners, journalists of color and against police brutality. Above all, the magazine gave the Hip Hop movement an outlet for firsthand experiences by employing non-traditional writers and participants of the culture. Stress spawned the Hip Hop journal, Elementary, and Black August, an organization to support political prisoners in exile.

 

The years of working for a meager wage and the long work hours took a toll on Alain and his family. By the end of 1999, he and his wife separated. In 2000, Stress closed its doors forever and Alain went on to start a new magazine, Complex, for his friend Marc Ecko of Ecko Unlimited. At this point, Alain had become a magazine publishing expert and took advantage of his entrepreneurial training in order to better provide for his family. He welcomed his son into the world in 2001. Now divorced, Alain threw himself into his work, including lecturing and painting around the world on the topics of graffiti history and Hip Hop entrepreneurism. He lectured at such prestigious universities as Princeton, Brown, Berkeley and Wesleyan. He also painted and exhibited work around the world in cities such as Munich, Zurich, Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

 

By 2003, Alain started working with fashion brands Azzure Denim and Indigo Red as Vice President of MarAlaining and Advertising, helping the company become a leader in the urban fashion category. During his time there, he consulted for Marc Ecko on his video game venture and the launch of the video game, Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. Alain served as the lead environment and graffiti consultant, making sure that the game was authentic and inclusive of the world's graffiti art pioneers. He was able to contract over 75 artists to work with him to create the art for the game.

 

In 2005, Alain branched off to work for himself again, founding From Here to Fame LLC, a book publishing, content development and art agency. Since then, he has worked with a diverse group of clients like MTV, Lugz, Atari, Vibe magazine and Mountain Dew. That year he also curated Marc Ecko's block party, an event that paid tribute to graffiti pioneers and the cause of much controversy when New York's Mayor Bloomberg decided to revoke the event's permit. After a heavily publicized court battle, the City was forced to reinstate the permit and the event was a huge success. This was the beginning of a strained relationship with local politicians because of Ecko and Alain's public pro-graffiti stance.

 

Today, he continues to promote Hip Hop and graffiti culture through the three book titles he has published thus far: Street Play, Hip Hop Files and The Nasty Terrible T-Kid 170. Alain continues to be active in preserving New York and urban art history by documenting the art scene in lectures, magazines like Mass Appeal and the upcoming book, The History of New York Subway Graffiti.

 

At the time of his arrest in October 2006, Alain was working on eight different books on graffiti and fashion. He suffered a major setback as a result of the police confiscating his archives and computers.

 

Alain is not only a parent, but also an uncle to two nieces and a nephew. He is an elder in his family and provides guidance and support to his parents, siblings and cousins. He volunteers his time in his community and to his friends. For many, he is a connector, a person with extensive contacts that is never unwilling to share resources and ideas. To others, he is just a busy and determined man, always looking to build on a new project or talk politics. When he isn't working, you can usually find him in the park walking his two dogs.

 

THE FACTS

 

What Happened?

In October 2006, a Special Investigations Unit of the New York Police Department performed a search of writer, artist and publisher Alain KET Maridueña's From Here to Fame (FHTF) home office. They seized documents, computers, art supplies and equipment used in publishing three of FHTF's titles. The seized materials included historical photos being used for an upcoming book on the history of New York City's graffiti movement, images for a book being published with Michael O'Mara books from London and slide shows for university lectures. As an artist, historian and journalist, all of the materials seized are used for work purposes and pose no risk to anyone. The seized property was to be analyzed and, if deemed criminal by the District Attorney's office, indictments would be handed down.

 

In March 2007, police returned to Alain's home to arrest him on criminal mischief charges, violating an agreement that Alain's lawyer, Daniel Perez, and the District Attorney worked out for Alain to voluntarily surrender. At the time, Alain was out of town and the Brooklyn District Attorney's office was forced to work with Perez to arrange for Alain to surrender to face formal indictment charges in three separate counties.

 

On March TK, 2007, Alain turned himself into the Brooklyn District Attorney's office and was charged with three counts of criminal mischief in the second degree, a class D felony. After being released on his own recognizance by the judge, Alain was re-arrested and taken to Manhattan to be formally indicted there. On his way out of the courthouse, photographers snapped photographs of Alain which indicate that the case was larger than previously imagined. Alain spent the night in jail in Manhattan before seeing Judge Yates in the morning. The charges in Manhattan amounted to nine separate charges ranging from criminal mischief in the second degree to possession of graffiti tools. Unlike the Brooklyn judge who released Alain on his own recognizance, Yates granted the District Attorney's request for $50,000 bail. For the next week, Alain sat in jail coordinating with friends and family to raise the needed bail money. Queens County's indictment was still pending.

 

On March TK, 2007, Alain was transported from his cell in the Manhattan correctional facility to a Queens court to face indictment. In this case, the judge did not grant the District Attorney's request for $50,000 bail and instead reduced the bail to $10,000. From Queens, Alain was transported back to his cell in Manhattan until all the bail money could be raised. He was finally released on March TK, a full week after surrendering to the District Attorney. Today, Alain faces a possible 20 years in prison in what has become increasingly clear is a politically motivated attempt to silence a writer, publisher, historian and artist whose work popularizes an art form criminalized by city government policy.

 

What Were Alains Charges?

 

The following is a breakdown of the charges faced by Alain Maridueña in New York City as of 4-12-07.

 

Re: People v. Mariduena, Ind. No. 849-2007 (New York County)

People v. Mariduena, Ind. No. 1730-2007 (Kings County)

People v. Mariduena, Dkt. No. 2007QNO13440 (Queens County)

 

Kings County

2 counts: Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree – Class D felony

 

Queens County

1 count: Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree – Class D felony

 

New York County

7 counts: Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, in violation of penal law 145.10 –

Class D felony

2 counts: Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree – Class E felony, in violation of

penal law 145.05(2)

1 count: Possession of graffiti tools, in violation of penal law 145.65 – Misdemeanor

 

Any 2nd degree conviction carries a sentence of between 1 to 3 years (minimum) and 2 1/3 to 7 years (maximum).

 

Why is he being charged in three different counties?

 

Alain is being charged in separate counties because the incidents of alleged graffiti he is being charged with took place in the three separate counties over a few years span. It is New York City policy to prosecute criminal cases in the borough that the crime was committed.

 

Why is graffiti a felony?

 

Graffiti is a felony when the estimated damage to the property exceeds $1,500 US dollars. This became law in the 80s when the City of New York was trying to combat the wave of graffiti that existed on the subway trains. Rather than create programs to educate the youth offenders, the city decided to further criminalize the act in order to be able to ask for jail time for offenders. Before this, graffiti was a misdemeanor crime punishable by fine or community service or both.

 

What's the worst that could happen to Alain?

 

Alain can be convicted at trial and receive a sentence of 3-7 years for each felony count he is charged with. The case against Alain KET Maridueña is precedent-setting and the outcome will determine whether artists, journalists, intellectuals and anyone exercising their right to free speech can, in fundamental violation of the United States Constitution, be criminalized merely for their ideas. Like other cases that challenge our democracy, this is a test case for how far the government can reach, unopposed, into colleges, universities, museums and even our homes to silence free speech, thought and inquiry. The issues are fundamental – freedom of speech, freedom of expression and academic freedom – and defending these rights is vital.

 

Does Alain have a criminal record?

 

Alain has a clean record with no felony convictions

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

 

Get more information about setting up outreach events, donating to Alain's legal defense, and spreading the word about his case here.

 

We hope that this helps answer any questions you may have had. Thanks for your support.

 

 

 

 

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Robot_Apocolypse

Robot_Apocolypse

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its general support for your fellow writer, it doesn't matter if you know them or not. Its the fact of the matter, that an artist or a vandal how ever you look at it is getting more time than a rapist would, its more time than assisted suicide, man slaughter, etc. To have this dude with two kids locked up for this long mixed in with those types of people is just ridiculous.

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sir magoosh

sir magoosh

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man he'll be ok. he'll get put on papers if he gets a good lawer. i know fools that aggravted robbed a taxi driver. beating the shit outta him and all they got was a year and some change but that was in atlanta. im mean fuck it when you go into any crime chances are you know the concequces of your actions for the most part. so fuck i been there and done that. if he gets time for some odd reason he needs to serve it like a man, which i doubt he'll get anyways we all know what we are doing out here if your scaired to do the time then give the fuck up...good luck ket for real....ha! run that store if you do get time homie and dont back down for shit. i dont know you but be a stand up man if you get time........aight.....trust me

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~>MooseKnuckle<~

~>MooseKnuckle<~

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man he'll be ok. he'll get put on papers if he gets a good lawer. i know fools that aggravted robbed a taxi driver. beating the shit outta him and all they got was a year and some change but that was in atlanta. im mean fuck it when you go into any crime chances are you know the concequces of your actions for the most part. so fuck i been there and done that. if he gets time for some odd reason he needs to serve it like a man, which i doubt he'll get anyways we all know what we are doing out here if your scaired to do the time then give the fuck up...good luck ket for real....ha! run that store if you do get time homie and dont back down for shit. i dont know you but be a stand up man if you get time........aight.....trust me

 

you live in atlanta where most of the writers are soft as baby shit and graffiti laws are basically non existant compared to NYC. either you cant read or cant comprehend what you read. show support or shut your face anus.

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The optick one

The optick one

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PEACE,

I use to run into ket in 92 and 93 in the city when I was 12,13 years old. Compared to them ass hole cats, Ket was always good to the youth. He would tell us what he wrote and autograph my book unlike those ass holes who didn't care about the youth and shit.

He was always a good guy, regardless of how many over rated nikkas he dissed.

I support KET and the reason he paying this unjust sentence is because he the Christ of Graffiti. Erry time a massiah pop up, they want to try and contain god.

My blessings go to him. If there is anything I can do, PM me. I am awaiting orders.

PEACE.

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cisone

cisone

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i thought the whole gkae thing got entirely out of hand, and that dude had mad priors. this is one fucked up situation. i dont know ket, but all i hear is good things about the man, and i cant say that i know of many truely kindhearted, good people in this game. its soo fucked up that he could go down for this. i agree that we as a community should come together and show our support. it wouldnt be easy to just set up a benefit like exzo is talkin about, but there could be donations set up through 12oz for a defense or something along those lines.

 

and fuck skirmfirm and beltoleum... niggas=100% ignorant assholes who shouldnt exist on 12oz...

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~>MooseKnuckle<~

~>MooseKnuckle<~

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"his charges arnt that much"

 

"why support some random guy i dont know id stick to supporting myself or other writers ive at least met."

 

"the guy is going through what any other killer goes through when their caught....it sucks but he will live....."

 

"if he gets time for some odd reason he needs to serve it like a man,"

 

 

 

this sounds exactaly like the thinking of a snitch. i have met ignorant toys with more loyalty to graffiti than you.

 

 

 

bottom line-

 

SUPPORTKET.ORG

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