Mike Orren, verified:

Well, anonymous friend -- thanks for putting us firmly on "his radar" IF any of this is true.

We're investigating this currently unsubstantiated post now.

Mike Orren, verified:

Here's where we stand on this:

We don't delete posts lightly, and we're only deleting "aseriouswarning's" original post because we think that while the allegations have some backup in the subsequent links, this is serious enough stuff that we need to do some research of our own before we let these kind of comments stand on the site.

However, if you really want to know what our commenter is talking about, you can follow the links and judge for yourself.

Here's all we know so far from our own experience. Dean is certainly quirky -- and we knew that -- But in our interactions with him, he's been extremely engaging and gregarious. (And if quirkiness was a crime, we'd all be locked up. And if we never interviewed anyone who had bee arrested, this site would be much less interesting.)

I met him coming off the elevators yesterday and he was friendly and gracious. Alan's description to me after the interview was of a "gentle soul."

http://www.texasgigs.com/news/2006/ap...

http://www.texasgigs.com/podcasts/tex...

http://www.texasgigs.com/podcasts/tex...

Meantime, we're going to do a follow-up piece with our own research in the next week or so. We're chasing down another big story right now, and limited staff, etc. means this one will have to wait.

A general reminder, though to all who read this that user comments are the words of the user -- not us. We're not liable for them, and we only take them down because of our judgment, not out of obligation. http://www.texasgigs.com/blogs/notmus...

Also, while we appreciate the heads up, a request for future anonymous well-wishers who want to protect us from potential dangers -- an email does more to that end and leaves us without this sort of dilemma of transparency. If the goal here was to "protect us" from an allegedly dangerous character, posting an open comment about it kinda does the opposite, no?

Mike Orren, verified:

Nah-- We agree the info is important. We're leaving the links up.

Mike Orren, verified:

http://www.texasgigs.com/terms/

1. Content Posted on the Site. (a) You understand and agree that Pegasus News, in its sole discretion, may review and delete any reader comments, personal profiles, information and photographs contained in personal profiles, and messages to other registered users (collectively, “Content”). (b) You are solely responsible for the Content that you publish or display (hereinafter, “post”) on the Website or any material or information that you transmit to other registered users. (c) By posting any Content to the public areas of the Website, you hereby grant to Pegasus News the non-exclusive, fully paid, worldwide license to use, publicly perform and display such Content on the Website. If you would like to request that any of your Content be removed from the Website, please contact us at removal -at- pegasusnews.com. We will consider your request, but have the right to deny any request if we determine in our sole discretion that removal of the Content in question would harm the experience of our users on the Website.

Mike Orren, verified:

And we appreciate that. We're not trying to be difficult here, but we are very committed to fairness and transparency. There is some compelling info in those links that could impact us and others in the local community, so they stand.

We're taking you seriously -- we just ask that you do the same for us and our method of delivering info.

Mike Orren, verified:

Your account is deleted. Your comments stand. If you have further questions, please contact us directly.

Mike Orren, verified:

Alan, can I borrow your yellow shirt?