THE PREVARICATIONS OF PIERCE O’DONNELL: Chapter One: The Summer of ’74 Edition
In a lengthy essay O’Donnell introduces as “the true story” of an improbable odyssey to authenticate the “Mumford 25”, the dishonesty never ends.
Big lies start with small deceptions.
Establishing the “origin story” for the paintings on display in Orlando, O’Donnell asserts the men he identifies as “Billy” and “Lee” had first met “as teenagers in Pompano Beach, Florida in 1974 and hung out together for several summers”.
First mistake: I revealed in a February 21 report here on Medium that “Billy” was really Michael William Force, and “Lee” was John Leo Mangan III.
Second mistake: Broward County’s court records revealed that both Force and Mangan had adjudicated cases in the database, including their dates of birth. (Pompano Beach is located in Florida’s Broward County.)
Force’s case, a traffic infraction (Broward County Case Number: 96010842TI10A), reveals he was born in 1947 — making him 27 years old in 1974.
Force was driving a 1996 Lincoln and ticketed for “Slow Speed Impede Traffic” and driving without a license.
Force was fined $73.50 which, as of today, remains unpaid.
Mangan’s case (Broward County Case Number: 77006640CF10A) reveals he was born in 1956, making him 18 during the summer of 1974.
However, contrary to O’Donnell’s claim that “Lee got married and moved away, starting several successful businesses and raising a family”, Mangan was just 21 when he was arrested on November 17, 1977 in Broward County and charged with two counts of “Possession of Cocaine with Intent To Deliver” (Schedule 2), and two counts of “Possession of a Controlled Substance”.
Under Section 893.13(1)(a), Florida Statutes, it is unlawful for a person “to sell, manufacture, or deliver, or possess with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver, a controlled substance,” such as cannabis or cocaine.
A violation of this section can be classified as a second or third degree felony, depending on the nature of the substance involved. Possession of cannabis (a Schedule 1 substance) with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver is classified as third degree felony, while possession of cocaine (Schedule 2) with intent to sell is classified as a second degree felony. Thus, depending on the facts of the case, an accused may face a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment or fifteen years imprisonment.
Mangan’s co-defendant plead guilty to one count of “Possession of Cocaine with Intent To Deliver” and was sentenced to 5 years in a Florida state prison.
The official Broward County record shows Mangan’s case was “dismissed”.
Mangan had two federal drug trafficking convictions: in 1979 and 1991.
He was 23 and 35, respectively.
