Jon gets 59 years for abuse

Los Angeles, Sept. 1: Celebrity Indian-American fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander was sentenced on Monday to a minimum of 59 years in prison by a court here for preying upon seven young aspiring models and sexually assaulting them.
Rejecting Jon’s motions for a fresh trial, Los Angeles superior court judge David Wesley ruled that there were no new grounds for granting such a motion.
Jon, 35, who acted as his own attorney, showed no reaction as the judge pronounced the verdict. He was convicted in November on 16 counts, including rape, sexual battery and lewd acts on a child.

Jon’s family says he is a victim of US mistrial
Chennai, Sept.1: Celebrity fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander’s 59-year jail sentence for sexual assault has come as a huge shock to his extended family that was gearing up to celebrate Onam.
Jon is the nephew of Prabha Yesudas, wife of legendary singer K.J. Yesudas.
Upon hearing the news, she said, “We are deeply shocked. He is like my own son and what has happened with him is unfair. I cannot talk more about it as it upsets me deeply.”
The fashion fraternity was taken aback by the news and feels that a fair trial is necessary to get to the truth.
Sanjana, Anand’s sister and fashion designer, who has been campaigning for a just trial for her brother, felt let down by the decision.
She said, “It is the ultimate travesty of justice. Anand was not even given an opportunity to prove his innocence.
“Just because we are Indians, the minorities in Amercia, we are being vicitmised. My mother who is in LA collapsed when she heard about this.”
“The judge absolutely refused to hear what Anand had to say. The polygraph test, the medical test – everything proved him innocent, but yet the judgment went against him.”
Sanjana says his close friends betrayed him. “I have known these models so well and many of them even had travelled with me to India,” she said.
“When it came to money they all showed their true colours,” she said.