I was being an example to these impressionable kids. She is also quite the philanthropist. Ranging from risqu public advertising, all the way to hardcore S&M, this dehumanizing of women and men and its dulling of the senses occurs at all levels. This quiet story is less about war than the toll it takes on those who fight, the possibility of reconciliation, and the value of understanding other cultures. But Brandi was different. I grew up without a father from day one, Gator told Thrasher magazine interviewer M.Fo in 1987, and my brother kinda filled that gap. Tom Petty should have consulted Stacy about getting a pro skater for the video. Mark Rogowski was better known as Gator, his skateboarding persona in the late 1900s. The others are some other girl from the video! Brandi moved in with her mother and stepfather, who had recently moved to San Diego. About a week later he came to me and said, Remember that girl in the poster? [14] On April 27, 2020, Rogowski's parole grant was reversed by Governor Gavin Newsom, stating Rogowski needed to gain a "deeper understanding" of his crimes. He was mainly prominent in the 1980s and early 1990s. Its pretty sick. Characterized by the sound of boards smacking against the pavement, it was louder, more dangerous, decidedly anti-establishment and, therefore, more appealing to the kids. I said to him, Mark, you dont need a lawyer. Mark "Gator" Rogowski. Great to hear you are a Christian and have a good outlook. News. Bergsten, a friend of ex-girlfriend Brandi McClain, asked Mark to show her around San Diego. Save up to 50% on Pets when you shop now. ''I couldn't skate for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, she said, ''it's a perishable currency.''. "[3] Constantino encouraged Rogowski to confess his crime to the police, which he subsequently did. Shortly thereafter, Superior Court judge Thomas J. Whelan sentenced Gator to consecutive terms of six years for forcible rape and twenty-five years to life for first-degree murder. Are New Laws Strong Enough to Coup-Proof the 2024 Presidential Election? As she stared at the picture, Gator snuck up behind her, hitting her two or three times in the head and face with the metal steering-wheel lock. A number of months later, McClain moved out of her home in Arizona to reside with Gator in California. There were no other witnesses to her disappearance. Five uniformed bailiffs used a hand-held metal detector to screen each observer. Mark "Gator" Rogowski, 44, was denied parole for the next seven years by the state Board of Parole Hearings. The trial ended with Superior Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan sentencing Rogowski to consecutive six years for forcible rape and 25 years to life for first-degree murder. [3] Police searched his home and found evidence of blood soaked through the carpet padding and into the floorboards in two small spots, adjacent to where Bergsten's head allegedly rested. Im not going to say who, but with people in my childhood. ), Beautiful girl, Beautiful woman. Deals and discounts in Cookbooks you dont want to miss. News of Mr. Rogowski's crime rocked skateboarding. Save up to 50% on Women's Clothing when you shop now. Also: Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, "Fast pacedfunimpressive and fascinating. She was the one I killed. Investigation Discoverys James Pattersons Till Murder Do Us Part retells the horrendous crime in an episode titled The Darkside through the words of different people affected by it. At the January 1992 hearing in which he entered his plea, Gator submitted a remarkable four-page written statement that hinted at the struggle going on in his mind before his crime, during its commission, and afterward. Augie Constantino takes the credit for Gators metamorphosis. This really hurt my feelings because, actually, I am transgender and I always wanted to wear my hair like hers and have my makeup like she has hers in the "Free Fallin'" video. Confessing: Rogowski's religious friend convinced him to confess to the police. When he first started skating, 15 years ago, his moves were so creative, so aggressive, so theres no other word for it radical, that he was able to turn pro at the tender age of 14. He is evil incarnate. Gator, along with many others in the courtroom, cried as Bergsten continued in an angry 20-minute monologue. There was a Gator clothing line, Gator skate boards, Gator videos. Mark didnt come to me as a minister, he came to me as a friend. Revered for his aggressive skate style and slick aerial moves, Mr. Rogowski quickly became one of the biggest names in the sport. Skatings no more inherently violent than heavy metal is inherently satanic. On another of those wild tour dates, in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1987, Gator, then 21, met two beautiful 17-year old blondes from rich families, Jessica Bergsten and Brandi McClain. Together they featured in skating videos, worked as models, and even made an appearance in the Tom Petty video for Free Fallin. And as for their personal life, the two were inseparable. This comment has been removed by the author. As part of an elite crew of top pros, Gator held rank with skate icons Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Jason Jessee and Lance Mountain, who in the film recall Skating's biggest decade . Best wishes, Rob. Rogowski grew up in Escondido, Calif., where he was . You dont need innocent until-proven-guilty. Additionally, Vision was also selling T-shirts, berets, hip packs, and stickers using the "Gator" name. Those who visit Gator in prison are struck at first by how truly repentant he seems, sitting in his cell in a loose-fitting navy-blue jumpsuit with SD JAIL stamped on the back, his once wild long hair now shorn and carefully combed, as he talks about his fall from grace. Mark Rogowski - Interesting stories about famous people, biographies And Mark was furious. Im disgusted with what I did. Former pro-skater Mark "Gator" Rogowski granted parole for 1991 rape He was an icon.''. All rights reserved, US Readies Second Attempt at Speedy Border Asylum Screenings, Man, 20s, Dies of Heat Exhaustion on El Capitan Trail in Lakeside, New Rules for Short-Term Vacation Rentals in San Diego Start May 1. Chilling: Patricia Arquette, 53, revealed Wednesday on Twitter that she once dated the professional skateboarder Mark Rogowski, 54, who would later be convicted of rape and murder; Arquette seen in January 2020, Patricia shared her horrifying date in response to the prompt: 'Whats the most awkward date yall ever been on?'. A Skateboard King Who Fell to Earth - The New York Times Bergsten was Brandi's best friend." Bergsten's skeletal remains were found. Rogowski later confessed to the murder and was sentenced to consecutive terms of six years for forcible rape and 25 years to life for first-degree murder. Nobleman is equally adept at both stories. Thanks-either way. [15], In June 2022, a San Diego County Parole Board granted Rogowski parole with his attorney citing "the parole board's 'trained psychologist found him to be a low risk of danger to the public.'" Squad member AOC WON'T run for the Senate in 2024: Democrat firebrand won't enter New York race to try and 'I'm no deadbeat dad!' By the time he was finally released from the hospital, Gator had morphed into a passionate Christian, according to the LA Times. That was a great time for us, says Hawk, who has been called the Wayne Gretzky of skating. Mark Rogowski - Murder of Jessica Bergsten | Murder Jessica Bergsten Find the best deals on Women's Jewelry from your favorite brands. After taking the case, Jimenez immediately challenged the validity of the confession, saying that Gators minister had no right to turn him in. Friends with my friends. Mark Rogowski did NOT murder the other girl in the video. Find the best deals on Kitchen from your favorite brands. He was mainly prominent in the 1980s and early 1990s. [citation needed], In late 1988 Rogowski was featured on the "Swatch Impact Tour" of 35 tour dates across the United States, which also showcased fellow pro-skaters Jeff Phillips, Kevin Staab, Chris Miller & Joe Johnson. He still preaches to surfers and skaters in the San Diego area working with a group called Skaters for Christ. Did King of Club Kids Michael Alig Really Kill Angel Melendez? BBYO International Leadership Training Conference Julia Denos (illustrator and fellow Cheshire, CT native). He murdered the best friend ofthe girl in the video. While he was previously denied parole in 2011 and 2016, a 2019 finding by the state parole board that he was suitable for release was reversed by Gov. In 1982, he won his first major contest, the Canadian Amateur Skateboarding Championships in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The sudden lifestyle change contributed to the end of McClain's relationship with Rogowski, along with his occasional bouts of violence (which included his locking her in a closet) and unprovoked jealousy, and she returned to her parents' home in San Diego, California. [4] On February 6, 2015, another parole hearing was scheduled, but Rogowski waived his right to a hearing for one year. Shop the best selection of deals on Tools & Utensils now. Investigation Discovery's 'James Patterson's Till Murder Do Us Part' retells the horrendous crime in an episode titled 'The Darkside' through the words of different people affected by it. All text and images (unless otherwise noted) 2008-2023 Marc Tyler Nobleman; world rights reserved. Brandi and her husband seem to love indulging in adventure sports such as water sports and indoor rock climbing. Everything that I hated about Brandi, I hated about Jessica, Gator would later tell the police. It was quite a spectacle for a suburban courtroom. The skater later confessed that he hit Bergsten in the back of the head with a metal car steering wheel lock and tied her to his bed before raping her. They caroused all night in Carlsbad bars, made the scene at all the San Diego parties. [3], Rogowski was sentenced on March 6, 1992. Gator shook his hand and told him, No, he didnt know where Jessica was. Why do so many girls and women have such a problem with guys having long hair? Rogowskis sentence restricted his parole eligibility until 2010 at the earliest. Bigger sponsors followed, and in 1982 he won the Canadian Amateur Skateboarding Championships in Vancouver, his first major title. Rogowski was denied parole on February 7, 2011. She wanted to have fun and nothing else mattered. Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator (Movie) - New York Id probably have some suicidal tendencies. Uncuffed, standing under the hot desert sun, Gator watched as they dug around for more evidence, photographed the site, and talked to the local police. But there were also bumper stickers that read Skateboarding Is Not a Crime Murder Is. He raped her and raped her and raped her and then thought, Lets kill her. We couldnt say goodbye to Jessica because that filth left her with nothing but a piece of skin, left her for the coyotes and the goddamned birds to eat her. He glared directly at Gator and said in a firm voice. She must have suffocated or had a seizure or a stroke or something. Thank you for your understanding, much Love Always & Forever, Devon Kidd. I sincerely hope that they can accept my apology for my carelessness., Carelessness? Bergsten shouted. American convicted murderer and rapist, former skateboarder, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Mark "Gator" Rogowski, Skaterboarder: Jessica Bergsten's Killer", "Legendary 80s skateboarder Mark 'Gator' Rogowski raped and murdered Jessica Bergsten - Shattered", "Skateboarding star convicted of 1991 murder denied parole", "Transworld Skateboadring Magazine October 1987 Gator cover Gonz Vallely Miller | #1827717777", "Rock Promoter Silva is Really on a Roll", "Mark "Gator" Rogowski, Former Pro Skateboarder, Denied Parole for 1992 Calif. Murder-Rape", "Parole Denied For Local Skateboarding Legend", "State of California Inmate Locator: CDCR Number H27508", California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, "Ex-Skateboard Champion Could Get Parole in Brutal 1991 Rape and Murder in San Diego County", "Parole grant reversed for 'Gator,' former skateboard superstar convicted for 1991 rape, murder", "DA fighting parole granted to former skateboard star convicted of 1991 Carlsbad rape, murder", "Shattered | Watch Full Episodes & More! The comments below have not been moderated. In 1982, he won his first major contest, the Canadian Amateur Skateboarding Championships in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. By the time he was 17, he was making $100,000 a year. Nor does he think it was unethical for him, as a minister, to turn in someone confessing to him. After a severe accident in West Germany, where Rogowski either fell or was pushed from a hotel window and landed on a fence,[3] Rogowski returned home to Carlsbad to recover. Mark then implored Brandi to marry him because he said he would not engage in sex with her unless they were husband and wife. Rogowski and McClain hit it off right away, and the two started dating shortly after. He murdered the best friend of the girl in the video. Strike thatmake it 'will be inspired by' instead. But Mark was just fanatic. Gator boasted to friends that while touring the South he would walk into liquor stores and 7-Elevens stark naked, rob them, then get drunk in the cornfields while police helicopters searched for him overhead. The film was written, directed, and produced by Helen Stickler, and features interviews with other professional skateboarders such as Tony Hawk, Kevin Staab, Lance Mountain, Ken Park, Steve Caballero, Jason Jessee, Craig Johnson, Stacy Peralta, and Rogowski. ''Not only am I one of the most unique, dynamic and versatile skaters on the circuit, but I'm also one of the most blatant and outspoken jerks,'' he says, a smug grin firmly in place. Eventually, when the higher court refused to toss out the rape charge, on Jimenezs advice Gator pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and rape, thus avoiding the death penalty or life without chance of parole. Gator is trying to surround himself with other born-again Christians in jail. He was planning to live with his brother if he was granted parole and said he had been offered a job as a paralegal or a clerk. I got a lot of ideas. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. However, fame, a big house, and fancy cars, were all useless on a fateful day in 1991, when he threw it all away. With his property in two states seized by the government and his daughter brutally murdered, there was speculation that he had nothing left to lose by killing Gator. He was still so mad about the guy I was seeing, says Brandi. Then one thing led to another and I found myself here.I really enjoyed reading through this interview. Born Mark Anthony Rogowski in Brooklyn, he moved with his mother and older brother to San Diego at age three, following his parents divorce. He told a reporter that Jessica was a slut, claiming to have a long list of people with whom shed had sadomasochistic sex, including the entire University of Arizona basketball team and a handful of pros their names, however, were off the record. She is alive and well. A Gator skate deck the board (decorated with his nickname rendered in an op art vortex or pastel quasi-African design), sans wheels and suspension system would sell for up to $50, of which Gator would receive $2. I had been exposed to pornography since I was a little boy, three years old, he says. [3], Rogowski started his professional skateboarding career in 1980 at age 14. Photo Source: Social Media. Jessicas body had been found in the desert by some campers on April 10, but the body was so badly decomposed that it could not be identified. In 1991, McClain's friend Bergsten asked Rogowski to give her a tour of San Diego, after which she was reported missing. Just now watched it on i.d , Gator is a p.o.s murder. Years later: She later joked that her daughter 'thinks i'm overprotective'; seen in Time Out in 1987, Giving himself up: The actress referenced Rogowski's eventual confession to a born-again Christian friend, Taking a stand: She recalled fighting back at another date who bit her while kissing too hard. Save up to 50% on Smart Home when you shop now. I know I could really use that kind of hope and determination in my life, maybe more so than ever. When the police announced Gators confession, the press jumped all over it. [3] In 1984, he won a national championship. Gator zipped Bergsten into a surfboard bag and strangled her to death shortly after. I dont want to defame Jessica at all. At the very top of that hill, four-and-a-half miles up from the jail, was the rundown skateboard park where Gator had his last ride, MacGills Skatepark. I came home the night he confessed to find 87 messages on my answering machine. Its likely the skateboarding world will be placed under a microscope in the media, warned Thrasher. They were all reporters wanting me to talk about Gator. Lose my spirit, Id float away and my carcass would get buried.. I was completely mesmerized by this book from the first instant I opened it. Except Mr. Rogowski, who ignored Ms. Stickler's initial entreaties. Until that ruling is issued, Rogowski will remain incarcerated at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. Arquette wrote back: 'Another guy was like that one other time he bot [sic] me hard while kissing and I started choking him and told him don't ever f***ing do that to a woman again. Brandi and Gator partied that entire weekend, which wasnt unusual considering the groupies who awaited him in every town. Brandi McClain Now: Where is Brandi McClain Today? Update - The Cinemaholic The next morning Gator led detectives to where hed buried the body. But she later revealed that her disastrous second date was with former professional skateboarder Mark 'Gator' Rogowski, who would later confess to brutally raping and murdering his acquaintance Jessica Bergsten in 1991 when she was only 22 years old. Mark Anthony Rogowski was born in Brooklyn, NY, but moved to Enconido, California at the young age of 3 years old after the messy divorce of his parents. [3] Plagued by guilt, Rogowski informed Constantino: "Remember that girl from the poster? It's funny you always imagine that celebs live the high life, but then you find out they're very normal and down to Earth.She's a Christian and I'm an (ex-Christian) Atheist. The couples happiness was soon affected by an accident, after which Mark seemingly changed his way of life towards a more religious approach. If he underwent a religious conversion, it was to evil, degradation, filth, and satanism.. He was upset that Brandi had started dating a surfer. Glad you're well and still as. EXCLUSIVE: Is a 'cryptic' Covid strain lurking in YOUR area? We prayed for about an hour, asking God what we should do. Devon, do you have a problem with guys having long hair? Idgaf what anyone says. Soon he was flying her to San Diego to visit him, and a few months later, she left Tucson for good and moved in with Gator. The law, passed in 2018, stems from a scientific finding that the impulse control mechanism is not fully developed in a majority of people under 25. With his green eyes and dark, lean good looks, charming personality, and aggressively physical skating style, he rose to the top rank of the sport. "In addition, skateboarding was changing from ramps to the street. If you believe that it was a revenge killing and that it was prompted by Brandi, I would say yes, he replies, and suddenly youre listening to a dramatically different Gator than the one at whose sentencing a Catholic priest testified, Never before have I encountered a person so clearly open about his responsibility. Youre listening to a man skating away from the idea that the murder was really his fault. Kids decorated their jeans jackets with the phrase Free Mark Anthony. ''He was smaller than I thought he would be, his hair was thinner and he was wearing glasses that were held together by tape,'' Ms. Stickler recalled. These are fantastic. Look, heres an exact explanation of what happened to her. He reaches for his sword a well-thumbed, red Bible on his bookshelf. After the athlete ended his relationship with McClain whom he had subjected to domestic violence throughout their relationship he began to threaten her and her boyfriend and even broke into her home when she was out. [citation needed], Rogowski's popularity declined as the 'vert skating' popular in the 1980s was supplanted by street skateboarding in the 1990s. He talked to her friends, he even met with Gator to ask about her whereabouts. They spent a day together on March 21, 1991; shortly after, Bergsten was reported missing. She will soon begin work on a script about her days as a stripper, and she will be speaking at the Rhode Island School of Design in October. Vertical ramp skating techniques, of which Gator was the master, were rapidly becoming obsolete. After a day on the town, the two returned to Gators condo for some wine and a movie. "Shattered" The Darkside (TV Episode 2018) - IMDb And I would get away with it, because everybody would know that you deserved it., I started crying and begging him to take me home right now. On March 9, 2016, he was again denied parole for seven years. Bergsten was a good friend of his ex Brandi McClain, though the two aren't. ''I know people who would only ride Gator boards,'' Nevett Steele III, owner of KCDC Skate Shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, said in an interview. Rogowski also confessed that his acts reflected his anger towards his former girlfriend, Brandi McClain, and their break-up. Since California law prohibits video interviews with prison inmates, Rogowski was interviewed over the recorded prison phone for the documentary. Maybe shes dead. The girl just ignored us and jumped into a car. Read More: Where Is Brandi McClain Now? Brandi appeared in Gators videos, and when he appeared in Tom Pettys Free Fallin' video, she was in it too. Id feel low, cheap. Judge, you must have heard that same story 100 times. But the fame would prove destructive. You see? Published: 22:51 EDT, 14 April 2021 | Updated: 02:38 EDT, 15 April 2021. I hope I can strive to have that same level of positivity, faith, and determination that you have that helped you to accomplish so much and made you into the person you are today. There, a handful of teenagers skated the ramps, rolling in and out, doing flips, handstands, board slides, ollies and every once in a while, some daring kid would attempt a lean 360. Its a notoriously difficult move, in which the skater tries to get enough momentum and height to fly vertically out of the bowl with his body almost perpendicular to the ground, spin around once completely, and then land where hed taken off, inside the bowl, but this time rolling backward toward the bottom. I also had a huge crush on Devon when the vid came out-it's those beautiful eyes. He was such a great guy, I just couldnt believe it., The violent, anti-authority image of skateboarding symbolized in Thrasher magazines old motto Skate or Die combined with the sex and bondage aspects of the murder, fed the presss sensationalist treatment of the story. Really cute. Dialogue Ahead" article in "Horn Book". Hours spent and I couldnt. When they went into the bowl, their expressions changed to a going into battle expression, going for it, no holds barred. The new generation of Iranians is seeking democracy and separation of religion and state. So had we ever met, we'd have some fun chats I'd think, esp on the question of truth and the origin of the universe.By pure coincidence, I happen to be an aerospace engineer also, like her dad though I think I'm a bit younger than her. In 1987 Rogowski was introduced to 15-year-old Brandi McClain and her close friend Jessica Bergsten while skating at a show in Scottsdale, Arizona. She was a gold digger, but when they were together, they were absolutely in love and you could see it. The couple did modeling jobs together. June 18, 1991 12 AM PT TIMES STAFF WRITER On the night he allegedly raped and killed 21-year-old Jessica Bergsten in his Carlsbad condominium, ex-skateboarding star Mark (Gator) Anthony bound the. Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator [DVD] - amazon.com
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