Jonathon Sharkey

Jonathon "The Impaler" Sharkey (born April 2, 1964 in Elizabeth, New Jersey as John Albert Sharkey) is a self-proclaimed satanist and professional boxer as well as wrestler (under the name Rocky "Hurricane" Flash) and perennial candidate for public office.

He has filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for President of the United States twice as an Independent candidate (in 2004 [cite web | url=http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_detail/C00354597 | title=FEC Disclosure Report - HURRICANE FOR PRESIDENT - 2004 | publisher=Federal Election Commission] and in 2008 [cite web | url=http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00414912 | title=FEC Disclosure Report - THE IMPALER FOR PRESIDENT-2008 | publisher=Federal Election Commission] ) and for Congress in at least three states—his home State of New Jersey (1999-2000, Republican), [cite web | url=http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/H0NJ10117 | title=FEC Disclosure Report - FLASH, ROCKY (House - New Jersey) | publisher=Federal Election Commission] Indiana (Reform Party, 2000) [cite web | url=http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_detail/C00349514 | title=FEC Disclosure Report - ROCKY FLASH FOR US SENATE 2000 | publisher=Federal Election Commission] and Florida (2001-02, Republican). [cite web | url=http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/H2FL11075 | title=FEC Disclosure Report - FLASH, ROCKY (House - Florida) | publisher=Federal Election Commission] In 2006, he ran for governor of Minnesota.

It is difficult to pin down definitive facts relating to Sharkey, partly because of his numerous aliases, but also due to his authorship, over time, of many autobiographical websites which have included conflicting and unsubstantiated assertions of fact. A Federal judge in Indiana has remarked about Sharkey that "his view of reality and attendant behavior is nothing less than bizarre." [ [http://www.loislaw.com/ogpc/login.htp?WSRet=1&dockey=18736927@FDCR&OLDURL=/gpc/index.htp&OLDREFURL=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Farchivesearch%3Fq%3D%2522jonathon%2Bsharkey%2522%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8 Sharkey v. Holtsclaw, S.D. Ind. (2005)] ] He has proposed impaling "any one found committing an act of terrorism in Minnesota",Sharkey's defunct website related to his run for Governor of Minnesota (archived): [http://web.archive.org/web/20060219221142/www.jonathonforgovernor.us/Home_page.html home page] , [http://web.archive.org/web/20060219221142/www.jonathonforgovernor.us/Agenda.html agenda] ] and advocates many additional unorthodox approaches to crime and other public issues.

On January 13 2006, Sharkey was arrested in Princeton, Minnesota on an outstanding bench warrant relating to two felony counts in Indiana, one of escape and one of stalking a former girlfriend whom he had previously been jailed for harassing. [cite news | url=http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_031105113.html | title='Impaler' Claims He Did Nothing Wrong | date=2006-02-01 | work=WCCO | publisher=CBS, material contributed from AP] [ [http://www.loislaw.com/ogpc/login.htp?WSRet=1&dockey=16150013@INCASE&OLDURL=/gpc/index.htp&OLDREFURL=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Farchivesearch%3Fq%3D%2522rocky%2Bflash%2522 Flash v. Holtsclaw, Ind. App. (2003)] ] According to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, there are police reports dating since 2001 regarding his harassment of the woman. [cite news | url=http://www.millelacscountytimes.com/2006/march/23Vampyre.html | title='Vampyre' leaves county with intent to return | date=March 23, 2006 | work=Mille Lacs County Times] He was extradited to Indiana and though he claimed to the media that the felony stalking charges had been dropped, the Marion County Sheriff's Office confirmed that they had not been dropped. [cite news | url=http://www.millelacscountytimes.com/2006/march/23Vampyre.html | title='Vampyre' leaves county with intent to return | date=March 23, 2006 | work=Mille Lacs County Times] Sharkey pleaded guilty to two counts of invasion of privacy and was ordered to attend mental health treatment. [ [http://www.in.gov/judiciary/opinions/pdf/12110605jts.pdf Sharkey v. Indiana, Ind. App. (2006)] ] In addition, Sharkey plead guilty to Escape, a Class D Felony, the day before his scheduled Jury Trial in Courtroom 9 of the Marion County Superior Court. (State v. Rocky Flash, 49F09-0508-FD-148312)

An independently produced documentary about Sharkey, [http://www.impalerthemovie.com/ "Impaler"] , debuted in Australia on February 9, 2007. Impaler was an official selection of seven film festivals, winning the Grand Jury Award at the Seattle True Independent Film Festival. [http://www.impalerthemovie.com/ "Impaler"] was sold to Westlake Entertainment for worldwide distribution rights with an official release date of October 21, 2008.

The VWP

The Vampires, Witches, and Pagans Party was founded by Sharkey in 2005. It is officially recognized by the United States Federal Election Committee. [ [http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00414904 FEC listing for the Vampires, Witches and Pagans Party] ]

The Party advocates protection of the religious beliefs and political advancment of individuals identifying themselves as vampires, witches, pagans, demons, Satanists, Wiccans, and those professing similar lifestyles and religious views.

Sharkey's website related to his run for Governor of Minnesota claimed that "This Party that I have started is in the UK, Ireland, Brazil and Italy". [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20060207123859/www.jonathonforgovernor.us/the_vwp_party.html VWP Party section on Sharkey's defunct website related to his run for Governor of Minnesota] ] While there may be members of the VWP Party Yahoo Group who live in those countries, the United Kingdom's official register of political parties lists no party by that name. [ [http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/regpoliticalparties.cfm Great Britain register of political parties] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.impalerthemnovie.com Impaler documentary Official Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/theimpalermovie Impaler documentary MySpace Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/jonathon_the_impaler Jonathon Sharkey's Myspace Page]
* [http://arabianmonkey.com/interviewwithjonathontheimpaler.html Interview with Jonathon Sharkey]
* [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=69620 Candidate profile on Project Vote Smart]
* [http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/P80002884/ FEC dislosure report:Jonathon Sharkey]