Some people collect stamps or rare coins. Others collect Beanie Babies, antique medical instruments, first-edition books, hard-to-find vinyl records, Precious Moments figurines, Star Wars memorabilia, belly button lint, or, if you're like 43-year-old David Werking, porn. As in nearly $30,000 worth of porn.
A Kalamazoo judge has ordered Paul and Beth Werking of Grand Haven to cough up a whopping $45,000 after they destroyed their son's massive trove of porn DVDs, VHS tapes, and magazines, as well as sex toys and miscellaneous items.
David, who moved into his parents' home in 2016 after a divorce, brought with him boxes containing the jaw-dropping amount of porn. According to court documents, David lied to his parents about the contents of his boxes. When he moved to Indiana, he instructed his parents to ship his belongings to his new residence. Instead, they destroyed them by means not detailed in the court records, but apparently, it wasn't easy.
"We counted twelve moving boxes full of pornography, plus two boxes of 'sex toys' as you call them," Paul writes in an email including in the court documents. "We began that day the process of destroying them and it took quite a while to do so. Frankly, David, I did you a big favor by getting rid of all this stuff for you.”
Also in the court documents are several heated and, at times, heartbreaking correspondences between David and his father. One such email alleges that some of the destroyed porn contained "illegal" sex acts, like those with children, animals, rape, slavery, torture, and depictions of incest.
"Believe it or not, one reason for why I destroyed your porn was for your own mental and emotional health," Paul writes. "I would have done the same if I had found a kilo of crack cocaine. Someday, I hope you will understand."
Per court documents, David was asked to list every item, or in this case, title, that his parents destroyed. He was able to provide some receipts, but claims most were destroyed by his parents, who detailed David's history with what they believe is a porn addiction which they allege started in high school when he was in a "gang" that distributed pornographic materials to minors. His parents turned him into the school themselves and vowed to destroy any porn that entered their home.
"It is very difficult to find a price for many of these items," an email from David reads. "Many titles are unavailable, and when I say unavailable, I mean
unavailable ANYWHERE. I have had these titles on my wishlist/wantlist
for a year with no postings. Think: 'Not just out of print, but the
entire studio making it dissolved, and that was twenty years ago.' I
bought all of these items either in New/Mint or VG+ condition," he continues. "I played them maybe once or twice because I didn't want them to get scratched or messed up."
The number of DVDs and VHS tapes total 1,605, amounting to an estimated $22,670.24. Titles include hits like Granny's Gone Anal discs 1-7, estimated at $100; Up The Wahzoo ($12); Lesbian Piss Party; Muffy the Vampire Layer ($10.94); Knocked Up Nymphos ($8); Furburgers ($13); and our personal favorite, The 69th Sense ($29). (Spoiler alert: turns out Bruce Willis was horny the entire time.)
He also alleges that his parents destroyed 160 CDs amounting to $1,987.81 (including a surprising number of titles by the band Guided By Voices), and miscellaneous items like three wedding rings ($60 total), posters, video games, linens, handcuffs, lube, and a variety of unopened sex toys ranging from butt plugs, anal beads, harnesses, wands, vibrators, and something called "the La Luz de Jesus" stone dildo, which is estimated to be worth $300, making it the most pricey toy on the list. Oh, and when Googled, it appears to be a dildo carved to look like Jesus' crucifixion. Now that's what we call hole-y.
The entire collection and all destroyed items are valued at $28,940.72. However, David has asked the judge to boost the damages to close to $75,000, as he and his attorney level "wanton destruction of property," as most of the collection is irreplaceable.
Of the $45,000 owed to David, $30,441.54 will go to their son and $14,519.82 will go to his attorney. The number was determined by Dr. Victoria Hartmann, an expert in pornography valuation. Of the more than 1,500 titles, only 107 could not be valued.
"I am glad about the person I am," David writes in an email to his father. "I am glad about the person I turned out to be, with or without you, with job or no job, with house or homeless, because I was present and I made every choice I thought was best for me and no one else. I collect porn to remind me that
I’m not you. I’m me. I have thoughts and feelings, too. Sad sad thoughts. Angry thoughts! But human, so human," he continues.
"Honor my life, and honor my experience, and honor my thoughts because I am out here surviving, outside of your shadow."
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