Aonghais Dubh MacTarbh (lived in several kingdoms)

Paul Serio (Paul Bader Serio) died in prison in Florida on February 21, 2004, of heart problems. Duke Aonghais was knighted and stripped of his knighthood twice, and knighted a third time. Totally unrelated to his many SCA offenses, he was later convicted of murder. The site of his home barony (ostgardr.org) has the following note: "... was convicted of murder after another man had spent several years in prison for the crime; the story is told in the book The Wrong Man: A True Story."

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 From:   [email protected]
Subject: I saw your obituary page
Date: July 21, 2008 2:13:42 PM MDT
To:   [email protected]

I don’t know if you remember me, but I was Aonghais dubh MacTarbh’s wife for 15 years.  I would very 
strongly request that you correct the inaccuracies in the obituary that you’ve posted about 
Aonghais.  Further, his modern world problems have nothing to do with the SCA, and it is inappropriate
 and unchivalrous to circulate them this way. 


 
You write, “Paul Serio (Paul Bader Serio) died in prison in Florida on February 21, 2004, of heart 
problems. Duke Aonghais was knighted and stripped of his knighthood twice, and knighted a third vtime. Totally unrelated to his many SCA offenses, he was later convicted of murder. The site of his home
 barony (ostgardr.org) has the following note: ‘... was convicted of murder after another man had spent 

several years in prison for the crime; the story is told in the book The Wrong Man: A True 
Story.’"


 
Bader was MY maiden name; his name was Paul Michael Serio. 


 
You may or may not know that his conviction for murder was because he refused to turn in the actual 
murderer, another SCA member.  He was therefore convicted as an accessory, which bears the full 
penalty as the original crime in the State of Florida.  The book cited is full of factual inaccuracies—Kevin 
Davis did not do his homework.  The book should not be cited as a true story nor as a true 
representation of the case.  Again, his modern world problems have nothing to do with the SCA.  If you 
feel you must malign him, discuss his difficulties with some parts of the SCA.  And then, in the interest 
of being even-handed, cite the many positive things he did for this organization.  He was a gifted 
teacher and spent his last years teaching history to GED candidates in prison. 

 
The news of the Board’s ruling on his R&D was sent to him anonymously four months after the meeting
 took place.  He died of a massive coronary with the letter in his hand.  If you want to be completely 
accurate, he was killed by action of the Board.


 
I anticipate speedy amendment of your entry.  You may reply to [email protected] if you would like
 to discuss this request.

 
Baroness Mary Taran of Glastonbury, OL, OLM, ODC, Maunche

Duchess an Creachainn
 
Mary Bader (Serio) Montgomery
 

Aonghais Dubh MacTarbh (lived in several kingdoms)

Paul Michael Serio died in prison in Florida on February 21, 2004, of a heart attack. Duke Aonghais was knighted and stripped of his knighthood twice, and knighted a third time. The website of his home barony says he "... was convicted of murder after another man had spent several years in prison for the crime; the story is told in the book The Wrong Man: A True Story." His former wife has informed me that the book cited is not factual. While in prison, Paul Serio spent several years teaching history to GED candidates.

From: Sandra Dodd [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 4:24 PM
To: Mary Montgomery
Subject: Re: I saw your obituary page

Thank you. I'll amend the entry.

AElflaed

==============================
Subject: RE: I saw your obituary page
Date: July 21, 2008 5:42:49 PM MDT
To:   [email protected]


Thank you.  I'm very grateful.

	From: 	Mary B. Montgomery 
	Subject: 	Obituary of Aonghais dubh MacTarbh
	Date: 	July 31, 2012 5:07:52 PM MDT
	To: 	aelflaed 
 
 
Dear Mistress Aelflaed:
 
My daughter just came across the obituary that you have posted about her father.  She was terribly wounded.
 
“I want the sca to take his obituary down.  It is slanderous and repulsive.”
“I would rather they have no mention of him at all than what they have there now.”
“Why does she feel the need to write those nasty things?”
“Why acknowledge his death at all if she obviously hates him so severely?”
 
You, of course, have every right to put up on your website whatever you feel is necessary, but it is causing others pain.  I’m tough.  I can live with that pain.  But his children and grandchildren don’t need to be punished for his mistakes.  Please limit the listing to his date, and if necessary, cause of death, and that he died in Florida.  As many people loved the man as hated him, and he added a great deal to the SCA.
 
I intend to make this same request of the other website you cited.
 
Thank you for your understanding.  Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
 
Mary Taran of Glastonbury, OL, etc.
 

	From: 	Sandra Dodd 
	Subject: 	Re: Obituary of Aonghais dubh MacTarbh
	Date: 	July 31, 2012 7:35:54 PM MDT
	To: 	Mary B. Montgomery 
 
You wrote to me a few years ago, and I did amend the obituary at that time, at your request.

I'm sorry your daughter wrote what she wrote.  If this was about what is on my site, it is quite an over-reaction.

“I want the sca to take his obituary down.  It is slanderous and repulsive.”
“I would rather they have no mention of him at all than what they have there now.”
“Why does she feel the need to write those nasty things?”
“Why acknowledge his death at all if she obviously hates him so severely?”
 
I didn't hate him.  There is nothing nasty in the obituary.  It is quite understated, without any of the reasons for the courts of chivalry.   

If your daughter would rather see no mention of her father than see the *very* bland reports that are there, I think she should not look for obituaries.  

If you know of a more positive obituary online, or biographical information, I would be glad to link to it.

AElflaed

Below is what is on my site.  The last two parts are based on what you wrote the last time you complained.  

Aonghais Dubh MacTarbh (lived in several kingdoms)
Paul Michael Serio died in prison in Florida on February 21, 2004, of a heart attack. Duke Aonghais was knighted and stripped of his knighthood twice, and knighted a third time. The website of his home barony says he "... was convicted of murder after another man had spent several years in prison for the crime; the story is told in the book The Wrong Man: A True Story." His former wife has informed me that the book cited is not factual. While in prison, Paul Serio spent several years teaching history to GED candidates.

	From: 	Mary B. Montgomery 
	Subject: 	RE: Obituary of Aonghais dubh MacTarbh
	Date: 	August 1, 2012 10:34:59 AM MDT
	To: 	Sandra Dodd 
Thank you for your response.
 I explained that you had amended it when it was first brought to my attention, but she still finds it hurtful.  Mention of his non-SCA difficulties is unnecessary.  For your own information, so far as the facts are concerned, he was not found guilty of murder.  He was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact, which in Florida goes on the books as equal to the murder itself.   The murder was committed by another person in the SCA, and it was Aonghais’ loyalty to that other person that induced him to hide the facts of the incident.  Misplaced loyalty?  Perhaps.  But a virtue in the culture in which he was raised, and a virtue in the medieval mindset, is not always the right thing to do in the world today.
 
There are lots of people in the SCA who have been convicted of crimes whose legal history doesn’t appear on the web.
 
My request now is, in the sake of kindness, please take the obituary off entirely.  
 
Thank you,
Mary

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