I'd expect this video to be available on one of those sites that caters to the macabre, but as soon as you google search the name "Budd Dwyer", the link from google videos pop up. WTF? That easy. I was reading about this story, because I'm not quite old enough to actually remember when this happened (1987). According to the reports, this took place on a day when many kids were at home due to bad weather. I can't imagine being a child at home from school witnessing that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Dwyer

I just thought Google Videos had some sort of limit.

I had to click a disclaimer before I watched it.

I think that's limit enough.

That poor man though.

I looked this up about a year ago (wasn't via GV, though). Couldn't bring myself to watch the actual moment of truth.

Jesus, the amount of blood that comes from his nose is unreal.

Just read the wiki thing.... This is one of those things I kinda sorta knew about but never really looked into it... But after I watched the shooting I figured I owed the guy to at least read the wiki page.

Before this afternoon all I knew was this song is about him.. next time I hear thison the radio ( they play it enough still around here) I'm going to hear it in new ways.


I wish I wouldve met you
Now its a little late
What you couldve taught me
I couldve saved some face
They think that your early ending
Was all wrong
For the most part theyre right
But look how they all got strong
Thats why I say hey man nice shot
What a good shot man
A man
Has gun
Hey man
Have fun
Nice shot
Now that the smokes gone
And the air is all clear
Those who were right there
Got a new kind of fear
Youd fight and you were right
But they were just to strong
Theyd stick it in your face
And let you smell what they consider wrong
Thats why I say hey man nice, nice shot
What a good shot man
A man
Has gun
Hey man
Have fun
Nice shot
I wish I wouldve met you
I wish I wouldve met you
Id say
Nice shot

Yeah, when that Filter song came out, I was unaware of Budd Dwyer, so I had no clue who it was about either. Apparently this isn't the first televised suicide. After reading about Budd, I started reading about Christine Chubbuck too. Man, that's fucked up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...e_Chubbuck

Her story is actually pretty sad.

So was he innocent or guilty though? I mean I read that thing and it says he was found guilty....but did more evidence ever come to light? Does anyone know if he really did take the kickback?

AnckSuNamun said:

She sounds like she was pretty wacky.

Sweeny79 said:

I'm tempted to side with him even though I know nothing. I think if you were guilty you wouldn't commit suicide like that. You may still kill yourself, yes, but so earnestly? warning people away so they don't get hurt?

benyamin said:

See that's what I'm thinking!

I guess this was what they showed in Bowling for Columbine?

benyamin said:

See, I feel the opposite. If he were innocent, would he not have had hope that the conviction would eventually have been overturned?

Ace said:

yeah suicide seems like what someone does when they realize the shit has hit the fan and they don't want to face the disgrace.

While we're on the subject of creepy recordings, around the same time the Dwyer thing was on my mind, I came across transcriptions of the Jonestown tape.

Some sites claim that Budd was framed and became severely depressed over the allegations. I don't know. The only thing I can go by right now are internet sites, so it's basically giving me the runaround.

http://members.fortunecit.../inno.html

http://www.everything2.co..._id=403278

The suicide for the sake of his family inheriting the money has me wondering now if he really was innocent.

Ace said:

Another twisted situation.

Ace said:

This is just speculation, but I wonder if Dwyer's suicide was prompted, at least in part, by the notion that he might get his conviction thrown out by dying before being sentenced. The law on this issue is somewhat murky, and in fact, this argument failed when Dwyer's lawyers tried it. See United States v. Dwyer, 855 F.2d 144 (3d Cir. 1988). OTOH, the lawyers for Ken Lay (of Enron infamy) were able to get Lay's conviction vacated via the same theory. See United States v. Lay, No. H-04-0025, slip op. (E.D. Tex Oct. 17, 2006).

AnckSuNamun said:

ugh, when i was in high school, my vampire-wanna-be goth buddies used to circulate tapes of the jonestown massacre. in fact, i think i have one packed away in some box somewhere that i was given and didn't have the nerve to listen to. i remember hearing a snippet of it at someone's house once. pretty freakin' bleak stuff, needless to say.

I, unfortunately, remember this. Some of my high school friends saw it live, since it was carried live via a station affiliate in Cleveland. I did not, but I did see the replays.

Afterwards, the suicide was played over and over again on local TV, but the grusesome stuff was edited out.

I'll never watch this footage.

I remember the day it happened. A friend of mine was home from school and saw the whole thing on TV. He said it was AWFUL! Stupid kid that I was, I spent the entire evening trying to find a news station that'd run the footage. Thank God the editorial staffs in our area had come to their senses by then.
[Edited 12/13/07 18:54pm]

a2grafix said:

Exactly. I'm from Cleveland as well.

matt said:

Ace said:

Disneyland, HERE I COME!

Lammastide said:

As if that weren't bad enough...

ThreadBare said:

wrong thread edit.


[Edited 12/14/07 17:53pm]

The thing that is so insane is that he was facing like a $300,000 fine and jail time for a questionable few million dollars but nowadays you can gain millions and billions and kill 10s of millions of people in the process and walk away scott free and with the admiration and support of half the united states. Too bad he felt that trapped by what is really just nothing in comparison to what is happening today with our government officials.

What was surreal about it was how matter-of-factly he's handing out letters to his friends to give to his wife and kids. Helllllooooo? Clue? Something bad is about to go down... I think his business-as-usual attitude is what makes the whole thing seem unbelievable. He acted like he was handing out holiday bonuses: "Jim? Has anyone seen Jim? Jim, could you come up here, please?"

His poor kids.

ThreadBare said:

It's because he's probably in a state of shock at the finality of it all. Have you never had that? Been in a car crash and stepped out and asked for a drink of water, or something seemingly stupid like that? Your mind shuts down to protect you.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

i know. couldn't he have appealed? something? he just took himself out like "it's over" *bang*
and to do it in front of all those people with cameras rolling. telling people to leave if they would be "offended" by what he was getting ready to do..yeah he was out of his mind.
also crazy: the camera man that zoomed in on him. what the hell was he thinking about? i guess he was thinking about people like me being stupid enough to sit and watch it.
that was insane.