MetaFilter posts tagged with murder and scandal

Exit stage left

strangely stunted trees — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:56:56 -0800

Gu Kailai, the wife of senior Chinese party leader Bo Xilai, has been arrested for the murder of an English businessman. Bo, until his sudden fall from power this year, one of the most popular politicians in China, the leading figure of the Chinese New Left and Party Committee Secretary of the megacity of Chongqing, has completed his downfall by being expelled from the politburo and stripped of all party positions. The collapse started in February, when his top lieutenant, Wang Lijun, was suddenly demoted and then fled to the US consulate for a day - supposedly, either attempting to defect or to give incriminating evidence on Bo and Gu to the Americans for safekeeping. The dead Englishman, Neil Heywood, had previously been a close business associate of Gu. His death last November had earlier been investigated and ruled to be due to alcohol poisoning. Xinhua broke with previous heavy censorship of the matter to release a statement that following allegations by Wang:

Police authorities paid high attention to the case, and set up the team to reinvestigate the case according to law with an attitude to seek truth from facts. According to investigation results, Bogu Kailai, wife of Comrade Bo Xilai, and their son were in good terms with Heywood. However, they had conflict over economic interests, which had been intensified. According to reinvestigation results, the existing evidence indicated that Heywood died of homicide, of which Bogu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun, an orderly at Bo's home, are highly suspected.

As the most powerful figure in the 29 million person megalopolis of Chonqing, Bo instigated the "Chongqing model" of government that fused a populist attempt to address the growing wealth disparities in the new China with a revival of Cultural Revolution-era Maoist propaganda and a fierce campaign against organized crime that critics alleged departed from even PRC standards of due process and involved systematic torture of defendants.

How News of the World interfered with hunt for 13-year-old's killer

bonaldi — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:22:44 -0800

Thirteen-year-old Milly Dowler was kidnapped and murdered on her way home from school in 2002. During the six-month hunt before her body was found, her parents gave exclusive interviews to the News of the World, saying they believed she would be found alive. That hope was based partly on the fact that her voicemails were still being listened to and deleted. Today, it was revealed that the deleting was being done by the News of the World. The editor at the time was Rebekah Wade, now Chief Exec of News International. The deputy editor was Andy Coulson, later director of communications for British PM David Cameron. (NotW phone hacking previously on mefi)

An Early Hollywood Murder Mystery

amyms — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:58:45 -0800

The bumping off of a famous person is the sort of oyster that any detective delights to open, so you can just bet the family jewels that I was pretty much elated when my Chief, the late Thomas Lee Woolwine, District Attorney of Los Angeles County, called me into his private office on the morning of February 3rd, 1922, and assigned me to represent his office in the investigation of this greatest of all murder mysteries. -- Excerpted from an article archived at Taylorology, a site exploring the life and death of William Desmond Taylor, a silent movie actor and director whose unsolved murder was among the earliest Hollywood true crime scandals. Researcher Bruce Long first published his accumulated information about the case as a small fanzine which evolved into a monthly electronic newsletter and is now a vast archive of articles and interviews, official documents, photos, and more. Although the Taylor case is the main focus, there's also a wealth of supplemental information about the silent film industry and its stars. The Taylorology electronic newsletter is also archived at Silent-Movies.Com

Brought Men to Their Knees

netbros — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:04:21 -0800

"Well behaved women rarely make history," said Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Scandalous Women brings you the lives, loves, and sexual adventures of some of the most fascinating women who rocked the world. Like Olimpia Maidalchini who managed to achieve something that no woman ever has, for the 11 years of her brother-in-law Innocent X's reign as pope, Olimpia was the real power at the Vatican; or Elizabeth Armistead, wife of a cabinet minister, courtesan to many. Read the bios and follow the tales of nearly a hundred women of scandalous pursuit from Mata Hari to Typhoid Mary.

oh what tangled webs we weave....GOP Rep McHenry's roomies, and more

amberglow — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:14:13 -0800

McHenry and his "roommates" -- GOP Rep Patrick McHenry (NC), co-owner of a DC home with Scott G. Stewart, former chair of the College Republican Nat'l Cttee (and bilker of many senior citizens), received a DC home-ownership reduction improperly. McHenry's actual home in North Carolina was apparently also home to quite a collection of young men: (convicted fraudulent voter) Michael Aaron Lay, Neil Everett Capano, Matthew Allen Hamilton, and (multiple violations, including "death by vehicle") Jason Jent Deans. Also, McHenry's 04 consultant Ralph Gonzales was one of the men involved in a recent FL murder/suicide, and links to Robert Drake, the killer (political work in NC and escort service connections), are still being documented. Stay tuned! There's other same-sex homeowner news too--Condi Rice and Randy Bean (they also share a line of credit). Under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, same-sex home ownership is enough to get a DADT investigation/witchhunt going. Ralls said on September 14 . "SLDN is aware of cases where servicemembers have been investigated for owning a home with a person of the same gender." McHenry is a staunch supporter of the policy that prohibits openly gay or lesbian Americans to serve in the nation's armed forces. Big big roundup on McHenry here at Pam's House Blend (much much more dirt and crimes)== Untangling the latest GOP gay scandal with Mike Signorile

Suddenly Last Summer

cowboy_sally — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:59:58 -0800

A gay Republican news story that you probably didn't read about in the paper: In late August, Ralph Gonzalez--Republican strategist, former Georgia GOP executive director, and "political powerhouse"--was murdered (along with his roommate, David Abrami, another Republican political consultant) by Gonzalez' "friend" and former Marine Jason Robert Drake. Characterized as the result of a "lovers' quarrel," it's a bizarre crime story that should've made at least a ripple in the national news, given some other recent incidents. But it never did. While Gonzalez wasn't a politician himself, he had some high-powered (and controversial) clients/associates. Like the spectacularly corrupt Florida Rep. Tom Feeney. Gonzalez was a long-time pal of Ralph Reed, of Christian Coalition/Jack Abramoff fame. He also orchestrated an "Adam and Steve" smear campaign for an Alabama State House election. Yet allegedly it wasn't even a secret Gonzalez was gay. And who was Jason Robert Drake? Ex-military, campaign volunteer for right-wing Virginia Rep. Patrick McHenry (who isn't a stranger to unsavory company himself), and purported rough trade. Sound familiar? [Via. ]