Morgan Harrington Case: Exploring The Musical Connections
Disclaimer– exclusive original content copyright and property of Internet Network News, LLC and Blinkoncrime.com. Reproduction of this article , ANY OF IT’S Conclusions or CONTENT, in whole or in part without proper attribution and source link is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. Charlottesville, VA– On the evening of one of the most anticipated musical events of her young 20 years, Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, disappeared from the Metallica Concert at JPJ on October 17, 2009. After months of investigative efforts involving four different law enforcement jurisdictions, Morgan’s skeletal remains were found by Anchorage Farm owner David Bass on January 26, 2010.
Upon the recovery of Morgans remains, many parallels of her life reflected her love of the musical community in general, but also, the surrounding venues she attended previously, such as bonnaroo, allgood, the rooster walk, and floydfest. 
Charlottesville is rife with heritage, musical talent, eclectic artisans and those wanting to be a part of it, nightly, across the vast bucolic landscape. As a tribute to Morgan Harrington’s love of the Indi music scene, blinkoncrime.com will explore some of the culture and artists she embraced.
The Dirty Horse 
Featuring Charlotteville’s own Christian Breeden of Biscuit Run fame…The Dirty Horse. Coincidentally, TDH played at Maya the evening of October 17, 2009. The Dirty Horse, is a fan-staple of CVille, although development plans for Biscuit Run into a State Park through it’s purchase by VDOT may make Breeden more of a Crozet staple, closer to his other residence. Members are Breeden, Ariel Vegodsky, Mike McCue and Brian Massie . 
Christian, former front man for American Dumpster and son of late acclaimed sculptor David Breeden, is a renaissance of Bohemian royalty with talents ranging from sculptor, bike builder, artist, musician, photographer and self proclaimed Junkyard Spirit conjurer. Breeden’s latest endeavor, The Equinocalypse, celebrating the melting away of Winter and “new life” promises for Spring, is the invitation of the season to party “carny style”.
Party Liberation Front Now Here is a Gig. Resist the urge to think this is pledge week. Tis not. The Pyro laced gala will also be dj’d by Richmonds’ own FunkFriar John Reinhold and Conway Jennings. While “THE JOHN” is dragging up the long bar from Richmond, you can catch a listen to his mixjo here. As far as non-harvest, middle of the woods socials go- this may be the actual farmville, but with F I R E.
Pre Sentencing Report No doubt the Cvillain, edited by bathtub shroom purveyor and recently 
convicted *man about Cville* music, eatery and libation scene, Ian Saul, will be covering the “equal night”. It is not known if he will be using the ritual to influence any sort of leniency for a light sentencing on March 31. Regardless of his pending matters which one can observe daily on his facebook, Ian manages to personally attend and cover every evenings soiree in the ville.
Bring It and Sling It 
Carcinogen friendly preffered. BYOH.. Bring your own hula. Not to be confused with bring your own hooka. I am thinking fresh aire contact-hooka will suffice. BE CREATIVE. Fire-laced, dayglo, neon, light-sticks-strung-together,
you are defined by your HOOP here and you don’t want anyone to think your a first timer. Or Not. You could certainly simply don your best minotaur frock and arrive fashionably equine. I have decided I will be attending dressed as Sukie Stackhouse, immediately following my dip in the soaking tub with my ammonium bicarbonate bath fizzies. Contributing Editor: Elizabeth Morton Images Courtesy of Klaasend
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Also, say Morgan was a hard-nose “Scene” want-a-be … that her friends did not subscribe to. So what? She was murdered!! Who cares what her ‘life-choices’ were?? Who care how mis-guided she could have been?? It is what it is, she was murdered!! Let’s solve this case!!!!!
C.B. More insight into an artist…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10ZNLN5VIjU
An interesting story on the breakup of a band..
http://www.readthehook.com/Stories/2007/03/15/Buzz%20Box%20-%20American%20Dumpster.rtf.aspx
-And here’s a great read by C.B. especially towards the end…again, just insight into this creative artist…
http://blogs.myspace.com/americandumpster
OK: BOC Go back to only the things BOC “knows”. You can come to the right conclusions to investigate this case. Also, Observer, should GET back in the game!! I think a ‘start-over’ would not be too much of a challenge for Observer!!
TO: J2K and your 3/13, 6:22am post:
Not surprisingly, I am with you, 110%, point-by-point.
Just as you’ve effectively accomplished in response to earlier conjecture, you again provide sound, clear-thinking rationale (not to mention, keen observations) that helps to dispel any potential connection between the local music scene and Morgan’s murder.
Whether Morgan was forcibly abducted at gun/knifepoint (per DCSteve’s later post), or was HH or not, I remain firm in the following beliefs:
a. The local musicians’ scene is unrelated to Morgan’s murder.
b. The Sutherland fire is unrelated to Morgan’s murder.
c. Mr. Bass’s land holdings, deals, etc. is unrelated to Morgan’s murder.
I say again: while I appreciate the need to leave no stone unturned (and bear the utmost respect for those that demonstrate the tenacity to do so), I must also respectfully discount the above purported “connections”. [I harken-back for a moment to an earlier theory strongly ascribed to by some that Morgan's friends must somehow have been complicit in her murder. I think it's safe to say that, although LE has never made a public announcement that "Morgan's friends aren't complicit in her murder" (nor would such a pronouncement be necessary or appropriate), most if not all posters have finally come to this same conclusion.]
I believe that Morgan’s murder was a simple but horrible confluence of bad events that took place on the evening of October 17, 2009, e.g.:
1. She was under the influence of a mind-altering substance.
2. She fell while inside JPJ.
3. She was unable to re-enter the arena.
4. She wandered around outside in less-than-ideal weather conditions wearing clothing not suited for such conditions.
5. She entered–by choice (HH or not) or by force–a vehicle on Copeley.
6. If she entered the vehicle by choice, she did so thinking she was safe.
7. She was murdered and/or left for dead at AF.
She was not.
None–I repeat, none–of the points above makes Morgan in any way, shape, or form at fault for the horrific assault perpetrated upon her.
Paraphrasing here what someone else said far upthread on a related post, I believe Morgan’s abduction and murder were possibly far simpler–both in means and motive–than we might otherwise imagine.
Note above: “She was not.” was in reference to #6 above; that is “If she entered the vehicle by choice, she did so thinking she was safe.”
If you look at the hitchhiking (or any of the other events of the evening) through your Sober & Alert Eyes, you’re right, it’s a really hard thing to accept. But let me suggest that we be like Mr. Potato Head and look at it through our Drunk Eyes (or even our psychedelic Drugged Eyes).
If you put on your Drunk Eyes, suddenly you’ll see it doesn’t really matter if you bought the tickets months ago and this was the party event of the semester, all that matters is you fell, you feel sick, you want to puke and you need some fresh air.
Put on your Drugged Eyes, and things seem even crazier, you’re outside, you’re not sure what’s in or what’s up. You just know you want to get H O M E…so you start walking in that direction. But gawd, it’s so far away so you stick your thumb out. And lo and behold, there comes a ride.
Couple of Questions
- Mr. Bathtub guy has a record, but none of a sexual nature. So, would his DNA be on file or no?
- Does LE need a warrant to get someone’s DNA sample?
As far as all the different directions my thoughts have gone in regards to this case, this one just seems to fit. Obviously, I could be way, way off, as I often am and I am certainly not accusing anyone of anything – just thinking out loud.
Don’t know if this one’s been posted or not yet, but here goes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dO-FRLXJpg&feature=related
“Christian Breeden of American Dumpster playing with guns”
If anyone knows where that was shot (no pun intended) and who the other guys in the video are, I’d love to know.
- What we have uncovered is that many people know many other people in c-ville- and they may even be related as we found out through The family names that are prevalent in the area. I would bet most local artists know other local artists- most local musicians know other musicians- I bet they have all played at the same clubs at one time or another- everyone is a part by 6 degrees of separation related or not-
Mosiac- You make some very valid points- but when I put on my drunk stoned eyes all I see is me being pizzed off enough to break the window of my car and get in- sleep it off and then bitch at my friends when the decide to come out- I do not walk around in the rain heading away from the arena- passing many people then decide to HH on the bridge-
Observer, Hi glad to see you are still around- you wrote in part:
I believe that Morgan’s murder was a simple but horrible confluence of bad events that took place on the evening of October 17, 2009, e.g.:
1. She was under the influence of a mind-altering substance.
2. She fell while inside JPJ.
3. She was unable to re-enter the arena.
4. She wandered around outside in less-than-ideal weather conditions wearing clothing not suited for such conditions.
5. She entered–by choice (HH or not) or by force–a vehicle on Copeley.
6. If she entered the vehicle by choice, she did so thinking she was safe.
7. She was murdered and/or left for dead at AF.
1. She was under the influence of a mind-altering substance.
2. She fell while inside JPJ.
3. She was unable to re-enter the arena.
4. She wandered around outside in less-than-ideal weather conditions wearing clothing not suited for such conditions.
5. She entered–by choice (HH or not) or by force–a vehicle on Copeley.
6. If she entered the vehicle by choice, she did so thinking she was safe.
7. She was murdered and/or left for dead at AF.
Observer, I am surprised that you are speculating- thanks for offering your brain power to the cause-
Remember though that you are speculating-LE said Morgan may have been drunk- LE said she may have fallen LE said IF she was drugged it wasn’t from a substance she took herself LE said there was a report of someone matching Morgan’s description HH- But the BBP said she appeared to be waiting on someone-
We don’t know if Morgan was on a mind altering substance-
We don’t know if she fell in JPJ or anywhere
We do know she was unable to get back inside based upon SS remembrance of a phonecall
We do not know if she entered a vehicle on the bridge- someone said they saw her HH= What does that mean?- No one said they saw her enter a car willingly or not
I agree she was murdered or left for dead at AF but How and when she came to be there are the questions- Thanks again for lending your brain power Observer-
Sorry about the double post of your # points Observer- I don’t know what happened.
juliemooly, Hi thanks for that youtube- I don’t know who those other people in the video are- I wouldn’t have even known that was CB unless you told me- But there is nothing scary about that vid – except the immaturity level LOL -That is a pellet gun not a rifle
Judi says:
March 13, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Couple of Questions
- Mr. Bathtub guy has a record, but none of a sexual nature. So, would his DNA be on file or no?
- Does LE need a warrant to get someone’s DNA sample?
As far as all the different directions my thoughts have gone in regards to this case, this one just seems to fit. Obviously, I could be way, way off, as I often am and I am certainly not accusing anyone of anything – just thinking out loud.
_____________________________________________
In Virginia, every adult and some juveniles convicted of a felony are in the DNA registry. In addition, people arrested but not yet convicted (or never convicted) for violent felonies (including attempts) and certain types of burglary are required to register. Different states have different rules so you could be on a registry if arrested elsewhere. Also, certain government employees (including military) have had DNA samples taken.
You can always get DNA with a warrant and some states allow the police take one without a warrant in certain instances (not sure what Virginia courts have held on this last issue).
Links to some info on VA DNA program below.
http://www.dfs.virginia.gov/services/forensicBiology/regsForArrestees.pdf
http://www.dna.gov/state_profiles/Virginia/#caselaw
http://www.dfs.virginia.gov/statistics/index.cfm
Just to clarify, if someone receives probation or a plea deal for a lesser charge which is incumbant upon a probationary period, they will not take the DNA sample, and I am not sure even if they violate probation and then are sentenced, that they can.
B
I spent some time finding cvillain event listings for October 17.
Illville Crew back on the Corner!
Music/Arts – Concert
Start Time: Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 10:00pm
End Time: Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 2:00am
Location: Cantina
One of the hardest working HipHop bands in the ville sets up shop again for another unforgettable *Block Party* Live from Cantina! So come on down and WiLdOut with us THIS SATURDAY night…
The write-up on cvillain was:
Weekend Preview: First Zombie Sightings Posted by Ian on October 16th, 2009
http://cvillain.com/2009/10/16/weekend-preview-first-zombie-sightings/#comments
According to the Facebook page for this event bathtub guy said he would be attending: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172561806128&index=1
http://www.myspace.com/theillvillecrew
I’m totally lost. Who is Mr. Bathtub guy?
@ J2K
Yes, I totally agree. Whoever played a gig that night was busy working, and this would have involved a variety of other people. Performing requires a lot of concentration and energy.
As for her motives that night, she had told her friends she wanted to hitch hike home, and she was indeed seen by independent witnesses hitch hiking on that bridge. This means that her intentions and her actual actions match.
She then subsequently disappears -
@ keekee
I thought that as well. She could have changed her appearance. It would make sense to borrow a coat from someone – she was cold – and there are reasons why she could have taken the tights off. They could have been torn, for instance when she fell inside the arena. This is why I am still wondering about the paper lady sighting.
I can also see Morgan on a nightmarish journey around the area, her being disoriented and influenced by the bad guy, almost like a Stockholm syndrome, stopping at a petrol station or convenience store.
belleboyd- Hi-reread Blink’s article and click on bathtub shroom purveyor
TO: Celia: You said: “If Morgan was hitching on the side of the bridge which contains the memorial and a car picked her up on that same side of the street, the car would be headed toward JPJ and toward a left turn into the RV lot. Murderer could have picked her up, whipped into RV lot, struggled, thrown out purse, etc, continued on away from Copley Rd back behind athletic fields beside the railroad tracks to finish the murder, then proceed to Anchorage farm to dispose of body (choosing that spot randomly or by choice).”
Celia, you described above–to a “T”–the exact scenario I proposed in one my earliest posts in November when I first logged-onto BOC. While I remain open to variations on this theme, I continue to believe this is a highly plausible course of events.
TO: suz: You said: “total amateur, she could have dropped her purse. There were witnesses who said she dropped it several times in the parking lot. It sounds like she may have been really messed up, feeling ill and out of sorts. Obviously (and thankfully) I haven’t had a day that that ended in my abduction and murder, but I certainly have had days where everything seemed to go wrong, just one thing after the other, so I don’t find it the least bit unbelievable that she could have had a run of incredibly bad luck that night. The BG obviously (in my book) sized up her condition and took advantage.”
Precisely, suz.
TO: mosaic: We may well have been channeling each other w/ your 2:29pm post and my 3:16pm post:-)))
MarchmallowWI says:
March 13, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Timing is right (this event started 10:00PM, Morgan last seen at 9:30PM) and explains the direction she was headed (I googled where it was – almost a straight shot down Ivy, distance 0.8 miles & walking time 16 minutes – she was last scene at Copeley and Ivy). Is this where Morgan was headed?
MarchmallowWI, you could be on to something….
Mom3.0…I know nothing about guns..
what’s a pellet gun, and how can you tell from the video?
Hey juliemooley- First I noticed the sound- it is not loud and doesn’t boom- then I noticed the weight gun is extremely light-then I noticed there was no recoil (jerk motion on shoulder) by CB- then I took a good look at the gun- the barrel of a pellet gun is much like a bb gun -the sound is a little more than a bb gun and the barrel is small not a big hole like on a rifle- I believe you can also see CB load the pellet but I m not sure-
I grew up with uncles and brothers and male cousins- think Christmas Story the movie (“You’ll shoot your eye out”) when they reached a certain age it was a right of passage to get a bb gun or a pellet gun- They can hurt if you are shot by them and you can kill sparrows if you want but they barely puncture the skin unless very close and bb guns have to be pumped alot to do much of anything….
So yeah0 definitely immature but not frightening -unless you have never been around idiot boys/men/children with access to bb guns or pellet guns- don’t even ask me about sling shots LOL
http://www.virginia.edu/deanofstudents/announcements/2009/11/
Hello all. I have been away on vacation, and have only had a few moments to be able to read BOC briefly.
I have thought about many of the posts here, and all the great work most are doing surrounding Morgan case. I was so hoping that I would come back to a new thread that said “Morgan’s Killer has been arrested with 500 comments from all of you underneath. No, Not so. Not today at least. OK, Not so, I say, but why?
Before I go into my long post, I just wanted to comment on a couple of posts that I felt were worthy of comments. .
Daisy: I feel you. We have all been here for so long, and there hasn’t been any, at least new public developements in Morgan case to speak of. I feel too, that perhaps it is not progressing. However, we are not privy to what LE knows, what is working on, and hopefully they will secure an arrest very soon.
Total Amatuer: WOW. Been following your posts. Welcome to the club of not sleeping, and signing your surrender papers over to Blink on Morgns behalf. . You are exactly where we all are in spirit. Morgan has captured us, and we all are investing our time, brain power, and compassion to see this through. Your posts are very astute, and I know that I can relate to them on many levels.
OK. To my post. I see some here have no problem disassociating Morgan’s abducter from the Music culture. It is possible, that a complete stranger did just happen stance upon Morgan that night. The stars were aligned and the car with the abductor in it, just happened to be where Morgan was on the bridge, and she got into the car. THE END. Yeah. That is simple. We got simple covered. But where doth this creature hail from? Could the creature have possibly crawled out from the gallows of the gutter of the night, filled with rage in a drug induced state pre disposed to violence? That being said, we cannot, and should not, completely disregard the entire Musical perepherial connection to Morgan. If it was a stranger abduction, it happened on the bridge or in the lot. This stranger, so be it, must have come from the populus of the concert. No? Perhaps a concert goer, loner? Perhaps a Gojira die hard fan in the wallows of the darkness in a drug induced state. Even to provide more options, how about several MIB, boys, that were loyal followers of LOG? Through drug colored lenses. Went out to the parking lot for a breath of fresh air, smoke a dubbie, party it up with a few friends? Hooked up with Morgan eh?
I have always been, and will be, a believer, that whoever abducted Morgan that night, had a strong tie to the Musical culture. These types of concerts attract a variety of personas, some of which are not likened to Morgan kind or class. I do believe that if we are to assume that Morgan was abducted on the Copely Bridge, it very well could have been concert goer(s),or perhaps (MIB unidentified) that had attended the concert due to a following or love of the heavy metal band type Music that was being played that night.
I believe that there is a very strong correlation between heavy metal music and violence.
This is NO reflection on Morgan at all. She was a lover of all Music, and genres. This is not a reflection to whom Blink is speaking to in her current piece. This speaks to the over 16,000 people that came to see Gojira, LOG, and ultimately, Metallic on Oct 17th. The connection/stats of heavy metal and the impact of violence are frightening: Before everyone shoots me down, Please take the time to visit Gojira home page, and check out their videos, even their lyrics to their songs. Pretty bloody, and violent. LOG, as well.
For further documentation of the correlation between violence and Music, please see Chapter 12 Fear of Children “The Gift of Fear”.
Please see below:
Rock Music and Violence
A concert held by the group “Guns N’ Roses” (July 2, 1991 in St Louis, Missouri) ended when the enraged mob of 2500 youths staged a riot, resulting in 60 of their numbers being injured. The journal Rolling Stone informed that the participants in this concert, “developed into a furious uncontrollable mob, hurling bottles, destroying seats, ripping apart bushes, breaking and setting fire to instruments… This riot continued for over an hour before a squad of special police arrived to restore order. (Rolling Stone, Aug. 22, 1975 p 15). This type of violence is far from being an isolated incident.
Sometimes, this type of frantic behavior at rock concerts leads to killings. In a town called Jefferson-Township, (New Jersey), a youth named Thomas Sullivan stabbed his mother, Betty-Ann, to death in the basement of their house. Setting fire to the divan with the aim of destroying the house and killing his father and younger brother, he ran outside and committed suicide by slashing his wrists. All week long before this carnage, Thomas had been humming a rock song about blood and killing your mother. Police later established that Thomas was a talented student, outstanding sportsman and had belonged to the Scouts. He began to dabble in “hard metal” rock music and, before committing his crime, he confided to his friends that Satan appeared to him and ordered the killing of his family.
Different forms of violence are on the increase in rock music. For example in a song titled “I Kill Children” by rock group Dead Kennedy we hear “I kill children, I love to see them die. I kill children to make their mothers cry. I crush them under my car and I love to hear them scream. I feed them poison candy and spoil their Halloween. I kill children, I bang their heads in doors. I kill children, I can hardly wait for yours.” In the album “Hell Awaits” the band Slayer has the lyrics: “No apparent motive. Just kill and kill again. Survive my brutal slashing. I’ll hunt you till the end.”
Iron Maiden’s mascot is “Eddy” a dead man who kills with great delight. According to Satanist and brutal murderer Richard Ramirez (the “Night Stalker”), it was AC/ DC’s song “Night Prowler” that became part of his motivation to murder 30 people. He said the song gave him “inspiration. “Night Prowler” contains the stanza, “No one’s gonna warn you, no one’s gonna yell ‘attack!’ and you can’t feel the steel until it’s hanging out your back, I’m your night prowler.”
One study revealed that of the 700 most popular songs of “heavy metal,” 50% speak of killings, 35% of satanism and 7% about suicide. Sheila Davis, professor of lyric writing at New York University, is convinced that “better give serious attention to the content of pop songs and to evaluate not only what lyrics are saying to society but, more important, what they may be doing to it” (USA Today, October 11, 1985, p. 10).
The National Council of Churches published their findings that the growing aggressive behavior of youths appears as the direct result of the violent content of contemporary films and music (USA Today, Oct. 11, 1985).
Parallel to the inner aggressiveness, this destructive feeling can appear directed against the music listener. Some rock music composers preach suicide – sometimes through hints and sometimes directly. For example, Ozzy Osbourne’s song, “Suicide Solution” advocates suicide: “Suicide – this is the only way out…” In “Suicide’s an Alternative” the following is sung: “Sick of life – it sucks / sick and tired – no one cares / sick of myself – don’t wanna live / sick of living – gonna die / suicide’s an alternative.” “Sacrifice your life and commit suicide. By doing this in the name of satan, you will become immortal, just like him!” are some of the words sung in one of the “hard metal” songs dedicated to Lucifer.
Educational psychologist, Dr. Hannelore Wass, considered an expert on death and dying, indicated that while only 17% of teenagers listen to music containing manifestly destructive contents, among the youthful criminals this figure reaches 40%. Apart from this, nearly 50% of those interviewed acknowledged the possibility that these types of songs could really incline an unbalanced or grief-stricken young person toward suicide. Dr. Wass concluded that these detailed interviews with young people show the need for parents to watch what their children are listening to, and to pay attention to any emerging symptoms of abnormality. (Wass, et. al, “Adolescents’ Interest” p. 186, sampled 700 adolescents. The themes were: homicide, suicide and satanism. Cf. Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got a Gun”).
Similar research prompted the National Education Association to conclude that nearly 6000 teenage suicides a year are brought about by the influence of nihilistic and fatalistic music (Information for Parents’ Music Resource Center, Nashville, TN. 1990).
Dr. Morton Kurlan a Palm Springs psychiatrist whose patient, John McCollum, committed suicide after listening to an Ozzy Osbourne record, stated: “Sadomasochism, blood, and violence make big bucks for the producers of rock videos, but such things can push an emotionally suffering kid over the edge” (Arthur Lyons, Satan Wants You, New York, Mysterious Press, 1988, p.171). And it is well known that millions of contemporary young people are suffering from inner tumult. At this point it is worth considering that the estranged nihilistic and destructive contents of rock-style music actually reflects the disposition and lives of the rock stars. For example, the biography of Pink Floyd Saucerful of Secrets written by band’s two former leaders gives vivid examples of the personal tragedy that can stalk the lives of those who glorify excess (Cf. The 1991 Elton John interview with David Frost). Authors Schwarz and Empey observe: “In talking with some of the musicians involved in satanism, as well as individuals they have consulted – researches, psychologists, and psychics – a pattern becomes clear. Like so many others who save chosen satanism over Christianity, they have a desire for immediate gratification and self-fulfillment. ‘Money Control. Power. They want the fantasy of being able to live a special life with a lot of wealth,’ said a psychologist whose practice includes some of the major names in the rock business. ‘And they’re willing to die young to pay it off. They see that by giving life early they can have everything …’
The reality of this statement is obvious when you read the obituaries of rock stars. Many have died from alcoholism, drug abuse, or accidents resulting from their being under the influence of such products (Schwarz and Empey, Satanism: Is Your Family Safe? p. 154).
The very names of some “heavy metal” groups also known as “death metal,” glorify death and speak of destruction. Here are some samples: “Blessed Death,” “Carnivore,” “Coroner,” “Destruction,” “Mace,” “Malice,” “Overkill,” “Rotten Corpse,” “Sacrifice,” Violence etc. (Cf. Dave Hart, “Heavy Metal Madness,” Media Update, July/Aug. 1989 p. 5).
Brown and Hendee noted that “several murders have been correlated with fascination for heavy metal music and that “another behavioral study found that violent music videos desensitized viewers to violence immediately after viewing.”
A Tennessee psychiatrist informed a Senate committee that heavy metal music is “poison” for disturbed adolescents, not to mention substance abusers. It is “like throwing gasoline on the fire of hatred and resentment that’s already burning,” said Dr. Paul King, Clinical Assistant Professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Tennessee. According to King, more than 8o percent of his adolescent patients have listened to heavy metal for long stretches of time as a daily routine. They were familiar with all the words and wrote them in notebooks and on desks while class was going on (Wass, et. al., Adolescents’ Interest, King, “Heavy Metal Music”).
13.anotherB says:
March 13, 2010 at 9:04 pm
As for her motives that night, she had told her friends she wanted to hitch hike home, and she was indeed seen by independent witnesses hitch hiking on that bridge. This means that her intentions and her actual actions match.
———————————-
When and where was it reported that Morgan told her friends that she wanted to hitch-hike home? Did I miss something?
Actually, I wanted to mention an older press conference I reviewed the other night. Lt. Rader states that Morgan told her friends she would find a ride from “friends around Charlottesville.”
Has this statement ever been vetted? Has LE ever cleared this up, or changed it? Or is this the exact quote given to LE from Morgan’s friend? Seems kind of important.
J2K and Observer- I have all the respect in the world for your thoughts. Your posts are extremely intelligent and well-written, and each day I look forward to reading and interpreting them. No doubt it could have happened that way. Like I said before, when I first heard of the case on TV, my first impression was that the friends knew more. Then, when I started reading BOC, I thought it was a stranger abduction. Now, I’m thinking a familiar link of some sort.
There is no doubt in my mind that what you say could have been the actual circumstances. Hey, our parents always tell us to stay in a group- not to drink too much or do drugs- not to ever hitch a ride with someone you dont really know. They tell us these things because something bad can happen if you do. You make bad decisions- you make yourself vunerable. Each one of those things- even more magnified when combined- could put you in a very compromising position. The string of “bad luck”- or perhaps more appropriately “bad decisions”- are exactly what puts a person in a situation for something tragic to happen.
You can make a solid case for a hundred different scenarios. Without facts, we are all left with speculation. Let’s face it- for all we know, one fact or statement from LE could be released tomorrow that would blow all of our hypotheses out of the water. If that happens in this case, I would not be surprised one bit.
Now- the inevitable questions for you both:
Why are you both suddenly SO sure this is what happened? Why have you closed your mind to other possibilities? Have you uncovered or been made aware of specific information- or has it just become your belief at this point? I will admit- the seemingly synchronized, definitive declarations are a bit curious.
Does anyone know when Morgan’ credit/debit card was used? If the timeline has her around JPJ until 9:30 and then we know nothing after that, when did she supposedly use her card? Also, do we know if the card that was used was found with her purse?
No confirmation on any card use.
B
Chad- Welcome back!
Thanks for the kind words. As to your post… great info. As an artistic and emotionally driven person myself, I’ve always felt music can change mood, effect mindset- and even alter personality over time with prolonged exposure. Parents especially need to be mindful of what their children listen to.
Chad, Hello my friend- I have missed you.
You know that you and I usually see eye to eye on things, but not so this time my friend.
I think you have been mislead. I feel it is my duty and honor to steer you back from the depths of misconceptions- lovingly and without malice. I don’t want others to read your words and say something harsh to you about them. Nor do I want anyone to read your words and take them as fact. So I respectfully, and with care, submit this post as a re: to your previous comments.
I know that there are some who think metal music makes people violent or suicidal or overly aggressive but that is not true. Emphatically I state that is not true.
Guns and Roses fans rioted because Axl Rose attacked a member of his audience because they had the audacity to have a camera. He then got back on stage and announced the concert was over- not refunding any money- he just walked out. Was it right for the fans to riot? No Were they justified?- No Was their anger justified? Yes. Sports fans all over the US riot because their teams have won- They throw batteries or snowballs or…when their teams are losing. Music has nothing to do with this. Here is a link to what lead up to that riot of GNR fans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPMLGjW6cE8
You wrote about a youth that killed his mother, set fire to his house, killed his father and brother, then slit his wrists after humming a song that was about blood and killing a mother- I don’t know what song this was- you did not state the song, so I can not comment, although to say I doubt the song playing on the 14 year olds lips had little to nothing to do with his mental state. Here is a link to the actual killing, notice the discrepancies:
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/11/nyregion/boy-kills-mother-and-himself.html?pagewanted=1
Iron Maiden’s mascot Eddie is just that a mascot- nothing more nefarious than that, I assure you. Here is a link to one of my favorite Maiden songs and a link to the history of Eddie:
http://xtrememusic.net/iron-maiden-mascot-history-of-eddie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwB9zg7Tbx8
Although Richard Ramirez was an Ac-DC fan, so am I and I have never harmed a soul.
Ozzy Osbourne does not preach suicide. His song Suicide Solution is about alcohol addiction and not realizing it is a way to a slow self-promoted death. The song is about living not dying.
The young man that killed himself was depressed that is all. His parents lost the lawsuit. The words they attributed to Ozzy’s song were false. They said the song stated- get the gun -get the gun -shoot shoot -shoot shoot -WRONG- it actually says get your flaps out (stop moaning start living) then scatting shoo shoos shoo ahhh-
Here are the lyrics:
Wine is fine
But whiskey’s quicker
Suicide is slow with liquor
Take a bottle drain your sorrows
THEN IT FLOODS AWAY TOMORROW!!
Evil thoughts and evil doings
Cold, alone you hang in ruins
Thought you’d escape the reaper
You can’t escape the master keeper
‘Cause you feel life’s unreal and you’re living a lie
Such a shame who’s to blame and you’re wondering why
Then you ask from your cask is there life after birth
What you saw can mean hell on this earth
Hell on this earth!!
Now you live inside a bottle
The reaper’s traveling at full throttle
It’s catching you but you don’t see
The reaper is you and the reaper is me
Breaking laws, knocking doors
But there’s no one at home
Made your bed, rest your head
But you lie there and moan
Where to hide, suicide is the only way out
Don’t you know what it’s really about
Oh now people people… you really know where its at-you got it what get your flaps out – scatting shoo shoo shoo yeah you got it hahahaha
Wine is fine
But whiskey’s quicker
Suicide is slow with liqueur
Take a bottle drown your sorrows
THEN IT FLOODS AWAY TOMORROW
take me away – tomorrow
no flaps no flaps no way ahhhhh
Here is a link where you can listen for yourself-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIgLA_J11dY
The Dead Kennedy’s song is supposed to be a joke and they are not metal- they are punk.
I agree some already sick individuals can take anything and interpret it wrong -but is that the artists fault? No- I am a metal fan- I don’t need anyone to police my music or what my children decide to listen to either. I agree there are some dark images and lyrics to some bands, their music and their art- but that does not mean metal is evil or satanic or promotes murder, rape, suicide or riots.
Chad, please reconsider your stance- listen and read the links I provided. I hope you will come to understand that music, of any kind, is an outlet, it is a form of artistry and it can not lead to people doing anything bad- Some people are just sick in the mind- No matter what they listened to they would feel much the same-
Love ya Chad- Your friend Mom.3
Respectfully, I have analyzed the sound in the C.B. video, not that there’s anything too significant about the video, but that is a very “real gun”. A 22 caliber to be precise. There is a definite reverberation delay and is hardly as harmless as the Red Ryder pellet gun comparison. (Although a pellet gun could very well cause serious injury too (as a young boy in Atlanta died of wound recently from a mere pellet projectile) A pellet gun does not make a crack that reverberates in the far out distance as the one in the video does. Even if CO2 was used…-Just for clarification.
Yes, did you happen to notice the title of the last one???
“Morgan Up from Blacksburg”.
That video was shot over Thanksgiving, and there is no Morgan in that troupe, so go figure.
B
RE: Yes I noticed that, and when I first saw the title and started playing it I didn’t breath for about 10 seconds until I knew that wasn’t her in the video and the time it was titled appeared to have been over the holiday…A lot of coincidental names and discussions. -Like the other I posted from some random guys account of a night of he, Jessica, and Jessika, meeting C.B. and the conversation about Pantera band…-from 2007 I think the post was…still makes you wonder if her shirt could of been a conversation starter in 2009 even?I know, I’ve been really jumping around since I started reading here after the good Sheriff’s suicide, but it’s all I can do. I have my cheese but I’m too open minded to not dismiss ANYTHING until there is something more substantiated. So many cases depend on that one tip or that one witness account, or just the right piece of info to be dug up even by your “Blinksters” to be solved. The MH case is one of these…Pray hard for justice.
On a related thread there was talk of Unicorns and we were hypothesizing if MH was referring to the drug X as a “Unicorn” in a comment she made within a picture..-Here’s another Unicorn…as it relates to CB video..Any symbolizing significance? http://www.123people.com/ext/frm?ti=person%20finder&search_term=christian%20breeden&search_country=US&st=person%20finder&target_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DP9OEx80PjXM§ion=video&wrt_id=53
Please delete Post: March 14, 2010 at 3:51 am
*This is the correct link..
On a related thread there was talk of Unicorns and we were hypothesizing if MH was referring to the drug X as a “Unicorn” in a comment she made within a picture..-Here’s another Unicorn…as it relates to CB video..Any symbolizing significance?
http://www.youtube.com/user/GreaseMunky#p/a/f/0/HJFJXflFVvI
I’ve gotten into the habit of holding my own posts. I take the time to compose them only to delete or save them to post later. Since we’re back to hitchhiking and leaving the arena etc. I guess I’ll submit the one I wrote last night. Mom 3.0 forced me to go back here, btw. I’m glad she did.
Mom 3.0 your questions from the other day about hitchhiking, leaving the arena etc. got me thinking. In all honesty, I was surprised by your (brief?) moment of uncertainty and I was poised to be your sounding board ready to echo the answers I know you already know. Sigh. I sat down to answer you and found myself once again lost in the mire of limited facts and speculation. The more I typed, the more frustrated I’ve become. We’ve been over this and over this. Still, no quick and easy answers here, I’m afraid. Just more questions and incredulity. I’m going to attempt to answer you even if it seems more like talking out loud. Maybe someone will put ME back on course or chime in.
1) Why leave the arena? I’ve written posts with my opinion regarding this so many times only to delete them because I just don’t know if it even matters anymore. I’ll make it short. Or as short as I can.
I believe Morgan was trying to outrun a bad trip. Whether the initiation of the trip was of her own free will or at the hands of someone else who put something in her drink, IDK. If you, (not specifically you, Mom) were in a crowded, unfamiliar place under the influence of ??, surrounded by noise, crowds, flickering lights, visual effects etc. and you couldn’t keep your body or your possessions under control, where is the first place you would go to find peace? The bathroom, right? You would cup your hand, lean in and yell your plans into your friend’s ear. (could you’re leaning in be mistaken for a kiss goodbye? IMO, yes) It’s likely too loud and annoying to try and explain yourself or ask for someone to come with you. On your way to the bathroom you fall and cut your face. Once in the bathroom, the peace you sought, for whatever reason, eludes you (your bleeding reflection in the mirror does not help your situation, BTW) so the urge to flee becomes overwhelming and outside you go. Or as Blink has so aptly put it, “she wanted to get the eff out of that arena.” Exactly.
We have speculated that Morgan only wanted to see LOG or that she was going to meet a guy, but something struck me the other night as I watched Granny’s video (again) and studied the tickets she held for the camera. I always found it odd that Morgan asked Dave Gardner about the opening bands and then went on to say, “…we’re here to see Metallica, right?” The opening bands were not printed on the tickets as I had erroneously assumed all this time. She had no idea who was opening. She didn’t care. The only band she 100% knew was playing was Metallica….the band she waited 6 months to see.
I put my thoughts regarding hitchhiking in a separate post so I didn’t jam up Blink’s server.
All the way down..This artist’s favorite things…
http://profiles.friendster.com/2018203
post re: hitchhiking continues here – Going on my opinion that Morgan was drugged or took something and she was trying to find a place to calm down, I don’t think it makes sense that she would know where to go to catch a local show. (I know most aren’t suggesting this, but…) I don’t think she could do much of anything in the way of making plans for herself at all, to be honest. The basketball players probably thought she was acting weird and/or that she was really wasted. They likely just talked to her but let her go on her way for fear of becoming involved etc. Just my opinion. My husband has a different opinion, btw, but I won’t be going there. He can come on here and post as Mario if he wants to discuss his opinion.
Moving on… I don’t even know where I stand on the hitchhiking thing. Partly because it’s so unbelievable that she would try and get “home” or even hitchhike for that matter. But I have to remind myself that when you consider how drugs alter one’s mind and behaviors, it fits that she might think she could travel a long distance with a stranger safely and successfully. She might have had a case of tunnel vision with respect to getting “home” and leaving that arena. B-ut, on the other hand, I don’t know how Corrine Gellar can confirm that Morgan was hitchhiking. (she does according to The Hook) -Note: I think someone posted the actual link referencing this yesterday. I was too lazy to reference it myself last night when I wrote this, so thank you-
Here are my questions/issues regarding hitchhiking:
1)Could Morgan have raised her hand to flag a car that was driving from somewhere to pick her up and was this mistaken by an eyewitness as hitchhiking? (this would support the going with a known or acquaintance theory)
2)Did a young woman who was seen dropping her purse really stand out in the cold on that little stretch of bridge or intersection for 10 minutes with her thumb out soliciting a ride?
3)Where in the world was she going to go? With her car in the lot and no keys to get into a building once she got there? It’s 2.5 hours to Roanoke. 3 hours to Blacksburg. 1:08 minutes to Harrisonburg. (again, if drugs were involved her thinking wouldn’t make sense) Did she just want a lift to a convenience store?
4)Did she intend to hitchhike back to wherever they pre-partied or spent the better part of their afternoon? Would she even be able to direct someone to this place?
I guess knowing what her plan was doesn’t really matter does it? Kind of like trying to explain why she left the arena. No logical explanation is going to suffice if you’re dealing with a mind that is altered by a substance.
I know many are leaning to a “known to Morgan” connection/acquaintance through the local music scene. But I can’t wrap my head around that scenario AND LE’s hitchhiking confirmation. The definition of hitchhiking is to solicit a ride from a passing vehicle (driven by someone you don’t know). Are we saying that someone known to Morgan just happened upon her as she “attempted” to hitchhike while visiting from out of town. And this person, whom she knew or recognized, happened to be a bad guy in disguise. This just seems completely implausible. I’m wondering if the connection/known is just not here. That this was a crime of opportunity where a bad guy, who has in some capacity frequented Anchorage farm, picked up an intoxicated, hitchhiking female.(many assaults/murders have happened this way minus the Anchorage Farm connection) I mean no disrespect, but the possibility of this happening to someone is the very reason why we can’t believe Morgan WOULD hitchhike in the first place. The very reason why many of us have come on here and stated why we would never hitchhike ourselves or take candy from strangers for that matter.
The other possibility is she willingly went with someone she met/or recognized at the arena and something went wrong (did she flag this person down at the intersection of Ivy and Copley Rd and the eyewitnesses mistook this for hitchhiking?). The very last possibility for me is she did hitchhike (safely) to a convenience store and was brought back to the arena and was abducted there later. Where her purse was found? Remember, DW reportedly said he told the police he saw her 10pm looking for her friends. Don’t know if this has been confirmed or not as it doesn’t jive with the timeline.
Blink, where do you stand on the hitchhiking. It’s important if you believe she went with a known. (Are you going to answer by saying – hitchhiking-yes but hitchhiked- no because we don’t have confirmation that she successfully secured a ride via hitchhiking?
And one final question and it’s serious, so don’t laugh. What guys would be willing to be seen in public dressed alike? I’m referring to the guys in black. A Boy Band getting ready to shoot a music video? A gang of emo kids? A wedding party? I’m serious. If you look at pictures and video from the concert, the only people I see dressed 1) alike and 2) in all black are the musicians, the stage hands (http://www.stagemonkie.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Richmond-VA/Stagemonkie-LLC/55043649959) and the security guys who stand in front of the stage. Who were these guys in black.
I personally do not believe she was hitchhiking
B
Mom3.0
Since we’re clarifying….
I think neither LE nor the friends could know *for sure* whether she willingly took a drug while she was separated from her friends—it’s in the realm of possibility that she could have done so in the bathroom, I reckon. So all we really know is that if she took anything on purpose (or not), they were unaware of it.
And I guess while we don’t know if she fell in JPJ or anywhere (unless you believe the folks who said she fell while taking a photo), we do know she cut her face or chin — prolly inside the arena.
snip
Missing Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington sustained a facial injury before she vanished from an Oct. 17 concert in Charlottesville, Virginia State Police confirmed Friday.
State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said investigators didn’t disclose the fact earlier because the injury was consistent with what a person would sustain after falling and doesn’t appear to be related to her disappearance.
“Many of those we’ve spoken to during the course of this investigation recalled seeing a minor scrape or cut on the face of the young woman they saw fitting Miss Harrington’s description,” Geller said. “This injury would be consistent with a slip or fall. In no way would such a minor abrasion be associated with an assault.”
Police decided to disclose the injury after reporters began inquiring about it.
end snip
And I *think* we know she was unable to get back inside not only based upon SS’s statement, but didn’t security also confirm that? Or am I just assuming that because the police seem sure she tried to get back in but was barred from reentry.
DCsteve, can you say why you don’t believe LE and the witnesses who believe they saw her hitch hiking?
Total Am, I only have a second to check in and write, but I wanted to say that I really appreciate your posts…they are always refreshingly clear and you make such good points. And you’re just as confused as the rest of us and not afraid to say so. I too love J2K and Observer, but wonder how they can always be so sure about their theory when it seems that even LE has no clue. There isn’t a whole lot about this case that makes sense, so everything is in until it’s out. And we may not know what’s out until LE makes an arrest and the fat lady sings.
hi, chad, how’s you friend’s brother doing?
I think it’s more likely that disturbed kids are drawn to dark material (like music with dark lyrics)—-rather than the music causing any normal person to suddenly go nuts. The kid who saw satan and killed his mom sounds like he is most likely a schizophrenic.
The Dead Kennedys are a hilarious old punk band specializing in shocking or irreverent lyrics. I’m pretty sure most people get that their songs are satirical.
Murderous whackos, however, can take anything as inspiration—Charles Manson said the Beatles and the Bible made him do it.
I can’t speak for Observer and J2K (lol, which means I’m about to), but I think that they’re just following the facts as we know them. Nothing we have learned thus far requires there to be more than one perp, or a rich perp/poor perp combo happy meal, or for Morgan to have known the person (I think it’s cognitive dissonance that keeps so many people from accepting that she could have climbed into a car with a stranger), or for her to have taken drugs or been drugged.
It doesn’t mean those things couldn’t be true—just that nothing necessitates them.
Back in the day, the cell phone scenario kind of required a clever perp with an LE background to remove the battery to stop the pinging—-until her dad said that battery was always falling out. Could it still have been a clever perp? Sure. Could the battery have fallen out? Sure. Or Morgan could have removed it herself for multiple reasons, etc. etc.
Morning Suz! One more before I’m out the door (isn’t this what an addict would say?)…but it’s still in that there could be multiple perps. I heard a rumor in town yesterday, and it’s still a rumor but it’s going through groups of parents that I know well and respect. In late February an 18 year old girl (girlfriend of a friend’s son) was downtown and called a cab. You can’t “hail” a cab here in Charlottesville. A car pulled up with 3 guys in it and tried to pull her in. As she was fighting them off another car pulled up and a guy jumped out to help fight them off. The car with guys sped off. Turns out that the guy who came to her rescue was an off-duty detective…guess it would have been Charlottesville PD, but don’t know. The girl is still hysterical and freaked…won’t file a report because she doesn’t want her parents to know…I don’t know if she wasn’t supposed to be downtown or what. She was one block off the mall on Water Street, and things get pretty iffy the farther off the mall you get. My questions are don’t you think this detective would have gotten the license plate and car make? Maybe he was so focused on helping the girl. Or maybe the car was from out of town, and this was part of some gang initiation like at JMU. Suppose something like this happened to Morgan and the guys are from somewhere like Lynchburg, which is a bigger city than Charlottesville. Say these guys were used to coming up and down 29, maybe stopping here and there for a drug sale. The spot on Red Hill Rd. by the gate to the Basses lower field is just far enough off 29 to quickly meet a buyer from town. Maybe this gate came to mind when someone had to dispose of a body, and it’s just pure dumb luck that they got her far enough into the property to remain hidden until late January.
So many possiblities and questions about Morgan’s case. We won’t know until the end if it was simple or complicated. OK gotta run sorry for this incomplete thought….
Good morning, all. Chad and Mom3.0, I want to meet you in the middle re: the music. I love most kinds of music and appreciate all forms of artistic expression. I think we DO have to be concerned about what drives individuals to death metal and horror core music (neither of which describe Metallica, but I do see that some of the area folks–who also love AllGood, FloydFest, Bonnaroo–profess to love LOG, Gojira, AND horror core/death metal).
I cannot help but remind everyone of the following case from late September, 2009. These parents tried to do right by their daughter and not squelch her musical interests. They wanted to understand them and accompany her to the concerts. They are dead. No judgment, as I hope I would not attempt to squelch any (legal) interest of my own children’s. Just saying, it happened.
http://www2.newsadvance.com/lna/news/state_regional/article/slain_farmville_mom_daughter_had_counseling_over_music/19783/
I see no connection b/n that case and Morgan’s, unless someone wanted to copycat (and it does not appear so, although we don’t know what evidence LE uncovered). However, I do not want to discount the tendencies that *some* individuals who write and enjoy this music may have.
To reiterate: In less than an hour, you could find area folks who have last names of interest (and their friends) and love bluegrass, AllGood, LOG, Gojira, and death metal. They’re entitled to love whatever music they want, of course, and in most cases I love their exploration of different forms that are not on mainstream radio.
However—and with all of the above said—while I have enormous respect for anyone who desires to remain logical and focused in our discussions, I see no way that we can avoid looking at these musical connections. If we knew more, maybe we could. But we know so little that how can we *not*, especially if it’s reported Morgan said she would get a ride from local people she already knew?
Now, having typed the words “late September,” I have Steely Dan running through my head and am going to go put some on my iPod.
(Another great concert …)
Hi Local, yuck, I just read your last comment. The Water St parking garage is where I used to have my parking space for work. So many times I missed the 1 a.m. “lockdown” (by mere minutes) at that garage b/c I was working late to meet deadline, or out after work, and I just walked home (I was close enough, and better than having to pay to get the dude to come unlock the garage). What a stupid girl I was, and how infuriating to realize that opting to walk over spending that $70 was such a poor decision! Gaahh!
I feel terrible for the girl, and I think it illustrates again the need for parents to create an environment in which their kids can open up and tell the truth. I hope she changes her mind and files a report. Can someone communicate to her the importance? What up with the two cabbies who witnessed all of this (assuming it’s true), and for which of the few C’ville cab companies do they drive?
very interesting, localcvillegirl. You just never know.
I’d still love to see AF with my own eyes and own two feet on the ground to understand how likely or unlikely it would be for a non-local to make their way to that field.
Anything’s possible until proven otherwise, that’s for sure.
Mom.03, Suz,
Hi Momo! It is OK if we disagree. We are still buds. I too, was a huge fan of ACDC back in my day, and I have not harmed a soul myself. I was like Morgan, I loved all flavors and colors of music, and wasn’t a particular groupie to just one. My point in my post was that indeed, there are young adults, and also teenagers that do exclusively follow these heavy metal groups only.
I will say a bit dissappointing that you haven’t read the book “Gift of Fear” Perhaps you should invest in a copy.
Mom, if you have not read the gift of Fear, perhaps you should, before you criticize his writings, or down play his statistics on how heavy metal music *can* ( operative word here) affect young adults, particularily a disturbed adolesence.
I haven’t even quoted him yet, but I will now. Please listen to the words of three time presidential appointee, accomplished professional, legal consultant for the US government, and also advisor to the prosecution on many high progile cases, such as the OJ Simpson case. He is a writer, and scientist of violence and crime. He devoted an entire chapter on heavy metal music. and also to a case that he worked on. It is Chapter 12, and it is called the Fear of Children:
Here is a snippet for you to read: Of course this is not you or me, it is a young male. This is REAL;
(Snippet)
Gift of Fear Chapter 12, page 222.
James Vance was obessed with Judas Priest, attracted to the sinister,and violent nature of their music and public persona. He liked demonic themes of the artwork on their album covers, the monsters and the gore, so at the instant that he saw Ray shoot himself in the head, the sheer gruesomeness of it did not impress him. Like too many young Americans, he had been getting comfortable with graphic violence for a long while, and images of gory skulls were fairly mundane to him.
Standing in the churchyard, he looked at his friends body and for a moment considered breaking the suicide pact, but then he figured that if he didn’t shoot himself, then he would be blamed for Ray’s death anyways, so he reached down and into the blood and picked up the shotgun, put it in his mouth and pulled the trigger, but he did not die.
(snippet)
page 224:
James Vance referred to the members of the band as “metal gods” He said that they were his bible, and that he was the defender of the Judas Priest faith. Of his relationship with these people that that he had never met, James states it was like a marriage-intimacy, that developed over a period of time and it was until death do us part.
Can specific media products compel people to violence that they otherwise not have committed? This is perhaps a resonable question.
You see mom.3, perhaps this is not you, or me even. But this is a real person, a young man that blew off his face for the love of a musical band. I have more stats from Gavin de Becker on violence and music, and the intertwining if you want me to go on.
Next time, please do not give critical opinions before you have read the sources. This book is a must read.
Heavy metal and violence: More than a myth? CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/05/09/metal.violence/index.html
I am just wondering how many random strangers, not associated with the musical biz, with intimate knowledge of AF, just happened to be on a bridge headed away from/toward JPJ around the same small window of time a BEAUTIFUL girl was there “HH”, without being noticed. I’m just saying…..
It may be the easiest answer but, it doesn’t really fit.
rnmom, you only need one.
I’m just curious….
How many think LE knows who did it but just can’t prove it?
How many think LE has no idea who did this to Morgan?
Also….
What do you think about when Dr. Harrington said that the BG was in Chatlottesville in October and again in November? Should we be thinking about this when doing our research?
How many think that Morgan’s backup plan was already in place when she spoke with SS at 8:48?
And, lastly, does anyone know if Morgan’s (or her friends) cell phone reflect that they attempted to reach her after the concert? I ask this because that would show if the friends knew for sure if Morgan was supposed to riding back with them or knew for sure not. If Morgan told SS that she would TRY to find a ride, they would be try to reach her after the concert to see what was up. If Morgan told them she DID have a ride home, they they wouldn’t.
Chad –I’m with you. Here’s why. I’m the last person on earth to get caught spewing bible verses at people. But whether or not you believe the Bible is God’s written word or not, you have to admit there is a lot of time tested wisdom in that old book. Here’s a really good tidbit from Proverbs “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7.) Then there was Epictetus, the Greek/Roman scholar. He was a pretty smart guy. He knew how powerful your thoughts can be and how important it is to choose healthy productive thoughts – that is if you wanted to live a healthy, productive life. Aaron Beck spent a lot of time studying how one’s thoughts influence their feelings and actions which led to a very powerful therapeutic practice called Cognitive Therapy. These are just a few examples to support why I think it’s very wise to monitor what thoughts we feed our brain and what we choose to focus on. Now I am a big freedom of speech advocate. And if you consider yourself an artist who best expresses himself by singing about rage and violence, then more power to you. Unfortunately there are many artists out there that write and sing really sick lyrics only because there’s a market for it and it makes them lots of money. Well, it’s a free country and who am I to knock Capitalism. As adults, we each are responsible for our own self and our dependent children. The experts who study the brains of these kids say that the brain doesn’t fully develop until the late 20’s or so. There are so many lessons to learn in life. I’m in my early 40’s and I still have difficulty finding my way on life’s obstacle course. Think of how tough it is for a college age kid whose brain isn’t fully developed yet. Then add recreational drugs. Not only for the short term effects, but then add the physical changes in the brain caused by these drugs today. Weed today is not the same stuff it was 20 years ago. Did you know the drug Ecstacy leaves pits or wholes in the brain? Did you know that smoking pot can lead to schizophrenia? Check out brain scans of drug and alcohol abusers on Dr. Daniel Amen’s site. Some scary stuff….. So here’s the equation. Young adult with brain not fully developed + recreational drugs that change the physical structure of the brain + music with violent lyrics played over and over and over. EEEEK. So, I’m not knocking the music. I know a lot of people who can head bang to AC/DC and other than getting a violent headache do not go out and kill people. But they have a healthy balance. It’s when you mix the music with an unhealthy lifestyle where it can get dangerous. Take a young kid with a lot of emotional problems and the music might just throw him over the edge. Just my 2 cents….
Hi yas Suz.
I wanted to respond to you in above post, but didn’t. In regards to my friends brother, he is progressing beautifully. Lisa said that when the Dr. first spoke with the family, they gave him a 5% survival. This is the stats for a person survival rate if shot in the head. So he is beating the odds. It’s always nice to be on the otherside of the stats. He was shot on the right upper part of his forehead right above the eye.
He will be permanently blind in his right eye, and still has massive facial bones broken. Which will require intensive future surgeries.
He is remembering, and re living the shooting, and this is very traumatic for him.
Thank you Suz for thinking of my friend and her family.
Blink, I feel compelled to ask why you discount the stranger-abduction theory. You admit believing Morgan was most likely impaired either by alcohol and/or drugs. In her mind-altered state, her defenses would have been down. Couple that with being ticked off because she was stuck outside JPJ and possibly had a heated exchange of words in her phone conversation with Sarah. Angry and drunk/high, she could easily have thrown all caution to the wind and decided she was going to make the most of her evening. Perhaps she decided to hitchhike thinking the person would take her just a few miles to a known local destination. Maybe there was a female passenger (or driver) in the car, so Morgan felt safe getting in with them. No one should assume because Morgan didn’t HH in the past that she didn’t do it that evening. Nobody should think “I’d never do such a stupid thing as HH” and transfer his/her own belief system onto someone else.
In addition to the possibility Morgan was HHing, it’s also plausible she was noticed by a BG in the vicinity of JPJ who realized she was drunk or high and decided to take advantage of the situation. Perhaps BG offered to let her sit in his car or to take her to a nearby bar or restaurant. Once he had her in his car, he took off with her. In her drunken/high state, she didn’t realize what was happening until they were out of the area surrounding JPJ. By then it was too late for her to escape and find help from other people.
In a nutshell, I believe it’s quite possible Morgan didn’t know her killer(s), and this scenario shouldn’t be discounted until LE confirms she did in fact know her murderer(s).
If there were no way to tie her to the killers why go to that trouble and terrain to hide her where they did?
I maintain she was at least familiar with one of them, yes. Could be very casually, I agree.
I agree that there is no way to be sure until there are arrests, that is true.
B