Is Budd Dwyer a criminal or an unjustly accused? (8 photos)

“Even if you are eaten, there are at least two options.” The joke is old, but it makes you think about what decisions we make we accept in an attempt to resolve this or that situation. And how do they reflect? on others.





Robert Budd Dwyer was born on November 21, 1939 in St. Charles (Missouri), went to college and started building political career. Which was a success, because in just over 20 years he rose from an ordinary teacher to a state senator.



Robert Budd Dwyer

In the 1980s, Pennsylvania authorities discovered that excessive personal income tax. To investigate the violation there was an audit commission has been created. And the person responsible for choosing the performer was just Dwyer, who served as state treasurer.

It is clear that those who want to get a lucrative contract worth $4.6 million was a lot. As a result, the performer was the Californian Computer Technology Associates. Her employees didn’t have time get to work, as the governor of Pennsylvania received an anonymous letter. IN the letter stated that Dwyer received a bribe of 300 from the company thousand dollars (which was later confirmed by two CTA employees) for the choice Computer Technology Associates as auditor.

The treasurer categorically denied any involvement or guilt. But the court decided otherwise, and on December 18, 1986 made a decision - 55 years conclusions.

The last word



With a family

The official filed an appeal. And January 22, 1987 - the day before after the final verdict, asked to convene a press conference. Journalists from dozens of publications assumed that it would be boring event, the main topic of which will be the resignation of the treasurer and an attempt to make excuses. But they were cruelly mistaken, because they could not predict Not a single person was able to further events.



Robert spoke for half an hour. He was nervous, gesturing actively, stammered. Media representatives, without waiting for the main statement, decided was to disperse. But the accused did not read the last page appeal, asked them to stay and handed three envelopes to the assistants. IN one contained a letter for the family - wife and children, in the other - a card donor, and in the third an appeal to the governor.

Then the man took out another envelope. For myself. And extracted 357 Magnum. Panic began in the hall, because no one knew what exactly Robert thought. The man loudly reassured those present and asked Those who are faint of heart should leave the premises. Faint cries asking you to stop went unheard: Dwyer put the revolver in his mouth and pressed trigger.



Unread ending of Dwyer's address:

I have repeatedly said that I am not going to resign as State Treasurer. After many hours of thought I accepted a decision that should not become an example for anyone, since it unique to my situation. Last May I said that after court I will give you the history of this decade. For those of you who are small bipod, the events of this morning will become this story. But for those of you who concerned, the real story will be what I hope and pray for from here on out am - the development of a true judicial system here in the United States.

Please tell my story on every radio and television station, and in every newspaper and magazine in the United States. Please, leave immediately if you have a weak stomach or psyche, as I do not I want to cause physical or mental suffering. Joan, Bob, Didi - me I love you! Thank you for making my life so happy. Goodbye, all three. Please make sure my victim was not in vain.



The action was filmed by several cameras. Some channels were interrupted broadcast before the shot. Others - after. But there were those that They aired the entire recording, without editing.



The wife and children never doubted her husband's innocence and father. The woman no longer found out that one of the key witnesses in the case - William Trickett Smith admitted that he slandered Dwyer for the sake of mitigation own verdict. He confessed in 2010, and Robert’s wife died a year earlier, believing in innocence until the last minutes of her life husband



Dwyer couple's grave

Was he guilty or not? Everyone made their own conclusions. Moreover, all the facts were presented in the documentary film, published 20 years after the treasurer’s suicide.

The story of Robert Dwyer's suicide and its materials have been repeatedly used in different areas of popular culture.