digg Huffpost - Nancy Grace Interview Contributed To Melinda Duckett Suicide, Professor Says
Ocala,Fla. — A Harvard professor says CNN Headline News host Nancy Grace's relentless questioning of a Florida mother three years ago contributed to her suicide, according to a filing in the family's wrongful death case.
Grace launched aggressive nightly coverage of 2-year-old Trenton Duckett's case shortly after he disappeared in 2006, usually with a collection of analysts. When the boy's mother, Melinda Duckett, appeared by telephone two weeks into the case, speculation was beginning to narrow on her possible involvement.
Dr. Harold J. Bursztajn, a clinical professor of psychiatry, wrote in a filing this week. that Grace "struck a highly accusatory tone."
The professor saw "a distraught young woman who is subject to repeated and increasingly sharp questioning by a hostile interviewer who displays increasing suspicion and anger towards Ms. Duckett."
The next day, the 21-year-old Duckett shot herself in the head.
"Her apparently unanticipated public humiliation on the nationally televised program in question was a substantial contributing cause of her suicide," Bursztajn wrote.
The family claims Grace's questioning, along with the network's decision to air the pre-taped interview the day Duckett committed suicide, inflicted severe emotional distress.
Grace and the network have denied any involvement in the suicide, and a CNN spokeswoman declined comment on the filing.
Trenton has still not been found, and Duckett is the only suspect.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/06/nancy-grace-interview-con_n_381846.html
Isabella Brooke Knightly and Austin Gamez-Knightly
In Memory of my Loving Husband, William F. Knightly Jr. Murdered by ILLEGAL Palliative Care at a Nashua, NH Hospital
While I am sure Nancy Grace's questions made Melinda Duckett uncomfortable and perhaps even frightened her one must ask "why was that"? She wasn't the first nor will she be the last who Ms. Grace has or will grill on her show. It seems to me if Melinda Duckett felt she had no way out rather than suicide it had to have more to do with where her son was than Nancy Grace or her questions.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is tragic that she took her own life, much more tragic is the fact no one has heard of or seen that little boy again.
So I respectfully disagree with the "expert" that Nancy Grace contributed to this woman's unfortunate choice to kill herself. It is time for people to take responsibility for their actions, in Melinda Duckett's case she was her son's caregiver, he depended on her for everything including his safety. It is more likely whatever she allowed to happen to Trenton is the cause of her suicide not Nancy Grace.
By the way I am no big fan of Nancy Grace. I think she is rude, she never allows anyone to finish a thought if she disagrees with them and worse I detest the way she treats defense lawyers. In our system of justice defense lawyers are needed. It must be nice to feel above it all as a prosecutor many who are seen most often as the wall between us and the monsters among us. Defense lawyers stand between us and conviction of crimes we did not commit.