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Luray (LHS) Class of 2017 Alumni List
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DonnaC on Family Tree Circles
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Looking for parents of Albert Giles in South Australia
Looking for the parents of my great grandfather Albert Giles born 15 oct 1870 at Cherry Gardens South Australia? died 20 Aug 1948 Parkside, Sth Aust, Australia married Mary Coulter 1900 at Warnabool, Victoria, children Albert Giles Coulter (born before they were Married), Doris Frances Alexandra (born in Victoria) rest of children born in South Australia, Douglas Adelaide, Ada Margarette, Leslie William George, Grace Pretoria, David Allan, Bernard Anzac, there may have been one other. Most of the children were born at Brownhill Creek South Australia where they lived, Albert was a gardener, he was admitted to Parkside Mental Hospitall in 1919 and died there. Any information would be great as I have hit a very deep brick wall with this branch. Thankyou
Michael Lynch father of John
Looking for Michael Lynch married to Catherine Brady, that is all the info i have on him except I know he was at Pinaroo, South Australia in 1886 when his son John was born
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lyndawn on Family Tree Circles
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COLE of Dannevirke NZ
Alfred Benjamin Cole Born Yeovil Somerset UK and came to NZ and married Sarah Jane Richards born in Napier.
They were married Nov 18th 1885 at James Home in Dannevirke.
This was my great grandfather. My grandfather was Clement James Cole and he married Daisy Annie Hilda Robinson. Married in Hastings 10th August 1921.
Alfred Benjamin Cole's father was Joseph Alfred Cole and he married Ann Hallett.
Have been on this site before but have just got back to researching my COLE family.
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April 15, 1861 issue of the New York Times to see how the attack on Fort Sumter was received 150 years ago.
"The People and the Issue
The reverberations from Charleston Harbor have brought about what months of logic would have been impotent to effect -- the rapid condensation of public sentiment in the Free States. The North is now a unit. Party lines have shriveled, as landmarks disappear before the outpouring of volcanic lava. The crucial test of this is New York, City [sic] the spot most tainted by the Southern poison. Not the thick insulation which the commercial spirit puts between the conscience and duty -- not the obliquity engendered by long years of the most perverse political education -- have been able to withstand the electric fire of loyal indignation evoked by the assassin-stroke aimed at the heart of the Republic. There are now no such ardent supporters of the Government as those who have been life-long Democrats. It is a fact full of omen, and one which persons imperfectly acquainted with the impulses that lie at the bottom of the popular heart could never have anticipated, that the very roughs of the City are aroused, and bring their passionate devotion to the cause of their country. One intense, inspiring sentiment of patriotism has fused all other passions in its fiery heat. Let the Administration now know that twenty millions of loyal freemen approve its act, and imperiously demand the vindication of the integrity and majesty of the Republic.
Viewed in the light of these events, the lull that for so many weeks reigned in the public spirit becomes very intelligible. A suspense -- a long, dumb, unconscious waiting, very pathetic in its character -- held the people's mind. Treason so vile paralyzed thought and will. The way was not clear what to do. It could not at first be believed that the country really held men so insane, so suicidal, as to attempt to transform such threats as theirs into deeds. The sheer demonism which marked the programme of social construction put forth by the Slave Power, caused it rather to assume the aspect of a terrific species of irony. And then, when the designs of the rebels became only too apparent, and it was evident that naught but the exercise of soveign [sic] Might could avail to check those frenzied men, there was honest hesitancy in resorting to the force of arms. Civil war runs counter to the theory of the Republic. The framers of our Government made such provisions as would forever render rebellion unnecessary. All experience has shown how easily this Government can be induced to change its rulers, if any good reason for doing so was presented, and earnestly and persistently forced upon public opinion. Besides this, there was a doubt in many minds as to the degree to which the theory of Democracy allowed of opposition to the avowed and deliberate will of sovereign States. On the whole, it presented itself as a painful, perplexing problem. That problem has at length been solved by the public conscience, and the solution sweeps away forever the sophistries as to State Rights and coercion which entangled the subject. The lull is over -- and an equinoctial storm of popular indignation has ensued.
In entering upon this struggle, the great community of Free States does so, prepared to bring to bear on the vindication of its national honor inexhaustible material resources. Her census shows returns which, under other circumstances, would have been the wonder of the world. It has, indeed, been industriously declared by timid croakers that "war is national ruin." There is no more absurd chimera. The Free States are richer and more populous than England was under PITT, when she fought the long fight with NAPLEON, and vastly stronger than France when she battled triumphantly against all the Continental powers.
As to moral force, it panoplies the Republic as with a wall of fire. She enters, the contest with that triple arming which justice gives to a cause. The moral conscience of the world is on her side. It is true that the rebels, lured by the support of that European element whose sympathies are contingent with the rate of duties levied on imported goods by the United States, have hoped for the recognition of the European Powers. That delusion is doomed to be rudely dispelled. The rulers of England and France do not dare to recognize that League. The unmaking of Ministries would hang on the decision, and they know it.
The Administration is not brought face to face with a Revolution. This is not the attitude. It has to deal with a plot, a conspiracy. There will be no "fraternal blood" shed, unless it be the blood of men who are willfully and persistently in the position of traitors. The right of revolution is not denied; -- changes, prompted by causes material or moral, and effected through legal and constitutional means, are contemplated with calmness. But that Treason should be claimed as a right -- that anarchy should rule -- it is this which thrills with indignant amazement. How profound has been the humiliation, how hot the indignation, are shown in the tumultuous surgings of passion that are now baptising with one common sentiment of constitutional unity and patriotic devotion every loyal American heart."
Certainly the author of this article was dramatic with his choice of words, but not more so than others of the time. You can see the passion he felt about the events at Fort Sumter, although he gave no description or very direct reference to these events as I would have expected and hoped for. The Northern states that were so divided as to what to do with the South were outraged and united by the attack. There was no loss of life apart from 2 Union Soldiers that were accidental casualties, but it was clear to the North that the "Rebels" were aggressive and the Union was now divided by more than words. By more than a declaration of secession. The South awakened a giant. One filled with as much passion to restore the Union as the South had to seceed. Our country and it's people would be changed forever.
It is important to keep in mind that while many Northerners would have fought a war to free the slaves, there were many that were not in favor of that, and perhaps more hypocritically many that wished to free the slaves because they felt it was wrong, but did not want those freed to move North as it would endanger their jobs by providing a large unskilled and lower-paid work force. Sound familiar? Sadly, the fears of people change little as time goes by. Perhaps we don't learn from history so easily.
Regardless of the fact that the North entered the war mainly to keep the Union united, the outcome of the war was that the slaves were freed to begin the uphill battle for equality. A battle that still has not completely been won.
Some things never seem to change. It takes a violent action to unite a bunch of bickering people. Maybe some day we'll get past that as well.


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NEW YORK (AP) -- A painting of actress Bea Arthur topless has sold for $1.9 million at a New York City auction.
The painting is by artist John Currin and is titled "Bea Arthur Naked." It sold at Christie's auction of postwar and contemporary art on Wednesday. It had been expected to bring in between $1.8 million and $2.5 million.
Christie's hasn't said who bought it.
The 1991 oil painting depicts the late television actress nude from the waist up. Christie's said Thursday the image was based on a photograph of her with her clothes on.
Arthur gained fame for her Emmy Award-winning roles in "Maude" and "The Golden Girls" in the 1970s and '80s. She died of cancer in 2009 at age 86.


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Item Description
Letter, M. [Martin] F. Conway to F. [Franklin] B. Sanborn
Author: Conway, Martin Franklin
Date: November 16, 1857
Shortly before he was to leave Washington, D.C., for a return trip to the territory, Conway wrote Sanborn in Concord, Mass., about his disappointment at again being separated from his wife and child, but he focused most of his comments on the Lecompton machinations and his continued belief that the Free State Party had be wrong to participate in the territorial election (thus giving that government legitimacy).
Location of Original: KSHS Call Number: John Brown Collection, #299, Box 1, Folder 29
Item Number: 102659 Number of images: 4
Keywords: Calhoun, John; Conway, Martin Franklin; Democratic Party (U.S.); Douglas, Stephen Arnold, 1813-1861; Election, Lecompton Constitution ratification, December 1857; Free State Party; Lecompton Constitution; Republican Party (U.S.: 1854- ); Sanborn, F. B. (Franklin Benjamin), 1831-1917; Slavery; United States. Congress
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"If you're looking for an amazing place to have your wedding, I cannot recommend the Brookfield Zoo enough. If any of your guests are skeptical, just tell them to wait, and they will be pleasantly surprised."
- Steve, Yelp
Brookfield Zoo's lush grounds and tranquil settings form a lovely--and completely unique--backdrop for your special day.
Your guests will enjoy "Cocktails with the Animals" in one of the zoo's magnificent wildlife habitats--from the deserts and rain forests of far-off lands, to the underwater world of our famous bottlenose dolphins.
Then it's off to your elegant dinner...complete with themed decorations. Enjoy live music and outstanding food as you and your guests dance the night away. Be sure to allow plenty of time for unforgettable pictures among the sculpted gardens and with an animal or two!
Your Brookfield Zoo Wedding Consultant will help you create the celebration of your dreams! Click on the links below for information.
When it comes to setting a truly exotic stage for your special event, no place compares to Brookfield Zoo. Lions roar in the distance, monkeys chatter nearby, and a giraffe might even stretch his long neck in your direction to check out your party.
Our unique venues provide the perfect backdrop for any event--from company picnics to formal affairs, showers to weddings, anniversaries to family reunions, bar mitzvahs to adult birthday parties. Plus, our top-notch catering staff and professional culinary team will ensure that your event is elegant and virtually effortless.
Discover which spectacular venue is right for your event...
Explore Our Exciting New Venue:
The Pavilions at Brookfield Zoo
Discovery Center
Serving as Brookfield Zoo's premiere banquet facility, Discovery Center offers an array of room options ideal for receptions, banquets, dances and business meetings:
Savannah Room - Capacity: 350 (reception); 300 (banquet rounds); 350 (theater)
Founders Room - Capacity: 100 (reception); 80 (banquet rounds); 80 (theater)
Riverside Lobby - Capacity: 150 (reception)
This beautiful banquet and meeting facility features hardwood floors, hand-carved South American artwork, and stunning balcony views. Available for receptions, dinners, dances, and meetings.
Capacity: 250 (reception); 150 (banquet); 150 (theater); 40 (u-shaped)
As part of your evening at Brookfield Zoo, treat your guests to "Cocktails with the Animals." View fascinating animals from around the world and enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres amid the beautiful décor of one of our world-class exhibits. Some animal exhibits can accommodate dining.
Great Bear Wilderness
Explore the wilderness and celebrate among playful grizzly and polar bears. Enjoy fresh air in a scenic, lush landscape or trek below the surface to enjoy dual underwater viewing windows with bears swimming through your backdrop.
Capacity: 200 (reception)
Tropic World
Explore the lush rain-forest canopies of Africa while monkeys, apes, birds, and other amazing animals look on.
Capacity: 400 (reception)
The Swamp
Drift along a Cajun country bayou and get close to crocodiles, wood storks, snapping turtles, river otters, and a host of other wetland creatures.
Capacity: 400 (reception)
Seven Seas
Enjoy the graceful antics of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins as they provide a constantly changing backdrop to your festive event.
Capacity: 250 (reception)
The Living Coast
Break away to the coastal waters of South America and see moon jellies, sharks, green sea turtles, and a myriad of sea creatures.
Capacity: 200 (reception)
Feathers and Scales: Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians
Your event will soar to new heights in this newly rennovated exhibit a variety of fine-feathered friends, including hornbills, toucan, cookoos, and roadrunners.
Capacity: 150 (reception)
Pinniped Point
Watch sea lions and seals splish and splash in their open-air exhibit. Go nose to nose with these playful pinnipeds as they glide past you in the Underwater Viewing Area.
Capacity: 250 (reception)
Discover hundreds of dazzling butterflies flitting about in this lush, open-air, garden setting. This seasonal exhibit is open late May through mid-September.
Capacity: 100 (reception)


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Gold Club Members in BNI
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BNI Gold Club was established to recognise those members who go the extra mile in building their chapters by introducing six or more visitors who subsequently become members.
Gold Club members are easily recognisable because they wear a black name badge instead of the usual grey one. At the time of writing, there are over 540 Gold Club members, who now also enjoy the privilege of a raised profile on the BNI website.
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He's Back: Bizzle (Christian Rapper) Response To Jay-Z & Kanye West "No Church In The Wild"! (Goes In) [Audio]
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Jeanette De Melo is the editor in chief for the Register. She recently became co-host to Register Radio along with Thom Price and Dan Burke. Before joining the Register staff in 2012, she served as the Archdiocese of Denver's communications director, spokeswoman and general manager of the Denver Catholic Register, El Pueblo Católico, and the archdiocesan website. Prior to this position, she was the associate communications director for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, where in addition to managing media relations, she co-produced a weekly archdiocesan television program.
This week on Register Radio, my guest was Register staff writer Peter Jesserer Smith. And because October is Respect Life Month, we discussed Smith's recent coverage of news related to abortion.
One of those stories was about Congress' last legislative efforts to get conscience clauses into play in the Affordable Care Act (often called Obamacare) to alleviate employers, who object on religious/moral grounds, from having to provide contraception, sterilizations and abortion inducing drugs in their health benefits plans (often called the contraception or abortion mandate). The efforts failed so now the courts seem to be the last resort for the employers (EWTN, the parent company to the Register is one of those employers who have filed lawsuits against the mandate).
That same story revealed some of the ways that Obamacare will likely change the abortion industry. Smith reported that the abortion industry has always been a cash business, with a small percentage of clients using insurance to cover the costs. But Abby Johnson, the former Planned Parenthood employee turned Catholic pro-life activist, told Smith that Obamacare will subsidize abortion thus guaranteeing money for abortions, which in turn will likely drive the cost of abortions higher. "Abortionists will be able to charge whatever they want, and our tax dollars will subsidize that fee," she told Smith.
In another story Smith reported on the expansion of abortion providers in the state of California as well as a change to the building codes, which now allows first trimester abortions to occur in primary care clinics and essentially expands the number of locations that can offer abortions.
Although in our radio show, Smith was only able to talk about these setbacks in pro-life work, his Register reporting has also included great examples of growth and success in efforts for life. Check out these stories about new pro-life energy: "Undefeated: A New Pro-life Generation Rises in California" and "Leading a Respect Life Revolution."
7 Secrets of Confession
In the second half of the show, Dan Burke interviewed Vinny Flynn, author of the recent book 7 Secrets of Confession. Flynn also wrote 7 Secrets of the Eucharist.
Flynn explains that the reason he wrote his latest book was because he found misconceptions and distortions in many practicing Catholics', even daily communicants', understanding of the sacrament of confession.
John Paul II wrote, recounted Flynn, that "the people of God must be helped to rediscover the sacrament of mercy. …There's a beauty to the sacrament that we've lost an awareness of and we have to rediscover it as a personal encounter with God."
Flynn also talked about the biggest obstacle to confession. He said that we often get confused about what the sacrament is for. We think of it as being about "getting behaviors forgiven." But the author explained the common tendency is for us to think: "I need to get God's love back again because I've lost his love because I've been bad so I need to get that behavior forgiven and we don't focus enough on relationship; that it's not about bad behavior but about how our behavior has separated us from our relationship with God the Father"
As Pope Francis has said and Flynn recalled: "It's not about a trip to the dry cleaner. It is not to clean us up because we've been bad. It's that we personally encounter God in a deeper way. He doesn't just forgive our sins but he brings healing to our lives."
Burke and Flynn's conversation on this show is all about the merciful healing touch of God through a priest in the sacrament of confession and the interview provides plenty of motivation to renew our concept of this sacrament, which so often feels like a chore rather than a cure for our deepest hurts. Listen to the show. It's well worth it. Also take a look at the recent Register book pick on 7 Secrets to Confession.


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Monica Bellucci Gossip
Monica Bellucci gossip, latest news, photos, and video.
Spectre is Daniel Craig's worst Bond movie
Slaven Vlasic/ Jim Spellman/ Getty Images
In 2006 Daniel Craig debuted as the dark, gritty James Bond for an updated—read: dark and gritty—take on the Bond franchise in Casino Royale. That is a good movie and it opened up Bond to a new generation of fans. He reprised the role in 2008's Quantum of Solace, a bad movie with a baffling title that links the events of the previous film to a larger conspiracy in a wholly unnecessary way. Full Story
The longest Bond
David M. Benett/ Mike Marsland/ Dave J Hogan/ Getty Images
The world premiere of Spectre is on Monday in London. The movie will open in North America a couple of weeks later. The junkets and major press commitments are happening now. Here are shots of the cast at a photo call today. And Daniel Craig, James Bond himself, is smiling in so many of them. Maybe relief? The first reviews are pretty good. Full Story
Gorgeous, Grim Bond
There's a new trailer for the latest Bond movie, Spectre, and we finally get a clear look at some of the new characters in play, including Dave Bautista as Mr. Hinx, Monica Bellucci and Lea Seydoux as the femme fatales, and Christoph Waltz as Totally Not Blofeld. Officially Waltz's character is listed as "Franz Oberhauser", but after the John Harrison/Khan bullsh*t Star Trek Into Darkness pulled and the ongoing March Of Lies surrounding Game of Thrones/Jon Snow, who the f*ck even believes filmmakers anymore? At this point, if Waltz really is playing legendary Bond villain Blofeld, no one will be surprised. Full Story
James Bond in a tactleneck
There's a new TV spot for Spectre, the next installment in the Bond franchise. (Every time someone asks me when superhero movies will be over, I remind them that Bond has been going strong for fifty-three years and watch the light die in their eyes.) It's mostly recycled from the teaser trailer Full Story
Bond & Bellucci in Rome
TIZIANA FABI/ Vittorio Zunino Celotto/ Getty Images
Daniel Craig and Monica Bellucci posed in Rome yesterday. Production on Spectre will begin in Rome on March 8th. It's been kind of a bumpy ride so far. Craig hurt his knee earlier this month in studio in London and a crew member was injured last week in Austria. The Rome scenes will reportedly involve a car chase and at some point they'll crash it into the Tiber. Full Story
Bond 24: Spectre
I like Bond movies but I'm no Bond historian. Spectre, the title of Bond 24, just announced today, will mean something to Bond nerds though the way "alohomora" means something to Potterheads (me). For many, a Bond film is an Event. My best friend Fiona is big on Bond. She'll see it the first weekend. Full Story
Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel confirm separation
Gareth Cattermole/ VALERY HACHE/ ALBERTO PIZZOLI/ PASCAL GUYOT/ Pascal Le Segretain/ OLIVIER LABAN-MATTEI/ Getty
According to La Parisienne, Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel have confirmed through their publicists that they have separated. They've been married 14 years. They have 2 daughters, Deva (2004) and Leonie (2010). Many people have long assumed that Bellucci and Cassel had an open marriage. Full Story
Euro Superstars
Canada doesn't have a star system. Makes me crazy. In other countries, in the UK, in Australia, in France, in Spain, all over Europe, there is a local star system with many, many celebrities that don't translate across borders but, who nevertheless, form the foundation for a thriving entertainment ecosystem indigenous to that particular region. Full Story


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It was, people said, Connecticut's version of the In Cold Blood murders. In July 2007, Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters, 11-year-old Michaela and 17-year-old Hayley, were murdered by a pair of strangers — Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky, who'd picked the family at random — while patriarch William Petit lay bound and beaten in the basement of their suburban home. He survived; the women perished either at the hands of their attackers or in the fire the men set to cover their tracks.
Clearly, the bare facts of the case — which took place in Cheshire, Conn., a bedroom community near New York City — are horrific enough, without considering any of its other elements. But The Cheshire Murders, created for HBO's Summer Documentary Series by married filmmaking team Kate Davis and David Heilbroner (2010's Stonewall Uprising), reveals that the deaths may have been preventable if only police had intervened; a frantic bank teller dialed 911 after observing a frightened Jennifer Petit withdrawing a large sum of money for the waiting Hayes. Or, perhaps the family would have been spared if Komisarjevsky and Hayes, men with long rap sheets, had been more closely monitored by their parole officers and drug counselors — or had received better mental-health care during their respective troubled childhoods.
But all the "what if" scenarios in the world can't restore three lives — or fill the void felt by those they left behind. Using revealing interviews that explore the many facets of the case, deft editing, and a sensitive yet questioning tone, The Cheshire Murders is a both thought-provoking and disturbing viewing experience. I spoke with Davis and Heilbroner ahead of the film's Mon/22 HBO debut.
SF Bay Guardian A story like The Cheshire Murders, with its many lurid details, could come across as exploitation, but your film manages to avoid that.
David Heilbroner It would have been very easy to go down the "murder-tainment" path. Obviously, we didn't go there.
SFBG The earliest interviews in the film seem to occur right after the crimes. How did you first hear about the murders, and how did you go about getting access to your subjects?
DH We heard about the murders, I think, like everybody else — in the papers the next day. We've been working with Sheila Nevins, who is the President of HBO Documentary Films, for over a decade, and she called us up. I used to be a prosecutor and I've written true crime, and she said, "You guys should go to Cheshire and take a look at what's going on. There might be a movie — I don't know, but go look."
So Kate and I went, and what really got us hooked was that nothing about this case screwed together all that logically right from the beginning. It just was a mystery. It didn't make sense. It was the wrong town: Cheshire, this stuff just doesn't happen there. It was the wrong family: usually when you have a crime like this, it turns out one of them was dealing drugs after all. Like Breaking Bad or something, the guy's actually cooking meth in the basement. But everyone in this family was wonderful. They were all just good, upright citizens. The didn't bring this upon themselves at all.
And the perpetrators weren't lifelong arsonists, or sexual predators, or people with vicious assaults in their records. They were petty burglars. And then, Mrs. Petit turns out to have been at the bank and alerted the police in a timely fashion, when the perpetrators were separated and the family was still alive. And yet, 35 minutes later, everybody's dead.
So, it just was full of weird mysteries that got us immediately hooked on what happened, and why.
SFBG It seemed like you had pretty generous access to everyone (except the police, who refused to comment at all). Several family members on both sides give very open interviews. How forthcoming were they really, and how did you get access to them?
KD It was not easy. The town had virtually shut its doors because it was inundated by a tidal wave of media trucks and reporters. It's a place where people like to keep to themselves, and privacy is considered a really important commodity. So they were shell-shocked and didn't want to talk, by and large.
But we stuck around, because we had the latitude to do that with HBO's support. And beyond that, it really took months for people to understand that this would be a story that really would take place over time, and that we would allow people to speak for themselves, and we weren't trying to squeeze them into our version of the story. We also assured the people in the film that us filming them, before the trial particularly, wouldn't affect the trial, because nobody would see the material until after both trials were done. But did it take a long time? Yes.
DH It took months. People were shell-shocked by the horror of the crime, and wary of being taken advantage of. They didn't want their sound bites taken out of context, and they wanted to trust us. So we spent a long time talking to people about what exactly we were trying to do. They're hard questions to answer when you'd love someone to open up and be part of your film, but you have to earn their trust.
Now that the film is done, we were able to show it to a few of the central characters in the film — I was actually shaking, I was so nervous showing it to them, because I really wanted them to like it and think we hadn't abused their kindness — and I'm delighted to say that they all really liked the film, and really believe in it. That's more gratifying than I can say.
SFBG Did you try to interview either of the killers?
DH We did try. Steven Hayes, shortly after his trial, fell apart mentally. He started writing crazy letters to these sort of death row groupies who are out there, and his letters were intercepted. He'd started taking credit for 17 rape-murder-abductions, none of which were true. He was just losing it, and saying all this crazy stuff, and his lawyer said, "You know, I just can't have you interview him in this state. He's a mess." He was falling apart anyway; he was depressed, he was on meds during the trial, he was deeply suicidal.
As for Joshua Komisarjevsky, the prison authorities have not been kind to any reporting. They literally wouldn't allow us to film any exteriors of the prison in which he was incarcerated, unless we were off the perimeter of the property. Eventually we hit a brick wall with them. And even if Steven had said yes, we probably wouldn't have gotten in, ultimately. Not unlike what happened with the Cheshire police, we offered any number of compromises and suggestions, and the prison authorities flatly rebuffed all filming requests.
As for the Cheshire police, if you've seen the film, you know there is a terrible scandal about the way they treated the family [of Jennifer Hawke-Petit]. I went and had two meetings with the Chief of Police in Cheshire, and I said, "Our film's going to come out, and it's going to say X, Y, and Z, and it's not very flattering to you. I bet you have good answers to this. Please be in our film. We will honor what you have to say and let you give your point of view, and rebut these allegations if you want to." And they said no. They didn't want to say anything.
I'm sorry to say, both the Cheshire police and the correctional authorities have lot of unanswered questions. [After his arrest,] Steven Hayes was able to squirrel away days and days of medication, even though he was on suicide watch, so how did that happen? So many mysteries in this case. It just kept getting weirder as the trial wore on.
SFBG The film's revelation about the timeline of the crime — that the police could have, maybe, intervened while Jennifer Hawke-Petit was at the bank — was something that the mainstream media hadn't really covered.
DH What was also missed was that they came up with a cover story. Right after the crime, both the state and the local police had this story about how, the minute they arrived at the crime scene, the house was already on fire and the perpetrators were running out of the building. And that was directly contradicted by their own records. It shows that they had a full complement of officers, about 16 of them, surrounding the house for about half an hour.
That was really troubling — this is a crime that took place in small-town America, with a local police force that everyone knows, and you'd think if anyone was going to stand up for me, and protect me, and tell me the truth about what happened, it would be those guys.
SFBG I appreciated how you included the Hartford Courant reporter in the film. It seemed like he encountered some of the same frustrations that you guys did.
DH Yeah. Colin Poitras. He was a model reporter, I thought, because he was very cool-headed, extremely dogged, just wanted the facts. He had to bring a lawsuit to even pry loose heavily redacted [case] documents. He was very gracious to let us into this real-time process of reporting on an ongoing event.
SFBG The film ends up making a pretty strong statement against the death penalty, although for reasons not normally mentioned in death-penalty debates: it was known from the beginning that the trial would be long and costly, and would make the crime's most traumatic details public knowledge. Plus, the men were willing to plead guilty in exchange for life sentences, but emotions were so high that the quest for death sentences kind of took over. Did you start out making The Cheshire Murders with that theme in mind, or did it emerge while you were filming?
KD David, you have a legal background, so you may have been aware of the two-part stage of death penalty trials. But it was new to me. I went into the film really being quite open-minded. I was historically anti-death penalty, but with this case, I thought — particularly as a filmmaker — that I would learn more, and make a better film, and think more deeply about things if I could set aside my political beliefs and just watch the story unfold.
So if anything, I went into this thinking that this might steer me toward understanding why somebody would want the death penalty, and that I might end up more pro-death penalty than I was. But in watching the re-victimization of the family members on both sides, and what they had to go through — with these protracted displays of the worst evidence you can imagine — even the jurors suffered from PTSD and many of them had to undergo therapy after the trial.
This was all avoidable, had these guys been locked up for life. In the end, in the end, that's what will happen, because the chances of them actually being put to death is slim to none.
DH There are any number of documentaries that have looked at the death penalty, and I've seen a lot of them. Most of them are about cases where guilt is ultimately in question. Maybe they didn't do it, this was a miscarriage of justice and god forbid we execute somebody who didn't do it. That's the worst indictment of the death penalty.
This is the first case that's the poster child for the death penalty, if you're going to have a death penalty. These guys definitely did it. They admitted they did it. And what they did is just awful. There's no conceivable good spin you can put on tying girls to their beds, dousing them with gasoline, and setting them on fire. It's as bad as it gets.
Then, since guilt isn't the question, and since the horribleness of the crime isn't the question, it becomes, "What is the death penalty going to achieve, emotionally, in terms of society, in terms of finances?" It was a chance to document that and it had never been done before. I think it gives you a chance to really look the death penalty squarely in the eye and decide whether you believe in it, not when someone's innocent, but when someone's guilty.
KD And guilty of, arguably, one of the worst domestic crimes in US history.
SFBG Somebody in the movie mentions that it's like a modern-day In Cold Blood.
DH It's a comparison that gets made often, and with good reason. There's an uncanny similarity between the crimes. A family of four in a nice rural home. Two perpetrators who barely know each other break in, in the hopes of stealing money, and by morning nearly everybody's dead. And they're eventually sentenced to death. The similarities were resonant in my mind as we were making the film.
SFBG Did you try to get a more formal interview with William Petit, or is what's in the movie all he was willing to share one-on-one?
DH That was what he was willing to share, and that was more than he was willing to share with anybody but Oprah. He did do one sit-down interview with Oprah, although he refused to discuss the crime. To this day, he refuses to discuss the crime publicly. He doesn't do interviews. We were close with his family and he agreed to talk with us on camera on a couple of occasions, and he was inundated with requests. I think he spent as much time fending off the media as he did being at the trial. He couldn't walk down the street without this school of fish of cameras and mics following him, just hoping he might say something.
So to get the few intimate moments we got with him — it was hard to find him when he wasn't surrounded. We were grateful. And I think it gives you a glimpse into his loneliness and his struggle with pain, anger, and frustration, which is completely understandable, given that he is a man who literally lost everything in his life overnight.
SFBG What are the advantages of working with a company like HBO, and making a film for cable rather than theatrical release?
KD First of all, it really reaches millions of people. The audience is built-in. And for such a national story, I think it was important for us to know that it would be seen if we were going to invest that kind of time. Theatrical documentaries are a wonderful way to see films, but the numbers of people who see them are much smaller.
Also, HBO is one of the few places in the world that has the appetite and the financial backing to support long-term stories like this. The fact that the film went on for years, and the trial took a long time, didn't stop them from wanting to continue to make the film.
DH Having a place like HBO, which will give you a national audience and potentially an international platform, is really amazing. If your goal as a filmmaker is to get your take on a subject into the public zeitgeist, it's a great way to go. And they're wonderful to work with, I have to say. At least with Kate and me, they do not have a heavy editorial hand; they're just helpful and I have always been really grateful to work with them.
THE CHESHIRE MURDERS airs Mon/22 on HBO.


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Happy Celiac Awareness Month!! (CAM)
I've been writing Creative Cooking Gluten Free for 8 years as of next month, I can't even believe it has been that long since I was diagnosed. I was 26 and looking back on my medical history and general health in those 26 years, it still amazes me that no one thought of Celiac Disease before that. I was one of the 83% of individuals living with Celiac Disease that was misdiagnosed for many years.
Lets talk some numbers and facts for a bit…
- Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease, NOT a food allergy
- It is estimated that 1 in 133 Americans have Celiac Disease, that is about 1% of the population.
- There are over 300 signs and symptoms of Celiac Disease – not everyone has the same symptoms
- Many individuals with Celiac Disease are asymptomatic, which means they do not show or experience any signs and symptoms
- Undiagnosed Celiac Disease can lead to a whole host of other medical complications including other autoimmune disease and even certain cancers
Do you have a relative with Celiac Disease? If so you might want to get tested…a great place to start is having a genetic test. According to Beyond Celiac "About 95% of people with celiac disease have the HLA-DQ2 gene and most of the remaining 5% have the HLA-DQ8 gene. Genetic testing can determine if you have one or both of these genes." Having these genes means that you are at risk for Celiac Disease, it does not mean you will automatically have it. Now keep in mind, if you do not have these genes…you will never have Celiac Disease.
The ONLY treatment for Celiac Disease is a strict 100% Gluten-Free diet. Gluten-free meas NO wheat, rye, or barley. Oats, depending on how they are process can also cause some issues for individuals with Celiac Disease. I look for certified gluten-free products, oats, etc. Wheat Free does not mean gluten-free; as some products can still contain rye or barley!
I HIGHLY recommend seeing a DIETITIAN (not just because I am one), to help after your diagnosis. One of the main reasons I pursued the field of dietetics was to help those, who were like me, diagnosed with no information or resources available. I didn't have a dietitian, or the option to see one, and I wanted to change that for others. I know there are a million and one hits when you google Celiac Disease or Gluten Free, but having a dietitian is extremely helpful, and our experience is backed by science. Look for a dietitian, like myself who specialize is Celiac Disease. Coming soon (I promise), will be my new website called The Creative RD.
There are so many amazing gluten-free companies out there that we love, and love working with. This would be an extremely long post if I attempted to post them all here, but today I want to highlight two of them for you, two that you have have not heard of just yet. And there is a giveaway below as well 😉
They kindly sent me a box of all of their goodies to sample…yum yum yum! I even shared with some of my new co-workers and Bryan of course. They offer covered pretzels, crackers, pretzel crackers, and cracker bites. We were both really impressed with the selections they offered. Read more about Gratify Gluten Free Foods here.
My favorites were the dark chocolate covered pretzels (also dairy free!!)…so good. Also the peanut butter and chocolate covered pretzels, seriously the best combination, sweet, salty, crunchy goodness. What could you not like about that?
As for the crackers, oooh boy. These are good on their own, topped with cheese (or cheeze), tuna salad, etc. I LOVE the Tuscan herb so much that those did not get shared with anyone!
Click here to see where you can buy these awesome products! Thank you Gratify Gluten Free Foods for the delicious samples and opportunity to try your products. You've got two more fans.
The next company is The Real Company {giveaway!!}
The Real Co. is the first single origin global food company, and believes that "good comes from good." As a pioneer in 100% single origin food products, The Real Co currently has three products hitting market nationally online and in stores – Basmati Rice, Himalayan Pink Rock Salt and Organic Raw Cane Sugar. All of these are sustainably harvested from either a single farm or family with products that can be traced back to their exact origins.
The model is to help the farms, offer them distribution they could never have achieved and eliminate the middle man thus offering these organic and non-GMO certified foods at a fraction of the cost from other products. I love all of their products, great quality and flavor. The Real Company, Jarlsberg, and Garden Lites have offered an awesome giveaway for three lucky CCGF Readers…three winners will each receive a reusable bag filled with Pink Himalayan Rock Salt, Organic Raw Cane Sugar, Bastmati Rice (all full size!), and coupons for Jarlsberg Cheese and Garden Lites (see below!).
Giveaway is open to all those in the continental United States – the giveaway will end on Tuesday May 31st at 11:59pm EST.
All you have to do is comment below – tell me a story. tell me about your diagnosis. tell me how you celebrated CAM. your favorite gluten-free product. etc.
Winners will be chosen randomly via random.org and must respond by e-mail within 48 hours. If the winner(s) do not respond, another winner will be chosen. Good luck and Happy Celiac Awareness Month!!