RIP in 2009

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Her name was Rappe, she was asking for it.

Um, no, she was not. Virginia Rappe was not only a hapless victim who died by causes still unknown (beyond a ruptured bladdar and a massive infection that killed her). She was also one of the first in a long line of "blame the victim" defense. Much like Lana Clarkson deserved being shot by Phil Spector.

What happened in Arbuckle's room for those 15 minutes will never be known, but Rappe was not a whore nor a drunk who deserved to die.

A friend of mine has been researching the Arbuckle trials for the last five years. Poor Virginia got not only a bad "rappe" she ended up very dead.

Arbuckle and his cronies at the party, (and the resoident doctor of the St. Francis) hotel shuttled her off to another room (1227) so as not to cast a pall on the festivities. Not one of them, Arbuckle included, inquire about herafter she fell ill. Only one person, the person she arrived with stayed with her until she was then taken to a local hospital a few blocks away on Sutter Street. Whereupon she had the ultimate bad taste as a guest in party pooping, to die.

Arbuckle's crack defense team then took the opportunity to sully her reputation for the sake of their client. And so it was writ.

Just to clarify things, GD.

[Tref]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Um, no, she was not. Virginia Rappe was not only a hapless victim who died by causes still unknown (beyond a ruptured bladdar and a massive infection that killed her). She was also one of the first in a long line of "blame the victim" defense. Much like Lana Clarkson deserved being shot by Phil Spector.

I do not think it is fair to compare Arbuckle with Spector. For one, Arbuckle was found to be not guilty and by no less then three separate juries.

To quote one such Arbuckle jury, "Acquital is not enough for R.A. We feel a grave injustice has been done him and there was not the slightest proof to connect him in any way with the commission of any crime."

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by Tref

I do not think it is fair to compare Arbuckle with Spector. For one, Arbuckle was found to be not guilty and by no less then three separate juries.

To quote one such Arbuckle jury, "Acquital is not enough for R.A. We feel a grave injustice has been done him and there was not the slightest proof to connect him in any way with the commission of any crime."

Arbuckle's attorneys wrote the statement, apparently for jury #3. According to my friend's reserach on the subject. Regardless, Arbuckle was screwed, too and suffered for the remaining years of his life.

I never said a crime was done with regard to Arbuckle. We will never know what happened in the room of 1219 for the 15 or so minutes Arbuckle and Rappe were in there. All evidence points to the fact she was ill and Arbuckle testified at the Grand Jury that he was helping her as she was ill. What caused her internal injuries nobody will ever really know. She was painted in the press as nothing more than a bad girl and ultimately as one who did not deserve to live. Yellow journalism and attorney's working to save their client from a manslaughter charge.

My point about Arbuckle and Spector was the defense use of blame the victim. Lana Clarkson was a person of quistionable character if you read some of the witness commentary for the defense, ergo, she deserved to die. Rappe was treated the same. That was my only point in referring to the case. If I confused, sorry!