Andrew Bourne's memorial will now be held at Canyon Lodge on Saturday.
As the community of Mammoth Lakes tries to deal with the tragic events surrounding the life and death of Dr. Andrew Bourne over the last month, friends and family work to accommodate a growing number who will publicly remember Bourne on Saturday. Dr. Michael Karch emailed word of yet another change of location for this event. He said:
“We will be at Canyon Lodge due to its capacity of 1000.
Rusty Gregory and Mammoth Mountain have graciously donated Canyon Lodge and will provide ALL FOOD. Please note: DO NOT BRING FOOD.
NO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR SETUP. STAFF DONATED BY MMSA.
A cash bar will be available. Here is the sequence of events:
1. “Andy’s Last Ski Run”. Meet on top of Gondola at 3:30
2. Doors open at Canyon Lodge Upstairs auditorium at 5pm
3. Music by Eastern Sierra Chamber Orchestra at 5:15
4. Eulogy and speakers to follow beginning at 5:30
5. Slide show to follow
6. Food and Beverage to follow
7. Event close at 8:30″
Meanwhile, Mammoth school officials re-scheduled a special board meeting for February 7th for official acceptance of Bourne’s resignation from the school board on January 13th. The school board is expected to call for a provisional appointment to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the elected term of Andrew Bourne. That meeting will take place at noon on Tuesday, February 7th.
The school board resignation and termination of his surgical contract at Mammoth Hospital came on the heels of Bourne’s arrest January 4th by Santa Barbara Police on allegations of unlawful contact with a child with the intent to commit a sex crime.
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Harry…Does that also mean the vast majority that did not attend the “memorial”does not support the mountains decision ?
Bishop Local….Hate to say it here,but got to comment again on this topic….If you check on most of the posts,most of the people share the same sentiment as the “outsider looking in”SBskier.It’s not as if all the people up here disagree with what he had to say.Most,to a certain degree,ask the same questions he did.
“Most of the posts share the same opinion” does not mean that most of us living in Mammoth share that same opinion. All those who attended support the mountains decision to support the Bourne family.
What a bizarre reaction by the Mammoth community. A prominent local is arrested for having sex with a minor and you throw a town party in his memory? Maybe Mammoth has become a little too close knit and everyone is afraid to speak out for fear of being ostracized in a small town. Did a 1000 people really show up for this gig? Pretty damn weird.
SBskier, get your facts straight. Dr. Bourne was not arrested for having sex with a minor. Regardless of what the charges were (and do keep in mind that they are charges and not convictions), the contributions that he made to our communities and to mankind are huge. I don’t expect you to understand as an outsider looking in. You are entitled to your opinion but get your facts straight.
There is no “insider” or “outsider” for this issue. A 40ish man was allegedly pursuing a minor girl for sex and it doesn’t matter if he was a janitor or a surgeon. The town’s reaction is as creepy as the particulars of this crime. Mammoth has some serious social problems – especially drug abuse by all the drifting 20 somethings working the mountain – which Rusty ignores. Maybe all you “insiders” need to look inward?
No guess what dude(or dudette), its not weird. We are a mostly rural area where we have a lot of personal contact. If you don’t know someone,someone you know does(is that called degrees of separation?) We don’t live in the Sh..tty City like you, where anonymity breeds contempt and you can hate that neighbor because you don’t bother to know them.
People make mistakes and do bad things, and as anyone with children knows, you love them anyway, you don’t throw them under the bus, unless of course, you are an SBskier. I guess SB doesn’t stand for Santa Barbara. AND, FOR THE HUNDREDTH TIME, THESE WERE UNPROVED ALLEGATIONS.
We take care of our own and reserve the right to kick each other when we’re down, but you Flatlanders can mind your own business. Guess what, we only want the cash you bring and make fun of you behind your back.
“We only want the cash you bring and make fun of you behind your back”…From what I hear,the town of Mammoth Lakes isn’t doing a very good job with that cash they are getting.
Nonsense! This “party” was a beautiful tribute for his sons to remember him by. Yes, there were many, many people there….and many of us were there to show support and love to the family!
I think YOU are pretty damn weird for not focusing on the lovely community we have here…even if we all do not “agree”!!!
Shocked, You totally missed my point. Obviously, you have not run a business with employee overhead because if you had, you would know that the expense of payroll, payroll taxes, workers comp insurance just to name a few of the employer liabilities is huge. Doubt very seriously that the one time expense of the memorial comes close to maintaining the seasonal workers during a drought year- I am sorry to say. You really have to look at the overall expense to revenue to make that determination. Also, I would like to point out that Dr. Bourne was not accused of being a sexual predator. I do not agree with you on any of this. And let me just say with respect to Rusty Gregory, he has been entrusted with running the complete mountain operations. He obviously does a good job as he is still in this position and he is paid the big bucks to do this. These CEO’s do not, I repeat do not use corporate money on a whim. They are always accountable to a higher source. The parent company is a publicly owned corporation and Mammoth Mountain is therefore subject to all types of internal controls. I get that you and many of the others are not happy and looking at all of this from the emotional side as opposed to the logical side. I get that but, it may be time to let this subject go. What’s done is done. Let’s move on from here.
The mountain hosts elevation week EVERY year since I can remember. I haven’t heard of any public out cry of season pass holders/patrons who do not support homosexuality.
The mountain is a forum for many uses…punk bands, wet t-shirt contests (in the past) and the list goes on and on and on…
I could be wrong but didn’t RUSTY pay for the facility use and the food…NOT MMSA?
Good point BishopLocal, so here’s an idea: In this low-snow year MMSA should have taken the money it spent on this stupid memorial for an accused sexual predator and used it instead to keep a few more seasonal workers employed instead of sending out more layoff notices.
The LA Times article is up to nearly 400 comments, most expressing outrage at the support MMSA has given to the accused sexual predator, Dr. Bourne. Nice work Rusty, way to get some press for the hill.
400 people in LA that do not know the facts and are totaly insensative. Who are they to pass judgement? The Mountain and the community are supporting the Bourne family.
If we took all of the time and energy that we have put into this post and collectively applied it to something really important like coming up with solutions for lowering the unemployment rate or finding solutions to help local causes, just think of the impact that would have in the Eastern High Sierra.
Ken – nice to see you have not posted in the last couple days. Good. Give it a break. Go get some fresh air. Enjoy what you moved here for. Life goes on.
This is a terrible story. The poor girl, the families and friends of all those involved. Its a sad terrible thing. I can not express that enough but I do not need to go on and on.
Rusty’s & MMSA involvement is a slight head scratcher. But I’m not shocked or surprised at his (thier) short sighted-ness. After all these years, Rusty is just another Pied Piper.
John Wayne Gacy was a community activist, volunteering with his local Jaycees, entertaing children as a clown in community hospitals and worked with his local Moose chapter. I don’t remember anyone throwing him a “community-sponsored public memorial”.
Read Sunday’s (Feb 5, 2012) edition of the Los Angeles Times. “Bourne admitted to an investigator that he had sexual contact with the girl, according to prosecutors.”
And Rusty throws him a party? I’m surprised he diddn’t have a “Bounce House” for the kiddies.
I promised myself that I wouldn’t make any more comments, but the analogy you just made Bonzai, is ridiculous. Gacy murdered and dismembered people. What has that got to do with this case? Where is the similiarity?
You don’t remember anyone throwing Gacy a party? Why was he your Buddy?
How dare you say things like that. I hope you get your Karma back. You must be an awful person.
The story of this memorial service is a front-page story in the LA Times today, and I was surprised to find this little tidbit of information that has somehow been missing from the local coverage. Here’s the paragraph I’m referring to:
–In court motions before Bourne’s death, Santa Barbara County prosecutors painted a darker picture. They said each man “had manipulated Jane Doe into an extensive sexual relationship.” Bourne admitted to an investigator that he had sexual contact with the girl, according to prosecutors.–
If the Times is correct, Bourne had effectively confessed to molesting this young girl, making any claims by his supporters of his innocence irrelevant. I find it interesting that this seemingly major detail was overlooked by local media.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mammoth-suicide-20120205,0,4673796.story
Just for the record – In a conversation with Sierra Wave, Dr. Bourne’s attorney stated that his client denied having any sexual contact with the alleged victim. The attorney, Ron Bamieh, further said that the case against Bourne was terminated with his death. Perhaps it is time to move on from commenting on the doctor and his tragic story.
Benett Kessler
Amen!!!!!
“Just for the record – In a conversation with Sierra Wave, Dr. Bourne’s attorney stated…”
Is Bourne’s attorney really going to say anything to implicate his client? My point was that it appears many media outlets have stopped short of their investigative responsibility.
And as far as refraining from further comments on this tragedy; Sierra Wave posted this story of the memorial, and should be prepared to accommodate comments on the inappropriate service sponsored by MMSA. If not, simply disable further comments. But then, these comments constitute the real draw to this site, no?
Wilfred S…Check out the stories on the other web=sites about this “memorial”…and see what commenters have to say about it….
Wilfred……..This is gonna be the last I got to comment on the Dr. Bourne case……and ,hopefully,the story just goes away…….But the L.A.Times mentioned it LONG AGO there was much more to the charges against Dr.Bourne than reported here in Mono And Inyo County….but with all the hero-worship going on up in Mammoth, it was not mentioned…..Don’t we all ask…..With over 1,000 E-Mails,and numerous trips this 13 or 14 year old made to Mammoth Lakes,what do you think was going on?…..home schooling?…maybe mentorship?….or just being “buddies”?….come on……
So, what’s the response from Rusty Gregory and MMSA going to be if the evidence shows that he’s guilty of these accusations? I’m just saying, this conversation is pointless since so far, Bourne is technically innocent. But will MMSA issue a public statement of regret if it turns out that Bourne actually WAS a child predator? I want to go hide under a rock until we find out the verdict on Walker, and then come back to this discussion. Because if Walker is found guilty, I highly doubt Bourne would be found innocent. ** I feel so horrible for his wife & kids! I can’t even imagine what they’re going through. To lose your dad because he committed suicide? What’s that going to do to them when they grow up? There are a lot of victims here. As for the party, not going. No matter the reasons, it’s sort of awkward to go to a memorial for someone who kills themself, right? Isn’t it? I grew up Catholic, though, so suicide just has this stigma for me that I can’t shake.
I’m amazed by the number of judges posting here, sad.
Gistine is starting a news letter to send to all the people he/she despises. All those who want to be included in the daily hate mail merely has to slightly disagree with her/him here on this blog. There will be prizes offered…
Mr. Warner, I think you are missing the point. I don’t think anyone is begrudging Dr. Bourne’s family, friends, and collegues from holding a memorial to him; and it is right that he be honored for his service to the community and to his country. But what I think has so many people upset is MMSA’s involvement. As we know, the community of Mammoth and MMSA have been and always will be inexorably intertwined; the community exists largely because of the Mountain; it’s why people come to Mammoth, and I think the people of Mammoth are rightly proud of its connection to MMSA. In fact, I think the community has a much stronger institutional affinity with and affection for the Mountain than it does with/for the Town of Mammoth Lakes. Consequently, when the Mountain put its imprimatur on Dr. Bourne’s memorial – by providing food, labor, etc. – when so much understandable controversy surrounds him, many people just felt hurt; “our” Mountain seems to have taken sides. For this reason, I think Mr. Gregory’s decision showed an arrogant disregard for the welfare of the community as a whole; and, under the circumstances, I think MMSA’s enthusiastic involvement in the memorial is simply in very bad taste. Thanks.
You just don’t get it, this memorial is not all about Andrew Bourne, and you can not speak for the whole community like you are trying to say here. Yes people are hurt by it.
Some people who believe whatever they believe in this matter and don’t feel it should be done, or that the mountain should not offer anything to it. Well that is … some of the people, not the majority, so you can’t speak for the community at large.
It’s totally cool to speak for those who are like minded in your feelings about all of this, but quit acting like you speak for the whole community, because I can see in this thread, there are some like myself that do not share your feeling in it.
My point is that it would have been more appropriate, and certainly less divisive, for the memorial to have been at a neutral site, rather than at a the Mountain, a place to which the community as a whole has such a strong connection; and perhaps it should have been held in a meadow, under the sky, rather than in a concrete canyon with bar tenders selling $8 dollar Heinekeins; much more theraputic. Thanks.
ummmmm…..it wasn’t a drunkfest! The purchase was optional! I saw more people drinking the water, coffee and hot tea that was available for free. Just sayin!
And I’m not saying I speak for the community; I’m merely pointing out that, regardless of one’s view of Dr. Bourne and his guilt/innocence, Rusty Gregory was very insensitive to the community as a whole when he decided to host the memorial at MMSA, as is evidenced by the number of people who are upset about it; it’s not his Mountain.
Firstly, I am a female. Secondly, I value everyone’s opinion. Just not yours.
Then you shouldn’t use a word like “everyone”. That implies an absolute. I’m sure from your posts you don’t value anyone’s opinion but your own and maybe a few of your smarmy friends, Clucking around at the kaffeeklatch, kissing up to each other as you wait to pounce on other’s failings and stab each other in the back…
When his fortitude, his strength, his convictions about his life and who he was were about to be tested more than any moment in his life, he completely and utterly failed. When his own flesh and blood, the little humans he created and his true love that bore them needed him the most, he abandoned them, completely, permanently, in a selfish act of cowardice. The wolves were at the front door, and he ran out the back door, never to return. Never!
The man has been dead for a week. And still people like you are excoriating him. That is sickness that cannot be treated by any doctor.
Let the man be.
Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.
But not every visitor to this blog is one, until you came along
The Sun rises in the East and sets in the West — EVERY DAY!!!
How parents could let a child go 100 times to Mammoth without worried about her? How can they let a child recieve 1000 emails without having a control parental on her PC? Parents have responsability toward their child . Suddenly after 2 years they just open their eyes!!!
The Americain system and the press can in a few days destroyed the life, the career of a man without knowing what happen exactly!!
Watch your back. Gistine is gonna getcha…
Maybe?
Amen Awesome post! Thank you for your words, in all of the hating and self righteousness, it was appearing we are losing our heart as a community, as a society in large.
If the allegations are true against him, yes there is no excuse, none. We will know the truth soon enough.
I know I can not pick up one of those stones, I couldn’t even think of it.
I choose to support his family in this time, show them the love they need us to show to them.
The greatest way God loves us is through each other! The love He gives us is to be shared.
Just the same, we can not forget all of the families involved in this, the girl who was involved, and her family, the other man’s family.
Pray for them all if you are a believer, pray for this whole situation, pray for our community (this community not only involves Mammoth Lakes, it involves our whole Eastern Sierra, we are all effected by this in some way). Pray for our society and our values we hold dear. Pray for one another.
My comment above, about praying if you are a believer was not directed at you, it was meant to remind those who are believers, to pray for all of this.
Those that are not, please hold a good thought for all of this, hold a good thought for the Bourne family right now, can you all put yourselves in their hearts for a moment and imagine their pain. God bless them! Bless their hearts in this time.
America bless God
Good words. I just wish this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach would go away.
Hey Howard,
Is there a pineapple connection out there that we can start talking about instead of Dr. Bourne???
We live in a society that worships the elite. A wealthy, sociable, fit, handsome surgeon will ultimately rise above almost any moral indiscretions, while those unlucky enough to be born poor, unattractive, introverted, and otherwise unregarded will have to deal with the residual contempt society has tucked away. Rusty Gregory was no doubt a friend of Bourne, as were hundreds of Mammoth’s respected socialites and dignitaries. The event in question is meant to soothe their conflicted conscience and make them feel better about THEMSELVES. Suggesting that this lavish gala is something other than that is foolish and naïve.
Well said Wilfred S! And while it is a bit off topic, I can’t help but see a similarity between the Mammoth elite’s approach to this and their reaction to the MLLA debacle -we are from Mammoth; we are cool; we are bitchin; we are infallible; none of us are at fault; it was fault the north county jury, the wacky court of appeal and supreme court; we didn’t do anything wrong and so no one should be held accountable (ensured by Dave Wilbrecht’s hiring); even though the facts show that something is seriously rotten in the state of Denmark. As Wilfred says, this party is really just an opportunity for certain Mammothites to remind themselves of just how cool they really are. Thanks.
Thank you Wilfred and 2 rude my sentiments exactly.
Rusty, if you see a flickering yellow glow in your window tonight — turn out the lights and pretend you aren’t home….
Hello all. Please do not engage with Mr. Warner. You’d find a more relevant, intelligent debate from a bag of hammers.
This whole “celebration of life” makes me sick. Shame on MMSA. Disgusting.
I’m having a sale on Flaming Torch brand charcoal lighter. My cousin has a pitchfork sharpening service — runs it from the trunk of his car…
I rest my case.
PS: the chronic use of ellipses does not make your writing more deft.
As you were, exhalting your hero and Rusty Gregory, who has put quite a blight upon MMSA and Dave McCoy’s legacy. Nicely done.
Dear Maybe?, Well said. I applaud your words and your sensibility. Thank you.
Amen Bishop local
Clearly, Mammoth and Rusty should distance themselves from this. Donating the lodge and employees construes an “endorsement”. I have no problem with the venue, but would prefer to see MMSA charge customary fees.
Rusty’s wanting to support the family is a personal decision. Just don’t do it on “our” dime. And I say, “our” because I hold a season pass, locker and have patronized MMSA for over 30 years.
Rusty…You might have made a bad call on this one.
Wow.
There are certainly a lot of choices on the table these days.
I suppose we could stand with Andy’s family and friends this Saturday evening at Canyon and show them what it truly means to be a neighbor, a friend in this little community of ours?
Or maybe we can all just take turns kicking his preverbal corpse across the high desert in the name of all that is good and righteous. We can all meet up at the green church wearing organically grown cotton t-shirts that say: “SAVE THE CHILDREN!”
Who’s in?
Or… just maybe we should all take a deep breath, let our keyboards cool off and tally up all the good that each of us have done in our _______ years of life.
Whatcha got? Really? Does it add up to anything? Even remotely close to all the good that Andy achieved in 46 years of life? No seriously haters… How you doing with that?
Maybe we should all stop and look a little deeper into this utter tragedy and promise one another as neighbors, and as a community, that we can all do better.
Sure… Absolutely, Andy was right and wrong. No doubt.
Honestly, there are no excuses for what he “may” have done with that girl.
None.
But the key word here is “may.” We don’t know, and we “may” never know.
Maybe we should take stock of what we actually do know, and grow from that?
Or not?
Really, there’s so much for us to learn from this tragedy.
Things like how to become better people, better neighbors, parents, and friends.
With so many choices on the table… maybe we can find a way to openly, and publicly discuss how to become a better community?
Maybe Rusty would be open to having round table discussions at Canyon once in a while so that we can openly discuss as a community how we are feeling?
Either way… I hope that we can work past our own shortcomings and anger and help those who need us the most.
I’m going to start by not turning my back on the Bourne family when they are at their lowest point, and need us the most.
Well, your thoughts are way too rational for the torch and pitchfork mob that is ready to rumble when anyone shouts,”…witch…”.
They have their own way of remembering in some dank hollow of their minds complete with virtual burning crosses and boiling oil. It makes them feel complete and holy.
Being a surgeon, you’re bound to save some lives. That doesn’t make you a hero, or any better than the hospital janitor. Stop placing this man on a pedestal — surgery was his job, for which he was well compensated. That’s all. American’s really need to stop revering physicians as though they were Mother Theresa incarnate — they are not. They’re simply well educated and highly skilled individuals, likely from a privileged background, doing their job and getting paid very well for their time.
Really? Wait until you need one…
Hello Ken, They still should not be put on pedestals… come on. There are people in this world who are not doctors who have done a lot of great and honorable things.
I am frustrated we will never truly know what happened.
All I know is children continue to be taken advantage of ( and please don’t go back to inferring a 13-16 year old is not a child) and for some reason if you are in a position of stature & have done good things in your life it is acceptable or somehow can be overlooked.
Again, no one knows what has happened so this conversation is actually worthless.
I think it is important to underline even good men make bad choices. Not just the janitor….
Well said. But not pedestals — just fairness. There is no fairness in the pronouncements of many here.
Like yourself. I never implied that a 13-16 year old was not a child. You attribute that to me and it is not even close to the truth. I was attempting to point out that many here were making accusations from ignorance.
I wish that we could all just step back and try to be fair that’s all.
@Maybe? What one has done or accomplished in life is erased when sexually explicit emails are exchanged with a 14, 15, or 16 year child. Period. Andy may have been a wonderful surgeon, friend, community member, etc, but it is becoming obvious he had a hidden side to his life.
Ken- just so you know it appears someone else is using JJ also. I will change my name to avoid this sad subject.
So this is how it is: An accused sexual predator who kills himself rather than face the charges agianst him is not just tolerated by our community, he’s honored with a memorial beyond that held for true heroes who have died before? Really?
ACCUSED shocked, ACCUSED. Look it up in the dictionary, it does not mean GUILTY!
Typically, people who are innocent generally do not commit suicide.
Would you not fight tooth and nail for your chance to be heard if you were innocent? Would you not fiight with everything your had for your family? How could you not right the alleged wrong the justice system did to you by facing that very system, guns ablazing? Even the most guilty of men profess their innocence and fight for their lives because they have nothing to lose in doing so!
Or would you, knowing that the alleged charges were only the tip of the iceberg, that the addition of more charges with substantial evidence to support them, that proved guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, take the easy way out and circumvent justice alltogether by taking your own life?
As they say, actions speak louder than words.
The only positives about Bourne’s cowardice is that his family will be spared the pain and humiliation of a long, traumatic trial and they will have closure. My heart goes out to them. I read about how “brave” and “great” he was, but I fail to see those exalted traits come into play when it truly mattered.
I agree with you wholeheartedly that essentially one is innocent until proven guilty. However, the justice system does not arbitrarily throw out large bail amounts without SUBSTANTIAL evidence and proof to back up the charges, period. Bourne must have known this and chose what he thought was the easy way out. So he cheated his family and everyone around him and the justice system out ever finding the truth.
What a shame. Or is it?
“Typically, people who are innocent generally do not commit suicide.”
What is your source? Please post.
Scarred for life by hundreds of emails and 2 old guys trying (emphasis on trying) to get in your pants. My Mom used to say “There’s nothing new under the sun”, but that was before email. In fact this story is as old as time. I hope that this girl can move beyond her trauma and learn how to use the OFF switch on the computer. Sorry for the sarcasm.
Where else would they hold the service? The reason it got moved to Canyon Lodge is because that’s the only place in town — besides maybe the Main Lodge — that will accommodate the number of people that are planning to attend this event.
Memorial services are for the living, not the dead.
Apparently there are a lot of people that either have decided to delay judgement until all the facts are in or perhaps may have even judged already, but still plan to attend to support the family or have their own closure.
Let us come together and grieve together and support the family and each other in whatever manner suits. Saturday’s Memorial is a time for compassion, not judgement.
And ignore the FACT he was charged with for sexual activities with a minor. How hypocritical! Sorry if he was any other profession than a Doctor all of Mammoth would persecute him. We all know this.
Guaranteed Joe Walker who has lived in Mammoth ALL his life if he had committed suicide there would be NO memorial for him paid by MMSA.
8 emails — the Santa Barbara D.A. charged Dr. Bourne with 8 counts of inappropriate communication with a minor — 8 emails out of a thousand over a two year period that didn’t pass the approval of the D.A.
Dr. Bourne was not even charged with committing any “sexual activities”.
https://thereal395.com/9803/death-of-dr-bourne/
“his attorney, Ron Bamieh of Ventura County, stood up for the innocence of his client. He told Sierra Wave that he believes a Santa Barbara detective “misconstrued the evidence. The girl never said she had sex with him and Dr. Bourne denied it,” said Bamieh.”
…
“Bamieh is quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying that “I believe these charges led to his suicide. The charge of this crime is so life-altering,” said Bamieh. “Dr. Bourne could not deal with the fact that everyone assumed he was guilty.”
It’s comments like yours that took Dr. Bourne’s life.
Ken….If what you say is true….8 E-mails with sexually inappropriate material sent to a 13 year old out of 1,000…….in a lot of people’s minds…including mine..and the D.A’s..that’s 8 too many.Didn’t the story also allege she made many trips to Mammoth Lakes to visit these guys?Wonder who was arranging….and paying for those trips? Surely,the 13 or 14 year old wasn’t paying for,or making the drive herself.
Those are all good questions with no answers. That’s why I get so upset when people assume they know what happened.
All we know (we being all the ghoulish spectators that we’ve seem to become) is that the D.A. made the charges well documented in the news.
We don’t know when those emails were sent. What they contained. Or if the context in which those emails were sent was wrong. We don’t know why or how or any other particulars of those trips.
We don’t know anything. Yet many people on this blog are willing to condemn a man who helped hundreds if not thousands of people to live a better life. That’s what makes me angry.
What else is a Money Hungry Defense Attorny like him supposed to say? Your guitly case over Oh and I am pro bono. LOL..
Yes-amen Shari
Well said 🙂
I was a patient of Dr. Bourne. He was caring, professional and supportive as a doctor, exactly what he should have been. BUT, HE WAS AN ADULT AND THE GIRL IS A MINOR AND THAT SAYS INAPPROPRIATE LOUDLY. Whether or not Dr. Bourne had any intention to have sex, commit suicide or wait till the girl turned 18 and run away with her is irrelevant. The fact is he did commit suicide to run away from prosecution. He took the easy way out, leaving his wife and sons to deal with his fallout. He was a selfish man thinking with the wrong brain and lives were ruined. I didn’t know Bourne well enough to celebrate his life. His actions spoke louder than his accomplishments to me.
Somehow, I hope his family will recover and move on with their lives.
I don’t believe you know what prompted this suicide unless you are a mind-reader.
Whatever
I’m not going to that! I dont celebrate unless I know he did not do it. If the Mom found e Mails between him and a child, and there was enough evidence there for him to be arrested, then something happened! Why all of a sudden the big celebration? Celebrate in private. And drinks will be served? Why do the drunks in Mammoth have to make it a party now? Why not celebrate the other accused too! Screw that! I celebrate the victims recovery when and if it happens.
Nobody was forced to attend.
I celebrate that there are members of our community who are bold enough to stand up and support the family! What about their recovery?
Maybe you guys are right. It’s just pointless to join in your tossing of stones at glass houses, because if you’re right, the windows are already shattered, and if you’re wrong, I’d rather you be wrong without my company. Good luck in your judgment and may you always take as much pride, pleasure, and satisfaction in it as you do now.
I for one take no pleasure in any of this. My big concern is the black mark being made on our community and the ski area by this memorial hosted by MMSA.
As a longtime pass holder and local, I’ve gone to a few memorial celebrations on the hill, most recently the five year remembrance of the 3 patroller/true heroes who were killed in that awful accident above China Bowl, and the one for Andrea Lawrence. Now we have this big memorial celebration coming up, with live music, food and refreshment being hosted by MMSA, complete with a “cash bar,” that just may possibly eclipse all of the others combined, and its being held for an accused sexual predator who chose to end his life rather than face the charges against him.
That sucks, and anyone who doesn’t see the truth in this you isn’t thinking too clearly.
Oh and don’t try to bring this up on the MMSA web forum, you’ll be censored off the board.
Oh and thanks to BK and Sierra Wave for providing a forum for this discussion.
Don’t go, nobody’s twisting your arm. Being a pass-holder doesn’t make you responsible for any management actions, do you own more stock Than Rusty?
Tourbillon: What the heck are you talking about? Throwing stones at glass houses? There is no pitchforks, no mob, just straight up facts and concern about the obvious lack of acknowledgment of those facts. If I join in the celebration then I am ingoring the fact that he may have done something absolutly illegal, but thats ok right? As long as I dont remember what he may have done, then it may never have happened. But if I say hey btw why not have a regular funeral at the families expense like everyother person who dies, then I am some kind of judgemental jerk without morals and feelings of sadness for the victem and family? I appreciate the amount of good Dr. Bourn did in the world, I appreciate what he did for me. I also know that if guilty of these charges, nothing he did before or durring will ever be able to make up for the blatint dissregard for his family, the child and in the end his own life. I am saddened that if guilty he couldnt control himself enough to never start his actions, never put himself in this predicament and continue to do the wonderful work he had started. If he is innocent I hope we ALL find out. I hate the idea of remembering him this way.But as it sits right now he is accused of sex crimes, and I just can’t see celebrating that.
I do not think anyone is celebrating what he has been accused of.
There is NO PRIDE OR PLEASURE in this at ALL! He is/was accused of sexual crimes with a 14 year old girl. I think most people who are making the negative comments feel that in this situation a PUBLIC memorial is not appropriate.
He was successful man, with a family and children, money and more & such a success WHY on earth would he kill himself?
If he were innocent why would he need to kill himself, WHY? Why not fight and get down to the truth after all, we know there have been many cases brought against people which were wrong and unjust. So why not fight? He had the money and obviously he had friends in high places. WHY, why why???
I guess the negative comments come from this… and the frustration he has denied his family and the rest of the community to clear his name because he killed himself.
Maybe all the folks defending Dr. Bourne need to watch an episode of “To Catch a Predator” on Dateline NBC. The people arrested are supposedly good people, with good jobs, such as teachers, lawyers, and yes DOCTORS! The D.A. is not in the business of running around arresting anyone and everyone, and the judge would have thrown the case out if the evidence was not sufficient during the bail hearing. Oh…how how you forgot about the suicide pact email that was released and the 5k and survival kit in his car. If he was innocent, then why didn’t he stand trial and have his day in court? Thank goodness that my daughter was not the target in this case.
Exactly!!!
I didn’t see the “suicide pact email” could you please post a link to that? I’d like to read it.
Mr. Warner: So far it would appear that the only people who have seen first hand the email where Dr. Bourne discussed mutual suicide with his victim would be the investigators and the DA, Dr. Bourne, the girl, and possibly her parents. We can assume it exists as reported in the press, that is unless you are willing to believe that the DA presented falsified documents as evidence to the judge at the bail hearing. That’s a pretty big leap.
But JJ said, “…and the judge would have thrown the case out if the evidence was not sufficient during the bail hearing. Oh…how how you forgot about the suicide pact email that was released and the 5k and survival kit in his car. …”
Since everybody who contributes to this blog have all their facts straight and true — never embellishing or enhancing facts to suit their own purpose — I assumed that the email referred to was released.
You mean to tell me JJ was mistaken? Gosh, there goes the integrity of this blog right down the toilet.
“…there goes the integrity of this blog..”
Umm, no Mr. Warner, the facts, as outlined by SB DA Mary Barron, remain the same, regardless of any errors made by commenter’s to this blog post.
Right! We should get all our preconceived ideas from the TV. Much simpler to just Lego our thoughts and words together from scraps of verbiage we vaguely remember from last nights commercial TV. God speaks to each one of us for 42 minutes each hour. The other 22 minutes used by random Archangels.
I am noticing a pattern here. Is it my imagination or are most of the highly rated comments, flinging accusations or making negative judgements while the poorly rated comments which are hidden are positive (as positive as one can be given the circumstances) and supportive.
This has happened on 3 comments that are what you would typify as positive. I have
emailed our webmaster to remove the feature of hiding comments according to reader
support or not.
Benett Kessler
It has been obvious to me for some time, that opinions were easily hid by a person’ using their I phone,I pad, lap top, P.C. etc. using alias e-mails and names to spin the subject matter from the original debate. Just saying!
Our webmaster has changed that feature so no one can cause a comment to be hidden once it is posted.
BK
I agree Bishop local and thank you Bennett – and yes, there is some abuse by people who will add votes one way it the other.
I think the reason for the “positive and supportive”comments being voted down is because many comments are bordering on the ridiculous….one states that just maybe these two grown men were “lured” into their predicament by the 13 year old girl….another says,on this post or another, Dr.Bourn’s suicide proves that he was innocent of the charges he was facing..and another wondering why we aren’t all celebrating Mr.Walker’s life too(huh?).. I think people feel there is enough out on this topic that may prove bad things were going on between these adults and a little girl to where just maybe Dr.Bourne shouldn’t be thought of as a hero,and his suicide should not bring on any type of hero-worship……I hope this public remembrance will put an end to the case concerning Dr. Bourne and his charges…what he did or didn’t do,or might have done….and hope the case against Mr.Walker goes forward and is resolved quickly,whether he’s guilty or not,hope the truth comes out……and justice is served for any victims.
What a bummer for everyone.
We are all judged by the company we keep. If you keep the company of a 13 year old girl and you’re 40 years old. You’re judged accordingly.
Rusty is also judged by the company he keeps. Rusty’s buddy Arnold Schwarzenegger is an unfaithful liar and cheat. Rusty’s credibility is judged accordingly.
I will not be attending Dr. Bourne’s Public remembrance.
Save the children
According to news sources the “alleged victim” is 14, 15 and 16 years old. You must be talking about yet another imaginary victim.
No, according to the SB DA, the victim was 14 when she was first allegedly contacted inappropriately by Dr. Bourne and Joe Walker. The contacts reportedly continued for nearly two years, making the victim 16 today. As for her being “imaginary,” a SB judge reviewed the evidence, the emails, and decided there was sufficient cause to bind Joe and Andy over for trial and to set bail at the extrordinarily high amount of $750,000 each. Then Andy killed himself rather than face his accusers. The dots simply don’t connect in a way that indicates an “imaginary victim.”
Just a point of clarification. No one was bound over for trial as of yet.
That happens in a preliminary hearing which is now scheduled for February 10.
I believe the judge’s review of evidence happened in the bail review hearing.
BK
In California you are pretty much bound over at each step, from initial arraignment through bond hearings (if any) and after the preliminary trial. If the evidence were weak Dr. Bourne could have been granted an OR release, instead the judge set bail at $750,000 and imposed both SCRAM and GPS monitoring, as well as restrictions on contact with minors. The evidence reviewed included email discussions of a suicide pact between the girl and Dr. Bourne, as well as a getaway car Bourne had equipped with weapons, supplies and $5,000 cash, all of which Bourne’s wife was unaware. The point is, the victim was anything but ‘imaginary’ and Dr. Bourne was in very deep.
Rob thinks the “alleged victim” is 13. She is apparently now 16. And you don’t know that the “alleged victim” was contacted “inappropriately” by both Dr. Bourne and Joe Walker when she was 14. I’d say some degree of imagination is involved with those pronouncements.
If this started 2 years ago and wasn’t discovered until last September when someone read the young woman’s private emails (something that nobody seems upset about) and involved at least one trip a week to Mammoth Lakes from Santa Barbara — at least a two day trip by a person who was too young to drive herself — for two years that apparently went unnoticed by her parents — doesn’t that seem a bit odd?
And how devastated must the “:alleged victim” have been to continue whatever was happening for two years without either of her parents noticing?
And after all that, the Santa Barbara D.A. only cited 8 emails as the entire case against Dr. Bourne.
I’m just asking because this is a very strange situation that seems to have taken on a life of its own.
Can someone of you knowledgeable people please tell all of us the exact details of what actually transpired? There’s several of you contributing to this blog that seem to know all about it or at least enough about it to continue to condemn a person who did a great deal of good in his life. Please enlighten us.
It would appear that the victim is not devastated at all as the SB DA, Mary Barron, stated in open court that she was concerned the girl might flee with Walker or Bourne, but that’s irrelevant, it’s not uncommon in any way for victims to become entangled emotionally with their victimizer. Think Patty Hearst.
A good, concise roundup of some of the important evidence in this case, as presented by the DA to the judge at the bail hearing, can be found here:
http://thesheetnews.com/archives/12087
Quote:
“The content of some of those emails was revealed by Santa Barbara Deputy D.A. Mary Barron on Tuesday to show that Messrs. Bourne and Walker posed a flight risk and should not have their bail reduced.
The emails provided the first small glimpse of state’s evidence.
Barron said both men had talked of “fleeing” at some point.
Barron said evidence showed how one of Bourne’s vehicles had been equipped with enough supplies and weapons to last a few days and had $5,000 dollars in it that his wife was unaware of.
It was suggested that Bourne had outfitted the vehicle because he had a plan to flee with the young girl.
Barron also stated that Bourne and the girl, currently a sophomore enrolled at a private school in the Santa Barbara area, had even discussed possible suicide as a way “out” and to “escape.”
The D.A. maintained that the inappropriate relationship between the young girl and the two men had existed for two years, and that Bourne had kept up communication with “Jane Doe” until up to about a month ago. Mr. Walker, in some of the emails exchanged, said that he would continue the relationship once the girl turned 18.
Barron used terms like “brainwash” and “manipulate” when referring to what the men did to the girl to keep her so infatuated. She indicated that she anticipates filing additional charges before the preliminary hearing, scheduled for January 19.”
Now we can add to this the fact that Dr. Bourne killed himself rather than face the charges, and the story here would seem to be pretty clear, at least to most of those of us not personally connected to Dr. Bourne. To me this whole idea that a man like Dr. Bourne, a man so determined to succeed in his career, as well as many and varied atheletic and outdoor pursuits, and who seemingly plowed through life leaving a swath of impressed folks in his wake, would be so profoundly depressed by false charges that he would choose to end his life, devastating his wife and children forever, rather than facing and fighting the charges, well, it simply does not ring true. That’s not the portrait painted by his many friends and defenders.
In any case, the real issue here, outstanding at this time, is not Dr. Bourne’s guilt or innocence, it is that Rusty and MMSA are hostintg a memorial for ***a man accused of sex crimes who chose to end his life rather than face the charges.*** These are two very simple facts that are not open to debate, and they should be enough for Rusty to understand the extreme inapproiateness of what he has gotten MMSA involved in.
13,14,15,16,17 years old. What’s the difference?
It appears he had funds to provide a good defense.. so why kill yourself if your innocent?
I’d like to see the emails that got him arrested
@Ken, there are people here that know the young girl. its not made up. the ages stated by the press are fact.
Why didn’t the people who know the young woman stop this from happening?
To all of you reminding us that we should presume Bourne “innocent until proved guilty,” fine, that is indeed the law. However, the fact remains that Rusty and MMSA are hosting a memorial for a man accused of sex crimes, who decided to end his life rather than face the charges against him in a court of law. This is not a “political or moral statement,” it’s the basic fact of the matter. No judgment as to Bourne’s guilt or innocence need be made to know that this is simply wrong, no matter how much we might want to comfort Bourne’s familiy at this dark time for them.
From my point of view, Rusty is acting with extreme arrogance in treating MMSA as if it were his own to do as he pleases, when in actuality he is but a minority owner, and all of us who support the mountain to the tune of thousands of dollars/year in buying passes for our families (including our teenage girls) are stakeholders.
Frankly, this MMSA sponsored memorial for a man accused of sex crimes makes me want to take that MMSA sticker off the back of my car. It degrades the memory of those of outstanding character who have been similarly honored by the mountain, such as Andrea Mead Lawrence. Rusty, you should be ashamed of yourself, and you too Jack Copeland for not standing up for what is right.
Why stop with condemning MMSA? Shouldn’t you also condemn the staff and administration at Mammoth Hospital. And the entire Mono County school board? And anyone who is grateful for the medical care Dr. Bourne gave them?
Your flaming torches and pitchforks have not be used broadly enough. Tar and feather the whole county. That’s the only sure way to chastise everybody in this local population that was grateful for Dr. Bournes contributions to society.
Dr. Bourne did more good for more people than all the people on the blog combined.
Why is the community not celebrating Joseph Walker’s life and supporting his family and friends?
Celebrations of life are for those who have passed on.
BK
So…Walker, charged with the same crime Bourne was, stays alive and remains in shameful regard by the community — he is shunned until he may be judged innocent in a court of law. But if he puts himself out of his misery, the community rallies to throw a party for his life — seeing only whatever good he may have done and forgetting the bad? What example might this set for anyone who has to face up to their actions?
Wonderer…..Maybe it’s just me,and a few others…..but if I were being charged with this type of crime,and I were an innocent man,if I had family that were standing by me,or for that matter,even if they were questioning my guilt or innocence themselves,I would not give a damn what the public felt about me.What I would care about most is my family….and maybe my really good friends,and in Dr,Bournes case,my patients and my professional legacy I had established over the years…..but certainly not what strangers thought or wrote about in the papers.The way he could have solved the whole problem is by going to trial and proving his innocence…Sadly,how it turned out,and what he did will leave many people feeling he was guilty.And leaving those close to him with forever unanswered questions.
Being accused is not the same as being guilty. We don’t yet know what Dr Bourne did or or didn’t do. We don’t know what evidence the DA has or doesn’t have. I think all of that will come out in good time, and then some of us can say “I told you so”
What we do know is that during his lifetime Dr Bourne did many, many good and selfless things that touched the lives of others and now his family and friends need to remember and honor that before saying goodbye.
Saturday is not about judgement, its not about political or moral statements, its about supporting family and friends left behind. I am proud of Rusty Gregory and MMSA for keeping that in perspective and having the courage to offer support instead of standing by silently while the pitchfork mob passes by.
If Dr. Bourne had been Joe Janitor at MMSA for 30 years, who had worked hard all his life, cleaned and never made a fuss, was kind to people he still would not be honored if he had charges like this brought against him. NO WAY never and I do not think you all would disagree with this.
Why does becoming a doctor give you the right to do things others would be immediately pursecuted for and definitely not honored?
It may have missed your attention that neither Dr. Bourne or Walker have even been to trial yet. Being charged does not mean one has done what one is charged with.
Ken…I think your the one that maybe missed something here…..You are saying ” neither Dr.Bourne or Walker have even been to trial yet”…Dr.Bourne ain’t going to trial…
Isn’t the price of his life enough for you…what more do you want from the poor man?
None of you even know how old the alleged victim is and yet are able to be judge and jury and executioner. This “crime” has been ongoing for two year during which the “14 year old female victim” apparently didn’t age or tell her parents about traveling to Mammoth 100 times for unknown purposes. And now you want to indict MMSA for trying to ease the pain of loss for Dr. Bourne’s family. This is a classic witch hunt.
—————
http://crimevoice.com/accused-sex-offenders-out-on-bail-with-court-imposed-restrictions-10587/
Dr. Andrew Bourne, 48, and Joseph Walker, 46, accused of unlawful contact with a child with intent to commit a sexual crime and lewd act upon a child, were granted a bail reduction by Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Eskin, and are now both out of custody on $750,000 bond each. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charges of illicit contact with a local 16-year-old female.
http://thesheetnews.com/archives/12267
“What people don’t seem to be understanding is there was no commonality in facts between the two cases except that it was the same victim,” Bamieh said. “There have been a lot of misrepresentations of facts.” Including, Bamieh said, one officer who took references relating to Walker and attributed them to Bourne.
http://crimevoice.com/accused-sex-offenders-out-on-bail-with-court-imposed-restrictions-10587/
Bamieh claimed that the 400 pages of discovery he had reviewed before Bourne’s death showed no evidence of a sexual relationship with the now-15 year old victim.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/01/25/20120125california-surgeon-teen-sex-case-found-dead.html
A Mammoth Lakes surgeon charged with sex crimes against a 14-year-old Santa Barbara girl killed himself two weeks after he posted bail and was outfitted with a GPS ankle tracking device, his attorney said Wednesday.
Santa Barbara prosecutors said the defendants had a two-year relationship with the teenager. Clandestine meetings were held in Santa Barbara and in Mammoth Lakes, which the girl visited more than 100 times, according to court documents.
How can a listing of resources (I won’t call them facts since the word is a bit loaded these days) get a 4:1 thumbs down ratio? Speaks volumes for the worthiness of the court of public opinion – apparently these items are all inadmissable as evidence.
Why can’t all of you stop judging? Who gives you that right? Why can’t you just accept that some people love and support Andy no matter what he did.
It is humanly possible to hold many emotions at once (love and forgiveness for Andy, intense sympathy for the girl (and all victims in general), belief that it is unacceptable, anger, confusion, grief, sadness, etc).
Just let others grieve in the way that is right for them. You don’t have to come!!
Dear Shocked and Ex Local,
If I know anything, I know teenage girls and in today’s society, they know plenty! I was one myself and knew enough to become involved with a High School teacher (at the age of 16) for most of my time as a student at the school. I not sayin’ it was right, I am sayin’ as it was. For Andy, and I did not know him, the idea of “innocent until proven guilty” was not available to him. He was tried in the media as well as the court of public opinion. Remember the first headline? The one about two men being arrested in Mammoth Lakes for child rape. We all followed along and bought into it, including myself, I am sorry to say.
I am sorry about your experience as a 15 year old, Ex Local, but at the end of the day, his contributions and his success saving lives in the community should be honored. I may not agree with his action but obviously he felt that he had no choice. Try walking in his shoes.
He was a 46 year old adult! She was a 14 year old girl not 16. Please do not try to insinuate you are an adult at 14 no matter what your experiences are and/or how fast kids grow up.
By the way your teacher knew better and you might have too but he/she was the adult in your situation.
He had no choice but to get involved with a 14 year old? Or he had no choice but to kill himself?He did have a choice and he took it. No, I will not walk in his shoes. We are all guilty of something we are not proud of but the easy way out is to kill yourself and leave your family with the pain. The honorable thing would be to face up to what you have done or not done. Again, we will never know but it seem to me he has now caused more pain than anything else.
May be a cowardly act, but can anyone truly feel the pain and anguish that he must have been feeling. One sad thing is what this whole thing exposes about where our society is headed. We teach sex-ed and hand out condoms in our schools. Sex and promiscuity are rampant in our teens as revealed by the single mothers out there and the clothes parents let young girls wear. Not trying to say the two men weren’t wrong, but did this young girl lure them into her lifestyle or did they lure an innocent sexually naive young girl into their world? We may never know, but it is sad that the two men are being convicted in the media when the drama hungry media seem to know nothing of the circumstances. Both men were close friends of the girls family and to think that they might risk throwing their whole lives away and initiate something like this just doesn’t stand up to the skunk test! My point is that our morals are crumbling around us, teen sex and pregnancy are okay and yet if an adult is caught up in it society throws the proverbial book at them! See the hypocrisy in it?
Yes
Does anyone else find the actions of MMSA morally contradictory?
Yes, Andy was brilliant, gregarious, skilled, helpful, professional, and obviously well liked.
However, he made some very bad mistakes. Unforgivable mistakes.
And now MMSA is donating site, staff, and food for upwards of 1000 people at a cost of what $10/head? $20? How can MMSA donate $10,000 to $20,000 to a man accused of a child sex crime and not give any acknowledgement to the victim? At the very least, MMSA should make an equal donation to Wild Iris.
Shameful!
They will have a cash bar. And since most of us locals are inclined to throw a few back, this should more than take the edge off the cost factor for MMSA.
Innocent until proven guilty. It is shameful that you and the other 73 people who liked your post. Who are you to pass judgement?
Such turmoil and loss. Regardless of the legal or moral issues at hand, regardless of the man and his profession. The community must be there for his immediate family. It will be hard enough for the kids especially as they grow up to recall this entire ordeal. I think we can love and extend ourselves to them without playing judge and jury. Even though we may want to, now is not the time.
Well said.
I am also very confused and upset. I was a victim of abuse when I lived in Mammoth at the age of 15. At the age of 15 you know nothin and then are taken advantage of.
It is very disturbing Mammoth is paying tribute to a man accused of a child sex crime. He would have been a hero if he had stuck around, defended himself and was proven not guilty. This way he will always be guilty so why are you celebrating his life?
Why is Mammoth ignoring he was accused of a sex crime against a 14 year old???
MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY
thank you @ ex-local. what is going on in this town?! i am also shocked MMSA is hosting this event. The doc faced multiple felony counts, Rusty&friends have you forgotten?
Why is the mountain funding this? not to mention MMSA is laying off employees and cutting hours and more to come..but hey, we can throw a free dinner party at the lodge for a man who is accused of multiple accounts of misconduct with a 14-15 year old girl, and subsequent suicide? mind blowing.
I am shocked and disappointed that Rusty Gregory and the mountain would get involved in hosting a memorial for a guy who took his own life after being charged with a sex crime. Imagine if the victim were your own daughter! I’ve lost a lot of respect for Rusty over this, as a local and longtime passholder I’m ashamed for the hill and for my community.
Rusty has conitnued to amaze us through his actions for more than 30 years now. Not surprising at all.
I agree with local
Here are the facts as I understand them.
Fact- he sent many, posibly 1000 or more questioned emails to a child
Reported- These emails contained questionable behaviors
Reported- Emails stated that Andy and the girl would run away and commit suicide as a way to avoid the police
Fact- when Andy was arrested his car was fitted with supplies, 5k cash and weapons
Fact Andy commited suicide.
Fact-As of yet he has not been charged with rape or inapropriot sexual behavior.
Fact- I have never sent my child 1000 emails nor anyone else in my email contact list.
Fact- All the information was never and probably will never be known publicly
As far as I see it, we are stuck between a rock and the hard place. Yes I believe the press wanted us to believe the good doctor was a nasty little child toucher. The fact is we dont know that and maybe never will, but we do know for sure that something questionable was happening, if it wasn’t then his car would never have been found with cash and weapons his wife had no knowledge of, the emails provided by the police to the Santa Barbara DA would have shown his innocence and the charges would never have been brought.
I was a patient, and will forever be in debt to Dr. Bourn for the kindness he showed me, and the excellent care he gave me.I pray for his family and his memory that it ends up that everyone was mistaken. But the last time I believed in someone it was Lupe, and we all know how that turned out. The last time I let the courts handle innocent untill proven guilty, we got Casey Anthony. Let the evidence speak, we got Natalie Holloway. I am sorry if I sound bitter, but when it comes to kids I choose to believe safer is better.
I pray the press is able to find out the truth in its entirety, so we know if the celebration of life isn’t a blind one. I want to celebrate, but even for his family, cant find it with in myself to do so without knowing if I am celbrating the wonderful man I hope him to be and not the monster he may have been.
I am confused as to this whole situation as are most. On one hand, we have a gifted, talented surgeon and family man that is gone. On the other, we have charges from the law. What is one to believe? Should we celebrate this person, or should we be concerned for our children that this type of person is out there? If he was innocent, then why did he take his own life….or did he know of further pending charges that would truly be the end of him? If we celebrate his life, does that mean that we are condoning his behavior to the 14 year old girl? What message does this send to other victims. After thinking long and hard, I think he took the cowardly way out, leaving behind his family and friends to wonder. Maybe the Santa Barbara DA will release further information to help bring closure to this issue. If not, is there any way that the press could request the information?
Why would you post the last few paragraphs when we are talking about remembering him ???
All of the information is true.
BK
My question is why would you leave them out. This was also a part of his life.
So what are we suppose to do just ignore it forget about it? I guess that is what MMSA is doing.
MAY,
What are you supposed to do? Continue to be flustered forever about something that really has nothing to do with you? Would you allow something like this to go on with your child/children? YES? NO? This situation has something to do with parental inattention at best, and neglect at worst. That is why parents are SUPPOSED TO WATCH their children, BECAUSE IT IS A DANGEROUS WORLD OUT THERE.