There has been quite a bit of discussion on this forum about certain amnesia cases, such as the one involving Paul Beal who was discovered wandering in the desert. It was later revealed that he was wanted for theft of frozen food, I believe. There was a similar case with someone who claimed to have amnesia, worked as an accountant in a small town, began to be involved with a local church, and then it was found that he was wanted for some crime.

I'm trying to remember more about another case of amnesia, and I'm hoping that someone on here will remember this case. I have only sketchy information about it, though.

Does anyone remember a case (not sure when it aired) about someone who woke up in the grass in a secluded area and then couldn't remember anything? I think he had a duffel bag with him along with a business card of some kind with a phone number on it, which he said was not his and did not reveal his identity.

Anyone???

There has been quite a bit of discussion on this forum about certain amnesia cases, such as the one involving Paul Beal who was discovered wandering in the desert. It was later revealed that he was wanted for theft of frozen food, I believe. There was a similar case with someone who claimed to have amnesia, worked as an accountant in a small town, began to be involved with a local church, and then it was found that he was wanted for some crime.

I'm trying to remember more about another case of amnesia, and I'm hoping that someone on here will remember this case. I have only sketchy information about it, though.

Does anyone remember a case (not sure when it aired) about someone who woke up in the grass in a secluded area and then couldn't remember anything? I think he had a duffel bag with him along with a business card of some kind with a phone number on it, which he said was not his and did not reveal his identity.

Anyone???
That is the story of "Pat Brown". Pat was found in a ditch by a hitchhiker in 1994. He went to the police about how he could not remember who he was, and soon began having flashbacks to before he lost his memory. Then, on the night of the broadcast, he was identified as Carl Broadnik and was reunited with his family. He also found out that he was wanted for embezzlement from a former employer. I think he probably faked his amnesia, similar to Paul Beal.

Thanks for that info.

For some reason I thought that was a separate case from the "Pat Brown" case, but I guess it is the same.

From what I remember, I do think that "Pat" probably faked the amnesia. I think he made some comment on the segment, like "at least I'm not wanted for anything." But in the update it clearly said he was. I'm rather suspicious. UM must feel kind of foolish for profiling the case.

Paul Beal, I'm not totally sure about.

I doubt C-M have any regrets. After all, here we are discussing even the so-called "silly" cases two decades later!:) If anyone has recently severed a finger, I am a registered practitioner of thereputic touch! You'll be back playing the Rach 3 on your Steinway within three days or your money back!

Actually, I think the one with the duffel bag and the card was Pierre April. It was a library card with his signature on it, and he was sure it wasn't actually him, but it turns out that his name was Pierre April and he was from Canada.

Apostapler,

Yes, I think you're right now that you mention it. Could you say a little more about the segment and what ended up happening to him? I don't think he was wanted for anything, but I could be wrong!

He was not wanted for anything. He came to by a roadside and went to call people, and realized he didn't know anyone he could call. He was recognized by a viewer who identified him and said he was from Machine, Canada. He called his father on the phone and talked to him, asked him to send a package with photos to him (and his fiance) and then the dad asked if he remembered his mother, and when Pierre said no, his mother started to cry on the phone. That help?

Are you sure it wasn't Lachine?! :p

Hurr I'm a stupid American, what do I know? :p

He was not wanted for anything. He came to by a roadside and went to call people, and realized he didn't know anyone he could call. He was recognized by a viewer who identified him and said he was from Machine, Canada. He called his father on the phone and talked to him, asked him to send a package with photos to him (and his fiance) and then the dad asked if he remembered his mother, and when Pierre said no, his mother started to cry on the phone. That help?

Yes, it's coming back to me now. I seem to remember the segment mentioning that he discovered he had a talent for art.

Where exactly was he found in the US?

The question I have for the people who think these guys faked their amnesia - why would they go on unsolved mysteries if they were faking their amnesia? Wouldn't it be smarter to stay in hiding?

The question I have for the people who think these guys faked their amnesia - why would they go on unsolved mysteries if they were faking their amnesia? Wouldn't it be smarter to stay in hiding?

karenjanee, I've wondered about that, too. But I think someone mentioned on here that it is highly possible if someone were faking amnesia and pretending to want to know the truth, their friends might prod them to pitch their story to UM. When that would happen, hesitation to do so would lead to suspicion.

Furthermore, it seems clear that at least some of the amnesia cases are legitimate. The case of Pierre April is one where he was not wanted for anything.

I think Um would be a great way to reunite with your family. Let's say I did something bad and then got "amnesia" I start missing my family, I want to go home to them, but if I just turn back up on their doorstep after being gone for a long period it'll take a lot of explaining...but if I'm a poor amnesia victim (a claim bolstered by being on UM...they'd never have someone on there that was just a fake, right? So if Um believes I have it, then I must) then there isnt any explaining and I'm in the clear...at least with the family (but not the cops)

The question I've always wondered is was there ever an amnesia case on UM where an explanation was provided HOW the victim got amnesia in the first place?

I remember the Kyra Cook case from the one of the early Karl Malden episodes where they already knew the victim's identity, but the entire purpose of the segment was to find out the source of her amnesia. That one was never solved and probably never will be.

The question I have for the people who think these guys faked their amnesia - why would they go on unsolved mysteries if they were faking their amnesia? Wouldn't it be smarter to stay in hiding?

In Arthur Paul Beal's case, I think it was mentioned on the segment that he was receiving some sort of government assisted income because he didn't have a job and could not get a job without a social security number.

If Beal was faking the amnesia, I think it is possible that he figured he could avoid the theft charges by abandoning his "old" life and starting a "new" life somewhere else. However, he was a young guy and I don't know if he anticipated just how difficult it would be to simply start fresh somewhere else. In addition, he had been gone for so long. No doubt his family was worried. Thus UM became an easy way to get his story out there and say "hey, sorry I up and left you guys for months but I had amnesia. Oh, I was wanted for stealing groceries? Whoops, I forgot that too"

I don't have a firm opinion as to whether Beal or "Pat" were fabricating their amnesia claims. I find the claims fishy though because bona fide incidents of amnesia are very rare. Also, both men had obvious reasons to leave.

I think "Pierre" was probably legit though. No real reason for him to take off, at least no reason that was disclosed in the segment.

Craig Williamson said that he had been mugged and hit on the head.