Did They Have to Show the Body? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Opal · 11-25-2005, 05:12 AM

Who caught the case about the old man's corpse that was left in the trunk?

I'm usually gone during the day (when UM airs), so I tape the show. I always do crunches on the floor when watching it --- BAD idea! This case comes on, I'm doing some fast crunches (probably not paying the close attention that I should), and this dead man's face comes on the screen!
GOOD LORD!

The image of his face will haunt me for months! I had a hard time getting to sleep because of it!

Thankfully there was an update telling us it was solved. So I'm thinking.... Since it's solved, and showing the image would only be relevant to solve the case, can't they edit that part out? Lifetime butchers a lot of things anyway. I think they should, but I'm probably just a wimp. LOL
After all, Robert Stack does give you a warning.

I guess here's my own warning:
Never watch UM while doing some fast crunches on the floor with the remote out of reach!

hayes · 11-25-2005, 07:55 AM

I totally agree

crystaldawn · 11-25-2005, 08:22 AM

I agree as well. That was hands down the most disgusting thing ever shown on UM and was much scarier than any composite sketch.

I've brought it up before but I still don't understand why they had to use a drawing of the man who committed suicide in the church. He poisoned himself and was found right away so its not like there was any trauma or it would have been a gross picture but this guy who had been decomposing for who knows how long they have no problem showing his face on tv. Plus they had the same goal for both stories....to identify them.

Kane · 11-25-2005, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

I've brought it up before but I still don't understand why they had to use a drawing of the man who committed suicide in the church. He poisoned himself and was found right away so its not like there was any trauma or it would have been a gross picture but this guy who had been decomposing for who knows how long they have no problem showing his face on tv. Plus they had the same goal for both stories....to identify them.

Well, I would say that it was a matter of network policy issues. The church suicide was originally shown on NBC, and since NBC is a non-cable network, there must have been a rule against showing close-up shots of a corpse (distant shots appear to be a different matter, since NBC aired the Jeffrey Digman segment, which included a distant shot of Digman's body). Since cable channels have generally more freedom than non-cable networks, it didn't appear to be too much of a problem for Lifetime to show the actual morgue photo of the steamer trunk corpse.

I should also add that John Walsh once fought with the Fox network to get them to show a morgue shot of a deceased Jane Doe on America's Most Wanted. Initially, there objections as Walsh was told that Fox wouldn't allow it, since there were obviously rules against showing such photos on primetime. Ultimately, he got his way, and the morgue shot in question was aired, and the case was eventually solved.

JimmyHendricks · 11-25-2005, 10:06 PM

Well, I was surprised that they showed it, as UM has always stayed away from that sort of thing. I think it was definitely a good thing, as it gave the story more of an impact by actually SEEING the dead body.

As far as NBC not allowing dead bodies to be shown, I too do not understand why the "William L. Toomey" who was found dead in the church was not shown. He probably would be identified by now.

I DO remember (and this segment is re-ran on Lifetime often) the "Melvin Eugene Hansen" segment where the guy dies in the doctor's office late at night, and it is found out that he was murdered to collect on insurance money. They showed a photo of the man's dead body on the office floor (complete with creepy music)--and it WAS the actual dead body--not a re-created photo because they showed his driver's license immediately after and it was the same guy.

Anyhoo, that's my .02.

Zero · 11-27-2005, 04:22 AM

I saw it tonight. I didn't think that was the segment because somehow I got it into my head that the man was found in the trunk of a car. Still I kept my hand over my face for much of it. Especially when Robert mentioned that they were going have to show the only known photo of the man. Then I fast forward it because my mother was coming up the stairs. I skipped to the part where the update was and then I went back a little bit. I managed to catch a glimpse of the man from the eyes up and that was enough. Anyone else notice something not quite right about his forehead? I realize it was taken after he was dead and that's probably why. Did they ever mention how long he had been dead for? In between the FF and the Rewind I didn't catch the warning that Robert gave. What did he say more or less?

LooksLikeCRicci · 11-27-2005, 05:36 AM

... I thought that the picture they showed was a sketch of the man in the morgue. Was that his actual picture? Creee-py!

*gonna go hide under the bed now*

But on a happier note, wasn't this crime solved?

Kane · 11-27-2005, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LooksLikeCRicci

... I thought that the picture they showed was a sketch of the man in the morgue. Was that his actual picture? Creee-py!

*gonna go hide under the bed now*

But on a happier note, wasn't this crime solved?

If you mean the "Steamer Trunk Corpse" case, yes that case was solved...at least in part. The man was positively identified as Jack F. Watkins. A woman named Nancy Jean Siegel was charged with stealing social security payments from Watkins in 2003.

Here's a link on a 2003 article:

http://www.nbc4.com/news/2413445/detail.html

Zero · 11-27-2005, 03:49 PM

Now I know really what you guys are talking about. I had no idea they showed a picture of the way he looked at autopsy. I always thought they just had the black and white one. I still only saw part of it and for not even a second. Made me sick no less. I wonder why UM didn't give more of a warning. I guess they didn't want to discourage people from looking at it.

According to UM the man's first name is Jasper and the woman they arrested was charged with his murder. I guess even after so many years since it's premier UM still knew how to shock people!

crystaldawn · 11-28-2005, 06:02 PM

You know I noticed on the Shelly Malone segment that aired today that at the end they show a flyer and it has a picture of her face post mortem and it was almost as bad as the steamer trunk guy! She had a lot of bruises and it seemed to be swollen. I don't think it even resembled the other pictures shown of her. Anyone else notice it?

Another thing about that segment, don't you find it strange that none of her friends or her boyfriend who were close by when she was trampled wanted to participate in the segment? Its seems odd if it were as cut and dry as they said and she was bucked off and then trampled by her horse that they wouldn't have thought twice about being interviewed. My two cents anyhow.

Number 9 Dream · 11-29-2005, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

You know I noticed on the Shelly Malone segment that aired today that at the end they show a flyer and it has a picture of her face post mortem and it was almost as bad as the steamer trunk guy! She had a lot of bruises and it seemed to be swollen. I don't think it even resembled the other pictures shown of her. Anyone else notice it?

Another thing about that segment, don't you find it strange that none of her friends or her boyfriend who were close by when she was trampled wanted to participate in the segment? Its seems odd if it were as cut and dry as they said and she was bucked off and then trampled by her horse that they wouldn't have thought twice about being interviewed. My two cents anyhow.

I saw that too! I was looking at it and I thought to myself, 'No, that can't be her! Doesn't look anything like her!' It was so creepy to realize that was her after death.

The steamer trunk case....is this on the DVD or did you guys see it on t.v.?

Kane · 11-29-2005, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retrogirl82

The steamer trunk case....is this on the DVD or did you guys see it on t.v.?

It's not available on DVD.

crystaldawn · 11-29-2005, 04:03 PM

Its been on Lifetime before, I've taped if off of there.

LooksLikeCRicci · 11-29-2005, 04:55 PM

Yeah, the Steamer trunk case is one of those cases that I seem to catch a lot on Lifetime. That's why I initially asked "Didn't they catch the perp?"

Both cases are incredibly sad.

Kane · 11-29-2005, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero

Now I know really what you guys are talking about. I had no idea they showed a picture of the way he looked at autopsy. I always thought they just had the black and white one. I still only saw part of it and for not even a second. Made me sick no less. I wonder why UM didn't give more of a warning. I guess they didn't want to discourage people from looking at it.

Well, Stack mentioned in advance that the photo was going to be difficult to view. So he was warning us.

Quote:

According to UM the man's first name is Jasper and the woman they arrested was charged with his murder.

That's right. Upon further research, I learned that "Jack" was actually his nickname.

I also came upon an article related to the case. It is dated August 29, 2004.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Aug27.html

11-25-2005, 05:12 AM	#1
Opal Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 13, 2004 Posts: 365	Did They Have to Show the Body? Who caught the case about the old man's corpse that was left in the trunk? I'm usually gone during the day (when UM airs), so I tape the show. I always do crunches on the floor when watching it --- BAD idea! This case comes on, I'm doing some fast crunches (probably not paying the close attention that I should), and this dead man's face comes on the screen! GOOD LORD! The image of his face will haunt me for months! I had a hard time getting to sleep because of it! Thankfully there was an update telling us it was solved. So I'm thinking.... Since it's solved, and showing the image would only be relevant to solve the case, can't they edit that part out? Lifetime butchers a lot of things anyway. I think they should, but I'm probably just a wimp. LOL After all, Robert Stack does give you a warning. I guess here's my own warning: Never watch UM while doing some fast crunches on the floor with the remote out of reach!

11-27-2005, 04:22 AM	#6
Zero Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 15, 2003 Posts: 495	I saw it tonight. I didn't think that was the segment because somehow I got it into my head that the man was found in the trunk of a car. Still I kept my hand over my face for much of it. Especially when Robert mentioned that they were going have to show the only known photo of the man. Then I fast forward it because my mother was coming up the stairs. I skipped to the part where the update was and then I went back a little bit. I managed to catch a glimpse of the man from the eyes up and that was enough. Anyone else notice something not quite right about his forehead? I realize it was taken after he was dead and that's probably why. Did they ever mention how long he had been dead for? In between the FF and the Rewind I didn't catch the warning that Robert gave. What did he say more or less?
	__________________ "Are we ourselves, and do we really know?"

11-27-2005, 03:49 PM	#9
Zero Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 15, 2003 Posts: 495	OY! Now I know really what you guys are talking about. I had no idea they showed a picture of the way he looked at autopsy. I always thought they just had the black and white one. I still only saw part of it and for not even a second. Made me sick no less. I wonder why UM didn't give more of a warning. I guess they didn't want to discourage people from looking at it. According to UM the man's first name is Jasper and the woman they arrested was charged with his murder. I guess even after so many years since it's premier UM still knew how to shock people!

11-25-2005, 07:55 AM	#2
hayes D R e A M Occasional Poster Join Date: May 31, 2005 Posts: 59	I totally agree

11-25-2005, 08:22 AM	#3
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	I agree as well. That was hands down the most disgusting thing ever shown on UM and was much scarier than any composite sketch. I've brought it up before but I still don't understand why they had to use a drawing of the man who committed suicide in the church. He poisoned himself and was found right away so its not like there was any trauma or it would have been a gross picture but this guy who had been decomposing for who knows how long they have no problem showing his face on tv. Plus they had the same goal for both stories....to identify them.

11-25-2005, 10:06 PM	#5
JimmyHendricks Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 11, 2004 Posts: 112	Well, I was surprised that they showed it, as UM has always stayed away from that sort of thing. I think it was definitely a good thing, as it gave the story more of an impact by actually SEEING the dead body. As far as NBC not allowing dead bodies to be shown, I too do not understand why the "William L. Toomey" who was found dead in the church was not shown. He probably would be identified by now. I DO remember (and this segment is re-ran on Lifetime often) the "Melvin Eugene Hansen" segment where the guy dies in the doctor's office late at night, and it is found out that he was murdered to collect on insurance money. They showed a photo of the man's dead body on the office floor (complete with creepy music)--and it WAS the actual dead body--not a re-created photo because they showed his driver's license immediately after and it was the same guy. Anyhoo, that's my .02.

11-27-2005, 05:36 AM	#7
LooksLikeCRicci Likes to live in a clean house Moderator Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2005 Posts: 4,050	... I thought that the picture they showed was a sketch of the man in the morgue. Was that his actual picture? Creee-py! gonna go hide under the bed now But on a happier note, wasn't this crime solved?

11-28-2005, 06:02 PM	#10
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	You know I noticed on the Shelly Malone segment that aired today that at the end they show a flyer and it has a picture of her face post mortem and it was almost as bad as the steamer trunk guy! She had a lot of bruises and it seemed to be swollen. I don't think it even resembled the other pictures shown of her. Anyone else notice it? Another thing about that segment, don't you find it strange that none of her friends or her boyfriend who were close by when she was trampled wanted to participate in the segment? Its seems odd if it were as cut and dry as they said and she was bucked off and then trampled by her horse that they wouldn't have thought twice about being interviewed. My two cents anyhow.

11-29-2005, 04:03 PM	#13
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	Its been on Lifetime before, I've taped if off of there.

11-29-2005, 04:55 PM	#14
LooksLikeCRicci Likes to live in a clean house Moderator Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2005 Posts: 4,050	Yeah, the Steamer trunk case is one of those cases that I seem to catch a lot on Lifetime. That's why I initially asked "Didn't they catch the perp?" Both cases are incredibly sad.