Families In The Reenactments

[DarkDante]

I can't believe this hasn't been brought up before but I've been watching some segments as of late and I can't begin to imagine what some of these families had to go through in reenacting some of what had to be the most traumatic moments in their life.

Obviously in a lot of cases (especially as the years went on) a lot of families chose to have actors portray them in segments but I've always had so much respect for the family members who portrayed themselves in these reenactments. I know in a lot of cases it was probably a "means to an end" sort of thing but I can't imagine for example what Jim and Dot Mays and Betty and Ty Dorman had to go through reenacting the morning that Wanda Jean Mays disappeared. I mean they really recreated the events of that morning down to the smallest detail from discovering that the window was broken in the bedroom, to Ty running down to the lake, to the dragging of the lake to the search for Wanda on land. That had to be hard as hell for them to relive.

Another case that comes to mind is the Jenny Pratt case where Diane and Gary Strom reenacted the scene where they arrived at the hospital and the doctor gave them news that Jenny was thought to be brain dead. Say what you want about Diane Strom but I've always respected the hell out of both her and Gary for not asking that actors portray them in this reenactment and if you've ever had someone close to you who was terminally ill in the hospital you know what I'm talking about here. That is some tough stuff to have to relive.

The case of Rhonda Hinson is another case where I believe the family members portrayed themselves. This one is extremely eerie because the girl the cast to portray Rhonda looked so much like the real Rhonda that I could easily how this might have been hard for the Hinsons to do the reenactments.

[shek]

From my own personal experience - I can tell you it was really tough. I wasn't used to the media and camera's were so intimadating. Even though they wanted to see the "emotional" side of our pain, I didn't want to cry in front of everyone. It was hard to hold my emotions in check and could barely look into the camera's. I wanted to hide my face and I wanted to hide my pain. But the more important thing that got me through it was the hope of finding Lisa's killer.

The "staging" and reactments were certainly interesting from the technical point of veiw but preparing for them also presented some additional stress. But that's a whole different topic so I won't go into that.

[RobinW]

I think the most difficult situation had to have been for Shannon Davis' parents as they were forced to re-live what was probably the worst experience of their life when they re-enacted the scene where Dave Davis demanded that Shannon's body be cremated as they were mourning their daughter's death in the hospital hallway.

I can't imagine what goes through a director's mind when filming a scene like that as it must feel EXTREMELY weird to give family members instructions on how to act. And if their acting isn't convincing, what could you possible say to them?

[TracyLynnS]

I can't imagine what it would have been like for a family member to re-enact the events of their loved one's victimization.

(Wasnt' there a segment where a sister played the dead/missing sister? I can't remember which one that was.)

It must have been a "different time" when this kind of thing was considered okay. I can't believe a tv show asked victim's families to portray themselves or their loved ones in a reenactment. It sort of comes off as insensitive, really. I don't mean any offense to those involved, but it does seem a very strange thing to ask a family member to participate in.

IMO, it's probably in better taste to ask the police, investigators, and other people involved in the cases, but somewhat removed from the worst of the emotional parts, to reenact their original roles, rather than direct family.

Just being interviewed or asked to tell their side of the story must be difficult enough. As Sheila mentioned, the cameras, production crew, and all the stuff that goes with that, must seem intimidating and stress inducing to a regular person. I know that I wouldn't be able to hold up under just an interview, much less a re-enactment. I don't know how some of those families managed to deal with that. That had to be very brave, and probably strengthened by love for their family member to be able to do whatever it took to bring justice.

Gus (oh darn, what's his last name? the kid killed for his motorcycle? is it Hoffman?), his mother didn't re-enact for the UM cameras but actually went undercover in real life, to the biker bars and everything, in order to find the people involved in her son's disappearance. That's some serious bravery.

Also, Kathy Hobbs, the girl who didn't think she would live to be 16, and ended up murdered when she was 16 years, 3 months, and 3 days old. I don't remember if her mom reenacted the events, but she did give quite a long interview, and IIRC, she was alone with no support for that. I expected to see an aunt or close friend with her, maybe holding her hand for emotional support, but I believe she appeared alone on camera for her interview. That must have been extremely difficult.

[TracyLynnS]

Originally Posted by RobinW

I think the most difficult situation had to have been for Shannon Davis' parents as they were forced to re-live what was probably the worst experience of their life when they re-enacted the scene where Dave Davis demanded that Shannon's body be cremated as they were mourning their daughter's death in the hospital hallway.

Absolutely! And do I ever respect that family! Shannon was their only child, IIRC, and this cold hearted, wife shopping, insurance fraud, murdering SOB, took their beautiful child away from them, just so he could get rich and live the big life. ugh!

Shannon's mom was awesome! And her strength makes me wish MI had the death penalty. She said that Dave Davis gave Shannon and her family the death penalty, and when he was convicted, she said that they'd now been able to give the death penalty to him. And in a way they sure did. He's still on a Life means Life kind of sentence at Oaks Correctional in the upper part of michigan's lower peninsula. http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis...cNumber=206411

[shek]

I might add - that even though it was difficult to deal with on many levels. The entire staff I worked with at UM were very considerate of our fragile state. At any time we seemed "uncomfortable" with anything they wanted us to do, they backed off without hesitation. So I didn't find them to be uncaring at all.

[Gelatinous Goo]

Originally Posted by TracyLynnS

I
Gus (oh darn, what's his last name? the kid killed for his motorcycle? is it Hoffman?), his mother didn't re-enact for the UM cameras but actually went undercover in real life, to the biker bars and everything, in order to find the people involved in her son's disappearance. That's some serious bravery.

I don't remember this happening. I do of course recall similar (and even braver) action being taken by the late Susan Billig. What an amazing woman. There was a person that you just wished you could help, or at least do something unexpected to brighten their spirits.

[TracyLynnS]

Originally Posted by shek

I might add - that even though it was difficult to deal with on many levels. The entire staff I worked with at UM were very considerate of our fragile state. At any time we seemed "uncomfortable" with anything they wanted us to do, they backed off without hesitation. So I didn't find them to be uncaring at all.

I'm so glad to hear that the people with UM were sensitive to your situation. I was worried that there could have been some exploitative motives there, and I sure would hate to see that happen, on top of the horrible situation a featured family is already enduring.

[RobinW]

Originally Posted by TracyLynnS

Absolutely! And do I ever respect that family! Shannon was their only child, IIRC, and this cold hearted, wife shopping, insurance fraud, murdering SOB, took their beautiful child away from them, just so he could get rich and live the big life. ugh!

Shannon's mom was awesome! And her strength makes me wish MI had the death penalty. She said that Dave Davis gave Shannon and her family the death penalty, and when he was convicted, she said that they'd now been able to give the death penalty to him. And in a way they sure did. He's still on a Life means Life kind of sentence at Oaks Correctional in the upper part of michigan's lower peninsula. http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis...cNumber=206411

Yikes, Mr. Davis has not aged well at all! I really hate that this guy is trying to prevent this family from getting closure by continuing to proclaim his innocence and trying to get his conviction reversed because since he's such a convincing con man, there's always the danger that he could get the right people to believe him . If he was that innocent, he never would have fled the country in the first place! At least it doesn't sound like he was that rich and living the big life since they found him living in a one room shack.

[DarkDante]

Originally Posted by RobinW

Yikes, Mr. Davis has not aged well at all! I really hate that this guy is trying to prevent this family from getting closure by continuing to proclaim his innocence and since he's such a convincing con man, there's always the danger that he could get the right people to believe him . If he was that innocent, he never would have fled the country in the first place! At least it doesn't sound like he was that rich and living the big life since they found him living in a one room shack.

Well I guess I'm one of those "right people". I don't want to steer this subject off track but ever since reading that article that I believe Justin posted several years ago I've had a some questions regarding whether or not the authorities ever had lockdown evidence in securing a conviction against Dave Davis. The case made for Davis' guilt on UM was pretty convincing but if you ever read that article you'll find out that there were some very legitimate questions regarding how the doctor interviewed in the segment actually tested for the drug in Shannon Mohr's system.

A number of his colleagues criticized his methods of trying to track down this drug in Shannon's system and there are also questions given when Shannon Mohr died whether or not there was an acceptable method back then of identifying the drug in her system. (The FBI found ways to track the drug in question sometime in the nineties)

The original article dating from 2001 can be found here: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...=161314&page=2

While a discussion of Davis' innocence or guilt can be found here: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...d.php?t=202188

For what it's worth personally I still lean towards his guilt although I'm in no way 100% convinced of it.

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by shek

I might add - that even though it was difficult to deal with on many levels. The entire staff I worked with at UM were very considerate of our fragile state. At any time we seemed "uncomfortable" with anything they wanted us to do, they backed off without hesitation. So I didn't find them to be uncaring at all.

I'm really glad to hear that. The amount of detail that goes into the segments is extraordinary. I think viewers can definitely sense genuine concern for the victims and their families through the care taken to portray events as accurately as possible when they watch the show, but to know that the staff was sensitive to your needs just makes it all the more a great program for me.

[RobinW]

Originally Posted by DarkDante

A number of his colleagues criticized his methods of trying to track down this drug in Shannon's system and there are also questions given when Shannon Mohr died whether or not there was an acceptable method back then of identifying the drug in her system. (The FBI found ways to track the drug in question sometime in the nineties)

The original article dating from 2001 can be found here: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...=161314&page=2

While a discussion of Davis' innocence or guilt can be found here: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...d.php?t=202188

For what it's worth personally I still lean towards his guilt although I'm in no way 100% convinced of it.

Yeah, they do make some valid points, but I definitely still cannot believe he's innocent. Of course, if that was the only evidence they had of him committing murder and it was not obtained properly, he shouldn't be convincted of it, but there's just too much that leans toward his guilt. I'm surprised UM never made mention of the fact that Shannon's shirt was unbuttoned and her shoes were off even though she supposedly died in a sudden "accident".

[TracyLynnS]

I thought UM did mention that part, about Shannon Mohr's shoes off and her shirt being unbuttoned? Maybe it was another true crime show that brought up that info.

They said that they thought Dave and she (maybe especially since they were still sorta newlyweds) were going to have a romantic afternoon in the woods, went horseback riding, and tied their horses up nearby while they were alone together.

I could have sworn they said that they thought that was how Dave lured her there in the first place and was able to get close enough to her, while horseback riding, to inject her with the succinol choline, or whatever it was they thought he used.

I should read the other info available on this case. I pretty much made up my mind about his guilt because of him squeezing some woman's butt right after Shannon died, seems like it was a close family friend or cousin or something, lying about the big sums of life insurance he had on Shannon, pushing for cremation when her parents wanted burial, etc.

Wouldn't be the first time I was fooled. For years, I thought for sure that Stella Nichol was guilty of murdering her husband until I found out that every major witness against her was paid up to $250,000 to say she did it. At least one witness admitted that he lied on the stand about everything he claimed to know about her involvement. That guy was paid $15,000 for his lies under oath. Stella's doing 99 years in federal prison. I don't know if she's guilty or not, but she sure didn't get a fair trial.

[MissFit29]

Russell Evans' mother was in the reenactment of the emergency room scene. I thought she did a remarkable job. I'm amazed at the strength of many of the victims' family members.

[RobinW]

Originally Posted by TracyLynnS

I thought UM did mention that part, about Shannon Mohr's shoes off and her shirt being unbuttoned? Maybe it was another true crime show that brought up that info.

They said that they thought Dave and she (maybe especially since they were still sorta newlyweds) were going to have a romantic afternoon in the woods, went horseback riding, and tied their horses up nearby while they were alone together.

I could have sworn they said that they thought that was how Dave lured her there in the first place and was able to get close enough to her, while horseback riding, to inject her with the succinol choline, or whatever it was they thought he used.

No, I'm pretty sure UM never mentioned the unbuttoned shirt or missing shoes nor did they even bring up the idea of a romantic liaison in the woods. They just made it sound like Dave and Shannon were going on a horseback ride and that his cover story was that she fell off the horse and banged her head on a rock. They even did a re-enactment of the police's original theory that Dave just simply pushed Shannon off her horse before injecting her with the drug. I really don't know how Dave thought his "falling off the horse" cover story was going to hold up with that shoes and shirt inconsistency.