On January 22, 1987, an American politician Robert Badd Dwyer, a Pennsylvania treasurer, shot dead at his office during a press conference he initiated the day before the scheduled corruption trial, from a 357th Magnum revolver.
Facts from the biography
From the biography of Robert Budd Dwyer, we know that he was born on November 21, 1939 in the city of Saint Charles, Missouri, USA. He received his master's degree from Olegheny College in Midwell, PA. He devoted twenty-two years of his life to building a political career and achieved impressive results, going from teacher to state senator.
Robert Budd Dwyer and the reason for the tragic ending
In the early '80s, Pennsylvania authorities discovered that due to an error in the tax system, state employees were charged excess income tax. To clarify all the details and calculate the compensation package, it was announced that an external audit company was being sought. Considering the large amount of the government contract in the amount of 4.6 million US dollars, there were many applicants to undertake this work.
In the end, the choice fell on the company from California Computer Technology Associates (CTA), but as soon as they got down to business, the governor of Pennsylvania received an anonymous letter with information about the illegal conclusion of the transaction.
The investigation led to state treasurer Robert Budd Dwyer, who made the final decision on the choice of executor. He was suspected of taking advantage of his influence and receiving a bribe of US $ 300, 000, which was subsequently confirmed by the confession of two STA employees.
He was threatened with a 55-year sentence and a fine of $ 300, 000. Dwyer denied his guilt and did not back down from his verdict. In search of justice, he even appealed to President Reagan for a pardon.
The unexpected finale of the last press conference of Dwyer
On January 22, 1987, the day before the last trial, Robert Budd Dwyer convened a press conference in his office to clarify the details of the case. Many expected that the purpose of this event would be the resignation of the treasurer of the state, but no one could even imagine that they were to witness such a shocking finale.
The politician took 30 minutes to speak, and even without extensive knowledge in the field of psychology, it is easy to see that he was in a state of extreme nervous tension. Sharp gestures, perspiration, hasty incoherent speech - and how can a person who has launched a countdown in his life, every second inevitably brings him closer to a tragic denouement, to think about conformity to the canons of oratory. In a final speech, he spoke of his innocence and that he had been the victim of political persecution; criticized the imperfection of the existing justice system and called for work to create a new and more perfect one.
In the middle of the speech, without having heard the letter of resignation, many reporters were about to leave the premises, but Dwyer interrupted his speech and said that they needed to stay, because it was not all over. After not reading the final page, he called his assistants and handed them 3 envelopes: in one there was a death letter to the family, in the other an organ donor card, and the third envelope was addressed to Pennsylvania Governor Robert P. Keysley.
There was another envelope, the contents of which terrified everyone present, and it was intended for the speaker himself. It had a Magnum 357 caliber revolver. Dwyer warned people in the hall that they could leave the room if they were not sure that they could withstand what they saw. The chaos began - some tried to escape, not understanding who the deadly weapon was intended for, others tried to stop Dwyer, but a fatal shot rang out.
Mass media about what happened
After this tragic event, several television companies broadcast a press conference within the state and beyond. Some interrupted the broadcast before the shot, others turned off the image from that moment, but there were also those who transmitted the press conference without editing, causing many copies to be available on the Web to this day. Moreover, the press conference went on the air during the daytime without any warnings about content not intended for children and people with weak nervous systems, which caused a huge resonance in society. On this day, many children remained at home due to adverse weather conditions and had access to shocking shots.
It is noteworthy that the son of Dwyer, who on that day learned about the death of his father on the radio, returning from the university, never watched the record of his father's suicide.
Jim Dirschberger's film Honest Man: The Life of R. Budd Duyer
Twenty years after Dwyer's death, a documentary was released on his screens about his life, career, politics and corruption. It presents exclusive interviews with relatives, relatives and associates of the politician, including the last interview with his wife, who died in 2009 due to a serious illness. She was never able to accept what had happened and to understand what reason prompted Robert Budd Duyer to take that fateful step.
The film admits a key witness for William Smith's accusation that he gave false evidence against Dwyer, hoping for a mitigation of punishment.
We won’t find any definitive conclusions about whether Robert Budd Dwyer is guilty - he allows the viewer to solve this dilemma himself, based on the facts provided.
