Heightened interest in 'Cocaine Bear' punctuates unanswered questions Some may have called this just a coincidence, but Ross looked at it one of two ways, and both could have been logical. People are ready to believe almost anything. But they decided not to let him have the recognition hedeserved,and to make sure that his music, bluegrass music, would nevereverachieve mass appeal. This, the second of five related stories this week, looks at the WKYT journalists who worked to dig up the network of organized crime and corruption with ties to the story behind the film. Magnolias & Mimosas : What I'm Reading: The Bluegrass Conspiracy - Blogger The LA Secret Police as Mike Rothmiller calls them. It seemed as if Thorntons parachute didnt open when he was trying to land (Consequences and Effect). The LA Secret Police as Mike Rothmiller calls them. Famous 300-year-old bur oak was saved from development. Living in Kentucky near all the event mentioned in The Bluegrass Conspiracy I found this book to be really historical and cool. Brown, Jr. Canan was also linked to, but never charged with, the disappearance of Melanie Flynnthe 24-year old Lexington woman whose disappearance in January 1977 remains one of Lexingtons most enduring mysteries. When falling off Melanie suffered a serious head injury and was placed in the hospital for several months. I have always loved a good conspiracy theory. Uncovering the conspiracy: Former WKYT journalists reflect on crime, corruption behind Cocaine Bear drug run, In the early- to mid-1980s, WKYT reported extensively on what would become known as the Bluegrass Conspiracy., One dead after tree falls onto car in Lexington, Chris Baileys Forecast | Potential for tornadoes to spin up across the area, One arrested, one injured in Nicholasville shooting, Big Sandy RECC crews continue working to restore power outages, Family of Letcher County woman offering reward for information on her death, EKY churches partner to help those impacted by historic flood, The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs and Murder,, 2019 podcast interview with WKYTs Amber Philpott, Uniquely Kentucky with Amber Philpott | Sally Denton, The Bluegrass Conspiracy, the circumstances surrounding Thorntons death. HOME; INTERIORS; EXTERIORS; OFFICE & PORTRAITS; PUBLICITY/EVENTS; CONSTRUCTION; INFO Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. On February 8th, just 11 days after Melanie was reported missing, a Lexington Police Officer found Melanies 1975 red Ford Elite in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Hollow Creek Road. "When Kentucky Blueblood Drew Thornton parachuted to his death in September 1985 carrying thousands in cash and 150 pounds of cocaine, the gruesome end of his startling life blew open a scandal that reached to the most secret circles of the U.S. government. Elizabeth Banks to direct 'Cocaine Bear' movie | Lexington Herald Leader (part 2), From The Side of the Road Bluegrass Deuteronomy, book 1, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press at Bluegrass Wednesday Nights, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cinderlands Warehouse (Pittsburgh), Wernick Method Bluegrass Jam Class with Joel Denman Durango, CO, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cork Harbour Pub (Pittsburgh), Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Dave Wright & the Midnight Ramblers from Down Under, Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Bononia Grass plays with an Italian flavor, Russ Hooper: 74 years in bluegrass music and still gigging, Jason Fraley returns to Deeper Shade of Blue for one last show. Siegel told LEX 18 that he has watched police dig up dirt piles for at least two full days and carefully search the area. From The Side of the Road 500th column reflections, From The Side of the Road Catch the Bluegrass Wave, From The Side of the Road Its the law! "We will exhaust all of our leads again, and hopefully we can come up with something that will help the family out.". Along with Bill Canan, Thornton was a part of the narcotics section of the Lexington Police Department. It is an inside story of power, greed, drugs, and murder and it blew the lid off of Lexington, Ky. when it was released. What Happened to the Real Cocaine Bear? | Vanity Fair Along with Bill Canan being her boyfriend, Melanie had gone on a few dates with the attractive Andrew Thornton. Has this training continued? Bluegrass Conspiracy | Nicholasville KY 1) How you doing on THE CHRISTINA MOORE MURDER in Round Rock, Texas, by contract surveillance (retired cops) who came after me in Austin, Texas, backin in 1997-2001. The Hollywood movie being released in late February is being marketed as "horror/comedy." Those categories might sound like a strange combination but will undoubtedly include a sizable amount . When you see news happening, share it! Dentons reporting turned over the rocks, and the evils - the weevils - came out, Kurtz said previously, highlighting the continuous nature of the revelations during that time. People may say, where is she going with this. He was sentenced to 17 years without parole(Kentucky). And youre going to tell me this is just a coincidence? [Channel] 27 had to take a little bit of criticism from various people when Sally was doing various stories about the police department, Kurtz said, many of which ended up in The Bluegrass Conspiracy., (Dentons book: The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs and Murder, was first published in 1989. Neither of their obituaries mentioned their criminal convictions and lengthy federal prison sentences. When introducing Canan to the people associated with the drug ring, Melanie would introduce him as her boyfriend. Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was sentenced Friday to life in prison after being convicted of murdering his wife and their youngest son. We'd love to hear from you. Something else that made Ross look into Andrew Thornton was, just two weeks before Melanies disappearance was reported. Police following credible tip about 1977 disappearance - WLEX Both of Melanies knew that Canan was involved in the disappearance. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. A unique variety of people make up the population, from tobacco farmers to entrepreneurs and lawyers. Required fields are marked *. (Mena and Contra deal WAS CIA). A wildly popular thread on the Lexington, Kentucky Topix forum filled with facts, theories, and inevitably fiction, titled "The Bluegrass Conspiracy" (a reference to Sally Denton's book The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs and Murder) contained a short, obscure statement from an anonymous author referencing a "huge London, KY connection" in regards to the . Op-Ed. Uncovering the conspiracy: Former WKYT journalists reflect on crime I left Kentucky in 1983 and developed what I had uncovered during my three-year stint there into the book The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs and Murder, published by Doubleday in 1989. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. At least 4 deaths; power outages climb. Alison Krauss has missed more than half of her tour dates this year due to acute asthma, brought on by a recently developed allergy to banjo strings. My family and I are en route from Alberta to Nashville before we head to Morganton, NC. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Though just an hour south of the major metropolitan hub of Louisville, Bardstown, Kentucky, is a world away. Chris Jones wears many hats in his bluegrass career. http://www.lycaeum.org/drugwar/biblio.html Denton is an award-winning investigative reporter, author, and historian. Wow, I haven't had this much fun reading since Bill Bryson's 'A Walk in the Woods'. ----------------- Although Thornton denied any allegations that him and Melanie had no other relationship the just being close friends. 4) I exchanged posts with you at conspiracy cafe where you put the Blue Grass Conspiracy post. www.facebook.com/chrisjonesgrass. The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs, and Some took this seriously, others saw it as satire. The 24-year-old was last seen leaving work . The FEDS and the local cops work much more closely together (CIA, DEA, Fish and Wildlife {in recent years} BATF and more) than the normal citizen would even dream that they do. With public doubt and criticism of Dentons reporting still lingering even after she left, Denton and Kurtz agreed that it was the circumstances surrounding Thorntons death - when his parachute failed to open after he jumped from a plane with cocaine, cash, guns and gold strapped to him - that finally lent more credence to what they had been saying all along. On Thursday, crews focused on digging in one particular area and brought in an excavator to dig two holes. 3) You can find my blog at Beans banality. (He also hired Barbara Bailey, Bill Bryant and Sam Dick.). Logout. The story of the Bluegrass Conspiracy and the fact that is it hardly known to the Lexington community raises the question of what else do we not know about? --------------- If I came out and publicly announced that it was satire, those taking it seriously might still believe it anyway, so what good would it do? To make it seem as there was nothing fishy was going on, Melanie would take Canan to lavish parties thrown by Anita and Preston Madden; mostly Anita would host the parties while Preston followed her around like a lost puppy. He owned a house here in Lexington on Old Dobbin Road (a fine house) while he lived in the Governor's mansion and a man named Jimmy Lambert ran the gambling, drug, prostitution, porn, outfit out of it. October 19, 2004. These good ole boys will destroy without conscience, as Kentucky has the meanest people in the world. And as documented, they can make it look natural, or accidental compliments of the CIA training. He later transferred to Sewanee Military Academy, [1] graduating in 1962. In 1989, Sally Denton wrote a book titled The Bluegrass Conspiracy after the scandal became known. To avoid getting arrested and ruining her reputation Melanie and Canan made the agreement. At one time, actor Warren Beatty was on the board of directors of the resort. Consequences and Effects | bluegrassconspiracy Thornton was found in Knoxville, Tennessee. who has written a number of books, including, "The Bluegrass Conspiracy." Use it wisely.) Brown; his top political aides; former policeman and blueblood Andrew Thornton, the leader of an organization known as the "Company"; and other bluebloods, rich from money originally earned in horse-breeding and racing. 240 people follow this. Brown, Jr. first met Phyllis Anne (former Miss America) while she was still married to Evans and they had "dealings' with each other. At the time that he was governor, Brown was married to Phyllis Anne George EVANS Brown. The story eventually balloons into a mammoth scandal known as the "Bluegrass Conspiracy", but no trace of Melanie is ever found. Kentucky State Police said they received a similar tip from a different person. Less than a year later, Jimmy's wife Elizabeth, who was serving a thirty-year sentence for plotting to kill the judge, dies in prison from . From The Side of the Road Top 10 bluegrass conspiracy theories The CIA's Office of Security in 1966 began training certain police officers throughout the United States, and had made overtures to him. In 1995, she sold the farm and they broke ground on what is now known in Lexington as Hamburg. Among those was John Bizzack --at the time the Earleys were murdered, one of the highest ranking officers in the department, second in command only to the Chief and in charge of both the homicide and narcotics division. The training courses, held at the CIA's compound near Washingon, D.C., included declassification of materials, foreign weapons, COUNTERAUDIO MEASURES, explosive devices and detection techniques, BASIC THEORIES OF INTELLIGENCE AND CLANDESTINE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION, COVERT PHOTOGRAPHY, AND PHOTOANALYSIS, and Ralph found that he was a quick study. The search is expected to continue for days. In 1894 Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer in the French army, was convicted of treason. All I could think what, what else are they hiding? Its not okay to think you are being protected by the local police department, when in fact they are the ones creating the problems. ALL books on RFK mention the close ties of LAPD, FBI, and CIA and how some officers flow back and forth from LAPD to govern't agencies and back again. Many species are useful as lawn, pasture, and forage grasses, and some are cultivated as ornamentals. They are trained with military equipment and in wire-tapping, surveillance and swat team/military tactics (which in my opinion is the cause --or partly the cause of some the terrible tragedies when swat teams go into the Wrong house and kill somebody). This scandal had a great impact on a small town, yet still remains a mystery to everyone not involved. Everything is painted black. After his departure, Dan Hays will continue to operate the IBMA from a secret bunker underneath the Franklin Theatre in Franklin, TN. Their long term goal is to eliminate traditional bluegrass so that Coca-Cola can appeal to a younger demographic. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 6940 Man O' War Blvd. I havent been a journalist in Kentucky for a long time, but I can still remember what they were suspected of and charged with back in the early 1980s when I was the investigative reporter for WKYT TV. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided byRefinitiv Lipper. LGBTQ Kentuckians are the target. His death inspired a story . What kept this operation afloat was the connections the smugglers had with Lexingtons wealthy citizens such as James Lambert, Anita Madden and Phillip Galls (Denton 53). The presidents of all the major streaming companies from Spotify to Apple Music are all Danish, are all the same person, and are all related to Mac Wiseman. Vance was a prominent state official who was convicted in 1987 on a federal charge of conspiracy to transport a firearm that was used in a murder. Maybe some LA cops were there? Each time I see the Kentucky Derby on TV now I will enjoy a nice chuckle, thanks to Denton! http://www.shout.net/~bigred/RFOJ.html, THE BLUEGRASS CONSPIRACY There are no urban legends in my world, and we all know that the web site Snopes.com, which purports to tell us which internet rumors are true or false, is nothing more than a front for a secret organization funded by the Koch Brothers, George Soros and the Queen of England (who all live together, by the way, in a condo in Belize). Many LOCAL law enforcement personel were at that picnic/campout that weekend. On Monday, Brad told LEX 18 that he is glad his sister has not been forgotten. Sally Denton, an investigative reporter, historian and author of The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs and Murder, explained the true story on the Moncrieff programme . See more. Lt. Albert Johnson echoed that message, telling the Herald-Leader. In the latest episode of Uniquely Kentucky, Denton is asked if she thinks there will ever be answers in the Flynn case. Editorials and other Opinion content offer perspectives on issues important to our community and are independent from the work of our newsroom reporters. bluegrass conspiracy where are they now Remember former state house member and "Bluegrass Conspiracy" actor Henry Vance? Bluegrass Conspiracy Archives - ABC 36 News The gap between the social classes is a direct result of the horse industry Kentucky is most known for. In order to save his own life, he agreed to carry a drummer in his band. It was the site of many a party and was, for a time, under close FBI surveillance. clnk&cd=1, Plea for Commutation of Death Sentence of Her husband's work while a police official entailed obstruction of justice: http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:10iTC4SUp Everyonein law enforcement is in on corruption. Drew Thorntons death really validated a lot of what she wrote, and now the Cocaine Bear comes along for a new generation and re-validates a lot.. And Im still waiting for that free computer from Bill Gates (or was that a free set of steak knives?). Twitter: @chrisjonesgrass He would be sentenced to 17 years and eight months. My Profile xxiv, 473 pages ; 20 cm "When Kentucky Blueblood Drew Thornton parachuted to his death in September 1985 carrying thousands in cash and 150 pounds of cocaine, the gruesome end of his startling life blew open a scandal that reached to the most secret circles of the U.S. government. Both of Melanie's knew that Canan was involved in the disappearance. LEX 18 was told that a credible tip was what led detectives to the campground near Murphy's Landing. Yet ultimately press coverage exposed the conspiracy. In that world passes a sordid cast of . Suffice it to say, a decision was made back in 1950 to let Monroe live, give himsomerecognition, and let him have a successful career. My Profile - Sandra K. Lindheimer, Middlesex Law Library, Cambridge, Mass. Legal Statement. Mark OConnor releases two books and a CD from his early years, Billy Strings at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press at Bluegrass Wednesday Nights, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cinderlands Warehouse (Pittsburgh), Wernick Method Bluegrass Jam Class with Joel Denman Durango, CO, Open Bluegrass Jam // Cork Harbour Pub (Pittsburgh), Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Dave Wright & the Midnight Ramblers from Down Under, Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Bononia Grass plays with an Italian flavor, Russ Hooper: 74 years in bluegrass music and still gigging, Jason Fraley returns to Deeper Shade of Blue for one last show. He apparently put a gun to his head there and suicided himself. Henry Vance Loses Appeal. Some went to jail then and some since. Many of Lexington Kentucky's policemen, lawyers, and high society members are considered to have been a part of this group of criminals. John Y. That's the big conspiracy theory in bluegrass music, but we also have numerous other ones, which I feel compelled to share with you now. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. "At that time, back in the 1960s, it was Yet even today, the 1977 disappearance of Melanie Flynn remains a mystery. It is time to leave Americaif you are into digging into conspiracies becauseuhthe police state is gonna be gulaging guys likeus. In 1995 (during the OJ trial) she managed to have Kato Kaelin as a houseguest and Derby Party guest. Brown, Jr. Bills like 470 and 115 revive a toxic culture that sees all LGBTQ people, including children, as suspect. viceandsuicideinthebluegrass | crime and dead folks The Universal Pictures film, described as a "character-driven thriller" highlights the events of the infamous Bluegrass Conspiracy.. These radical right wing cop groups (all RICO Felony conspiracies) always lead to the prosecutors at the fed, state, adn local levels. @kentuckyforkentucky Reply to @joeyvanrijk #greenscreen # . Hed been a beat cop throughout his career, and was appointed Chief of Police to clean up the corruption within the department. "They came with a backhoe and started digging down into the ground and said they were looking for some things, that's all they'd give us," said neighbor Brian Siegel. They were sure anxious for WHO was on it not to be known. Both men would serve the majority of their sentences and then return to Lexington upon their release. Melanie had a doctors appointment scheduled later that day at 5:30. Of all the people involved in the illegal drug ring also known as the Bluegrass Conspiracy, very few were ever punished. Just keep it off the television, whatever you do was how they put it, when this underhanded plan was being formed. The Bluegrass Conspiracy. The movie "Cocaine Bear" is now in theaters. Cookie Notice The story of Thornton and "The Company" he served, and . I believe almost all of them, too, whether they become discredited in the media or not. Carole Bizzack died in the August 27, 2006 Comair crash: Brown, Jr. was married to the ex wife of Robert Evans of Paramount Pictures fame---the Heidi Fleiss case--and had been the lover of Denise Brown years before---connected to drugs---tied in with the Cotton Club murder---etc. And he has to "go along" with what those backers do whether he may agree with it or not. Perhaps Cocaine Bear will still be good for a laugh or two though. Bobby Flynn went to Ralph Ross and asked him to take over the investigation of the case of his missing daughter. Avon Books. The film Cocaine Bear is a highly-fictionalized hypothetical account of what could have happened to the bear that was found dead after having ingested some of the cocaine Thornton dropped from his plane while flying over rural Georgia. Brad hopes that this tip could finally be the one. Secret Scandals in Lexington, Kentucky. His wife of 35 years died on the COMAIR plane crash at the Bluegrass Airport in 2006 where 49 south bound people perished. When Kentucky Blueblood Drew Thornton parachuted to his death in September 1985 carrying thousands in cash and 150 pounds of cocaine the gruesome end of his startling life blew open a scandal that rea. post-template-default single single-post postid-13829 single-format-standard, COMAIR CRASH: The BLUEGRASS MURDERS Connection. He was younger, a hunter (familiar with and admits to camping out and survival training), very bright, etc. After going many months, those months turning into years, investigators got a surprise. Her purse was discovered floating in the Kentucky River months later. Cocaine Bear is rated R for bloody violence and gore, drug content and language throughout. A Lexington resident during this time, Donna Brandenburg, said I remember when rumors of this started to spread. 'Cocaine Bear,' a drug smuggler and the very real story behind it all In many cases, his "backers" are way more powerful than he is. "Cocaine Bear" begins production - On3.com Cornishville, KY is said to be the drug capitol of the world.. Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. It was just a shared hallucination by the attendees. Yes, 'Cocaine Bear' was real. Now the stuffed ursine is 'having a Your email address will not be published. 'Shakespearean twist.'. I am an investigative reporter, author, and historian who writes about the subjects others ignore--from a drug conspiracy in Kentucky to organized crime in Las Vegas; from corruption within the Mormon Church to murdered women in New Mexico; from one of America's bitterest political campaigns to the powerful forces arrayed against Franklin D. Roosevelt. Cocaine Bear: No Bluegrass Conspiracy, just one hopped-up apex - AOL Everything Cocaine Bear Doesn't Tell You About The True Story Doyle Lawson also knew too much about the mysterious deaths of three of Jimmy Martins hunting dogs. After calls to his elder sisters, both of whom dismissed . Her car was found a week later in Lexington. by Sally Denton Brown was on a Fast-Track to the White House at the time, yet he lost and won a million dollars at a time in Vegas. http://www.amazon.com/Bluegrass-Conspiracy- Dreyfus was innocent; the conviction rested on false documents, and when officials realised this they attempted a cover up. 9780380714414: The Bluegrass Conspiracy - Sally Denton - AbeBooks Denton did not respond to an interview request for this story, but, in a 2019 podcast interview with WKYTs Amber Philpott, Denton said that Lexington in the early 1980s was an investigative reporters paradise because of the corruption in plain sight. Edition Details. Brown, Jr., Dan Lasater (Bill Clinton), and the whole crew. The IBMA has actually been bankrupt since the first year it moved to Nashville, and last year it was secretly sold to the Coca-Cola company for an undisclosed amount of cash and controlling interest in the IBMA Board of Directors. She worked for a prominent public sports agency. The true story behind Elizabeth Banks' new film 'Cocaine Bear' But afte that the case went cold for years. This woman was indicted (but managed to have charges dropped), she supplied money, was involved in game fixing in the NFL and college games, was interviewed in the disappearance/death of Melanie Flynn (a party girl) who was last seen in her presence and more. Powered and implemented byFactSet Digital Solutions. . I just think the Heidi deal and other connections (whew! Ralph Rose, a Kentucky state policeman who began a crusade to catch Thornton and his associates, was eventually forced out by being framed in an illegal wiretapping charge. After giving the police all the details, the case of the missing Melanie Flynn started to become highly publicized. were there TOGETHER. When I reported these and numerous other related stories, the famous Lexington socialite Anita Madden picketed the television station, accusing me of what would today be called fake news and demanding my termination. As I reported exclusively during that time, Vance, a former Fayette County deputy sheriff and top aide to former Kentucky Governor Julian Carroll, conspired with a Lexington woman to kill a state attorney. It was said he worked at the airport in freight. And when COMAIR crashed, I figured the list of passengers would be more valuable than the black box in determining the cause. CONSPIRACY THEORIES THAT TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE: List of - Blogger The taxidermied bear on display at the Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington, Kentucky known as the "Cocaine Bear" is NOT the actual bear that died in the drug smuggling saga known commonly as "The Bluegrass Conspiracy.". It's on the Kentucky River on U.S. 68 in Mercer County. This agreement came up because Melanie was going to get arrested for possession of marijuana. The Bluegrass Conspiracy - Google Books In January of 1980, a hotel maid called the police when she smelled pot smoke.
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