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(02/19/18 6:25pm)
by Conner Tighe
Andrew Cunanan’s story unfolds in American Crime Story’s latest episode. Episode 5 details the events that lead up to Jeff Trail’s death, which was seen in the previous episode. The prejudice against LGBT+ people that surfaced in the military during the late ‘90s is seen in this episode as well. Andrew’s soft side is shown in this episode and the ending packs an emotional punch. The Versace family returns and Gianni decides to make a courageous decision involving the media.
The beginning of the episode involves Gianni, Donatella, and Antonio discussing Gianni’s decision to come out to the public. Gianni believes that the world deserves to know not only the truth about him, but also Antonio’s involvement. Donatella isn’t convinced and believes that the Versace company will lose its business and financial support. Antonio and Donatella become tense with each other over this big decision, and Gianni eventually breaks the tension. Donatella attempts to convince her brother to rethink this decision, but he is convinced that this is the right thing to do.
It is revealed later on in the episode that Andrew, Jeff, and David were all friends at one point in time. Andrew decides to come visit Jeff and David, which creates problems between the three. Jeff is reluctant to see Andrew and allows him to stay in his apartment while he goes to stay with his pregnant sister. Andrew later arrives at Jeff’s apartment and goes through his belongings. He uncovers Jeff’s military uniform and a video that reveals Jeff outing himself as gay. His voice and face are disguised, but he states that everyone will know he is gay and his career in the military will soon die if it already hasn’t.
Jeff’s life in the military is then shown along with his struggles during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” period. He finds a man being beaten to death by other soldiers and jumps into the mess and saves him. Later on, Jeff is told that gay people are being identified by tattoos on their bodies in their unit. Jeff later attempts to cut his tattoo off his leg but doesn’t go through with it. The soldiers in his unit begin to look at Jeff differently and treat him differently. Jeff later thinks about attempting to commit suicide. Jeff’s struggles are shown very well along with this time period in the military. Homosexuals were discriminated against in the military and often struggled to hide their identity.
Time flashes forward now as we observe Andrew and David’s relationship. Andrew comes to David’s apartment and reveals an expensive watch to him. David is confused and refuses the watch, but Andrew then gets on one knee and proposes to David. David repeatedly tells him it’s against the law for two men to marry, but Andrew isn’t convinced. He tries and tries to get David to marry him. David eventually tells Andrew that he doesn’t want to be with him.
While Jeff is at his sister's, he talks to her about coming out to their family. She wants him to, but Jeff thinks it will ruin his relationship with his parents. Jeff then changes the subject and tells his sister how excited he is to become an uncle. Meanwhile, Andrew stalks David’s daily activities and his “friends” that come to stay with him. Andrew’s obsession with David is very powerful and he feels this need to protect him. He is deeply in love with David and is willing to do anything to keep him.
The next day Jeff returns to his apartment and finds that Andrew has gone through his stuff. The two engage in a heated argument. Andrew attempts to calm Jeff down and Jeff screams in his face. Andrew then silently picks up his belongings and leaves the apartment. As of right now, we are confused as to why Jeff hates Andrew so much. Later on, it is revealed that Jeff met Andrew at a gay bar and the two were inseparable at one time. Jeff tells Andrew that he is going to talk to the press about the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Act. Andrew tells him it is a bad idea and it will ruin his reputation as an officer in the military. Jeff tells him he feels a need to do this and leaves.
Jeff attends an interview with the press and talks about his struggles in the military as a gay man. Gianni and Antonio are also at an interview and Gianni decides to reveal his sexuality to the press. Jeff leaves the military and comes to David’s apartment. As we saw in the previous episode, David goes down to get Jeff and is later killed by Andrew. Jeff’s sister gives birth to a girl and the family repeatedly leaves voicemails at Jeff’s apartment. The camera pans around Jeff’s apartment and leaves off on the image of Jeff’s military uniform.
(02/11/18 9:13pm)
by Conner Tighe
Warning: This review contains spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.
The thrilling season of American Crime Story continues with new information on Andrew Cunanan. New characters, brutal violence and a series of flashbacks go hand-in-hand with this episode. Andrew’s latest love interest, David, goes on a little road trip with him while they evade the cops. All the events that take place in this episode occur one week before Lee Miglin’s murder. Episode four explores Andrew's early love life while also providing a sense of isolation with the events that occur. It becomes crystal clear how alone Andrew really is.
As usual, the opening scene sets up the whole episode with a horrific event. Andrew is dating and living with a current boyfriend, David Madson in an apartment in Minneapolis. Judging by the dialogue between the two, they are having relationship issues and it’s not clear why. The buzzer rings and Andrew asks who is on their way up. David assures him it’s Jeff. When David goes down to get Jeff, it becomes clear what has happened. Andrew has asked David to marry him and David has denied him. David is now focused on being with Jeff. When the two return to the apartment, Andrew brutally murders Jeff in front of David. He repeatedly bludgeons Jeff in the face with a hammer until he is no longer recognizable. David is left in shock staring at Andrew while their dog, Prints, begins barking repeatedly.
Andrew realizes what he has done and tries to talk to David. David is in shock and is just staring into nothingness. Andrew then takes David into the bathroom and undresses him. He puts him in the shower and washes the blood off them both. This whole scene is very well done. It provides a good sense of Andrew’s brutality. The blood along the walls and the camera angles help provide a true terror in the apartment. David eventually comes back to reality and repeatedly says, “You k-killed him. You k-killed Jeff.” Andrew assures David that it was for him and it needed to be done. Andrew’s lack of empathy and feelings gives an excellent view of his personality.
David tries to call the police, but Andrew keeps telling him that nobody will believe him. He believes the police don’t care about them because they are gay. It’s David’s apartment and he was the one who brought Jeff up to the apartment. David is persuaded and decides not to call the police. One of David’s coworkers drops by because he didn’t show up at work. When she knocks on the door, there is no answer besides Prints’ repeated barking. The owner of the building opens the door and they find Jeff’s body rolled up in a rug. David and Andrew have somehow managed to escape to Andrew’s red jeep and they speed off.
David has frequent flashbacks to his childhood specifically dealing with his sexuality. He is hunting with his dad near a lake looking for ducks. His dad finds and kills one and brings it to David’s feet. David begins to cry, and his dad tells him to stop crying and to never be sad. David is then sitting on the passenger side with his hand out the window. Andrew tries to tell him that everything will be okay. He plans on running away to Mexico with him. He also claims he knows a man in Chicago who owes him some money. From the previous episode, we know he is talking about Lee Miglin. Andrew tells David that it’s smart to stay with him because he loves him and nobody else understands them. They are all alone.
There are several times when David attempts to escape from Andrew, but he is always caught by Andrew. David falls asleep in the car and has another flashback. This time he wins an award from his school and goes to his dad to tell him. After his dad congratulates him, David tells him that he is gay. He then begins to cry, and his dad tells him to stop and that he still loves him.
He later wakes up and notices that they are parked in a field. Andrew is nowhere to be seen, so David decides to make a break for it. He is then caught by Andrew and they continue their road trip. The two argue to the point where Andrew pulls over by a lake and drags David out of the car. He forces him to get on his knees and he then pulls out his gun. David explains that he loves Andrew and they can make it work. Andrew isn’t convinced and is about to pull the trigger when David gets up and begins to run towards a small wooden shack nearby. He fires several times, incapacitating David. Andrew approaches him and fires one last shot through his head. He then leaves in his red jeep and makes his way to Chicago.
Featured image from Laughing Place
(02/10/18 10:11pm)
by Eben Griger
An Indianapolis tech entrepreneur warned that Indiana’s refusal to protect its LGBTQ+ population through legislation helps solidify the state’s public image as “the land of bigots” in an open letter Tuesday.
Josh Driver, CEO of tech start-up Selfless.ly and the man behind Open for Service, released “an open letter to the state of Indiana,” in response to the state’s failure to pass a hate crime bill in the form of Senate Bill 418. Indiana remains one of five states without such a bill, which increases the penalties for crimes influenced by the victim’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
In the letter, Driver addresses Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which turns three this year, calling it “disastrous,” but also recognizing the RFRA as “the wakeup call technology companies needed to find their voice.” According to Driver, the legacy of the RFRA along with the lack of a hate crime bill may drive people and companies away from Indiana, Amazon in particular.
Indianapolis is one of the final choices for Amazon’s HQ2, which the New York Times says could boost the economy by $50 billion. While the the impact of the RFRA seems to be dissipating, Driver says the state’s lack of “common sense legislation” may become an issue for state growth.
“Personally, as the founder of a tech startup, I want to know that Indiana has my back. You can give me tax credits and incentives all day long, but I’m looking for authentic support. I need to know that the tech talent I need to grow my business is welcomed here.”
Andrew Hurst, a trans Ball State student, echoed much of the same sentiment.
“I have a lot of trouble with it, living here and trying to be proud of where I live,” Hurst said. “Loving the people here and also knowing that there are many people who don’t want to acknowledge my rights or my safeties.”
Driver ends his open letter with “Hoosier hospitality is still alive and well. It just needs to come out of the closet.” Hurst has the same idea when it comes to the times changing in the Hoosier state, but also has some reservations.
“While I’m very disappointed in Indiana, I also think that this too will pass,” Hurst said. “The problem is the amount of damage that will be done while we wait for that."
Driver's open letter has shown the importance of state legislators. To find out who your Indiana state legislators, go here to learn more.
Source(s): Venture Beat, New York Times
Image(s): Huffington Post
(02/05/18 3:43pm)
by Conner Tighe
Warning: This review may contain spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.
American Crime Story’s most recent episode may be the darkest yet. Episode 3 focuses on Andrew Cunanan’s movements and motives. This episode also focuses mainly on the Miglin family. The Versace family is not featured in the episode nor are they mentioned. Andrew’s killing spree continues with two more victims, along with his evading the authorities.
Marilyn Miglin, the well-known perfume saleswoman, is seen selling her products on QVC Network. She later calls her husband Lee to tell him that she’s coming home. If you recall from the last episode, Lee was Andrew’s client while he was in Miami. It’s obvious Marilyn is on a trip of some sort. Marilyn arrives at the house and Lee is nowhere to be found. Her neighbors help search the house and eventually the search leads the neighbors to the garage. Lee’s body is found and a scream is heard in the distance. Marilyn quietly mutters, “I knew it.” The past few opening scenes for American Crime Story have been very moving and this one is no exception.
The Miglin family are well-known in Chicago and are obviously wealthy. A series of flashbacks shows that Andrew is in town and he calls up Lee to inform him. Lee agrees to Andrew coming over for a “visit”. Marilyn is leaving for her trip to promote her perfume products. She asks Lee to come with her, but he refuses. Andrew arrives a few hours later and Lee tries his best to impress him by telling him about a new project of construction he wants to start. Andrew implies that Lee is not impressive, and their visits are strictly business. Lee clearly doesn't like this answer and he asks to have sex with Andrew. Andrew leads Lee into the garage and gags him. Andrew then informs Lee that he’s about to kill him. He says he will stage the crime scene to “disgrace” him so that the world will know that Lee is living a lie. Andrew then repeatedly stabs Lee and leaves with his Lexus.
The setup of this scene and Andrew’s insanity was done very well. Andrew is shown to be even more violent than we anticipated. He’s ruthless and has little regard for human life. Andrew shows little remorse or emotion for killing Lee and continues his journey. We don’t know exactly where Andrew’s destination is, but he appears perfectly happy and calm. Lee’s phone in his Lexus is later used as a tracking device for the FBI. They almost identify his location, but Andrew realizes what’s happening and smashes the antennae on the car. Once again, the authorities are left with no clues on Andrew’s whereabouts.
The police attempt to question Marilyn on possible suspects for her husband’s killer, but she refuses to talk about it. She only cares about catching the killer herself. The police question the possibility that Andrew could be the killer and inform Marilyn of this. Marilyn doesn’t know or care who Andrew is. The police are left with no leads except for Andrew’s abandoned Jeep a few blocks away. This is the vehicle Andrew used to get to Chicago. It seems at this point in the show that Andrew is toying with the authorities. He knows he’s smart enough to evade them and he wants them to know that. Meanwhile, Andrew is in search of a new vehicle.
Andrew arrives at a park and searches the area for a possible vehicle. He spots a middle-aged man leaving in a red pickup truck. Andrew follows him to his house. He comes through the door demanding his car keys. The man agrees to his demand and asks Andrew not to hurt him. Andrew later takes the man down to the basement in the house and tells the man to get on his knees. The man claims that he has a son and a wife and wants to see them again. But before the man can continue, Andrew shoots him in the back of the head. Andrew leaves with the man’s truck.
Featured image from Laughing Place
(01/30/18 11:54pm)
by Conner Tighe
Warning: This episode may contain spoilers for this episode and previous episodes of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.
Episode two of American Crime Story season two adds some much-needed pieces to the Versace puzzle. New pieces of the plot become clearer and more background is brought into the light with Andrew Cunanan. This episode mainly focuses on Andrew’s slowly dwindling sanity along with some history between siblings Donatella and Gianni Versace.
It is surprising to find out that Gianni was sick. Gianni and his partner Antonio had an open relationship which led to Gianni contracting AIDS. This revelation causes hardship between Donatella and Antonio. Donatella wants what is best for Gianni, but he is unwilling to give up Antonio. The big reveal here is that Gianni was already dying before he was killed. The issue of running Versace after Gianni’s death is put into question. Donatella does not feel ready but decides to run the company.
The episode provides emotion right off the bat. Donatella does her best to stay out of the press when Gianni passes. She brings him a nice suit and dresses him for his viewing, but he is later cremated. His ashes are sent with Donatella on a plane back to Italy. She then mentions all the hardships her brother had to face during the AIDS epidemic. Gianni had claimed he was HIV negative to the press. As viewers, we know this simply isn't the truth. The writing here is brilliant because it provides a glimpse into the struggles Gianni faced. His open relationship with Antonio was difficult to accept and he was dealing with internal decisions. He was more than a celebrity and fashion designer.
Andrew Cunanan continues to evade the authorities with ease and checks into a hotel in Miami. Cunanan's obsession with Versace has led him to follow up on everything he has ever made or accomplished. This becomes obvious in a conversation with Ronnie, a local in the Miami area. Andrew’s personality changes so frequently within the episode it is hard to decipher his true intentions. At this point he makes his money by becoming a local escort for wealthy men.
His friendship with Ronnie quickly dwindles and Ronnie is left dumbstruck by Andrew’s change in behavior. Andrew has a layout of his own movements on the wall and realizes he needs to move on. At this point it becomes obvious that he is also a compulsive liar. He tells everyone a different story about his life and dreams. It makes us realize that even we as the audience don’t know who Andrew really is. He’s very cunning and is good at staying under the radar.
Andrew’s lifestyle leads him to the gay culture in Miami, Florida where he is learning to take advantage of young, naïve men. He is very open about his sexuality. His hiding from the authorities leaves him hurting for money, hence the escorting. Adding this to the episode demonstrates just how dangerous Andrew truly is; he will say and do whatever to gain someone’s trust but will also break someone's trust just as easily. He is beginning to form patterns of behavior which the FBI starts to recognize. This episode is more about the background of the characters rather than the events taking place. This is done very well using both the past and the present.
Featured image from Laughing Place
(01/24/18 9:42pm)
by Conner Tighe
On the new season of American Crime Story, Ryan Murphy takes another stab at an infamous event in America’s history. Gianni Versace’s death shocked the country and produced the largest failed manhunt in American history. Since we are living in a time of constant scandalous revelations, it’s only appropriate that this story be told now as a form of justice for the victims. There are notable cast members in the show including Darren Criss, Penélope Cruz, Ricky Martin and Édgar Ramírez. There was substantial hype for the season and the premiere lived up to it. Let’s take a look at what made last night’s episode so brilliant.
The opening scene of the show is a good place to start. We, as the audience, watch Versace go through his morning routine. During this time we also are introduced to Andrew Cunanan. We slowly watch as Cunanan goes crazy and behaves erratically. We don’t understand why he’s acting this way. Versace goes to buy a newspaper and returns to his villa when he hears someone approach him from behind. Andrew cocks his handgun and fires. Versace responds simply with “No.” This is a powerful opening to the show and an instant attention grabber.
The acting is superb in this episode and characters are introduced relatively quickly. Andrew Cunanan is not all he appears to be after we learn he is a sociopath. He tells the story of when he first met Versace and his admiration for his way of life. His fixation on Versace is creepy and he is very clever with his killings. Versace was only the fifth victim of Cunanan’s. Versace’s partner Antonio D’Amico shows extreme sorrow when he learns of his lover’s death. He consults with Gianni’s sister Donatella about the future of Versace’s company.
I can see this show turning into a binge marathon as each episode is roughly an hour long. The first episode alone was well-done and the acting was amazing. Each character had their own role to play with very little character overlap. The backstory was important to the plot and easy to interpret and understand. For those who don't know the story behind Versace’s death, this show is a great way to look into the details, specifically the mind of madman Andrew Cunanan. It’s also important to mention that the show provides a face to the name. For those that are familiar with the story already, the show goes beyond just descriptions of the victims.
Featured image from Laughing Place
(01/07/18 6:54pm)
The Ball State men's basketball team was missing a player on Saturday because of an arrest made earlier that morning.
(10/01/17 5:23am)
University police made one arrest following reports of shots fired in the 1000 block of West Ashland Avenue shortly after midnight Sunday, according to officers responding to the call.
(08/23/17 1:23pm)
Welcome Week is when everyone returns to campus and freshmen move in. Along with emptying boxes comes a lot of partying, which keeps local law enforcement busy.
(08/04/17 2:46pm)
Editor's note: The Weekly Crime Roundup is based on reports from the Muncie and University Police Departments. Reported crimes are based on proximity to Ball State's campus and/or the severity of the crime.
(07/24/17 5:44pm)
A Muncie woman was arrested July 20 for check fraud.
(07/07/17 2:29pm)
What's been happening with crime in Muncie during the holiday week? Here's this week's Crime Roundup from June 30 through July 5.
(07/01/17 4:00am)
The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the public’s help in locating two wanted subjects.
(06/16/17 2:17pm)
What's been happening with crime in Muncie? Here is the crime roundup for the week of June 9-15.
(05/17/17 11:38pm)
Muncie and Indianapolis Police executed a search warrant Wednesday morning at a Muncie home.
(01/28/17 10:35pm)
Muncie police are investigating after an unnamed male was shot at the apartments at 1701 N. Rosewood Ave Saturday evening.