Beauty Murder

Friday, April 9, 2004 -- 9:41 AM
The witness, who was the business sponsor of the Yoknapatawpha County Literature Festival Beauty Pageant, was interrogated by the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department subsequent to her arrest. The interview was conducted by Detectives Armstrong and Murphy and was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness' knowledge and consent.
TA = Detective T. Armstrong
SM = Detective S. Murphy
AL = Allie Lamar
TA: For the record, Mrs. Lamar, you have been advised of her rights and you waived the right to counsel. Is that correct?
AL: Yes. As I said, this is clearly some kind of misunderstanding which I am perfectly capable of clearing up on my own, if you'll simply permit me.
TA: Let us get what we need for the record before we do anything else. Please state your name and address.
AL: Allie Lamar. 638 North Lamar. Oxford.
SM: Mrs. Lamar, we've concluded our investigation, a very thorough investigation.
TA: There is no doubt that you did this, Mrs. Lamar.
AL: I didn't do--
SM: Wait a minute, Mrs. Lamar. Just listen to what we have to tell you.
AL: But--
TA: Now just stop there, Mrs. Lamar. Just stop. You killed Barbara Dubois. There's no doubt about it and no use denying it. After you got entry to the pageant headquarters on the night of the murder, you found out that Barbara would win the pageant. Isn't that correct?
AL: I only wanted to check on--
SM: Mrs. Lamar, we know it's correct. We have both a witness and physical evidence as proof. So don't bother to lie about what we already know. You entered the pageant office, checked the confidential balloting, and then took the trophy and left.
AL: Yes. But--
TA: Just wait. Just listen. You took the pageant trophy and left the office. You encountered Barbara Dubois the hallway. You confronted her, there was a struggle, and the pageant trophy got broken during the scuffle. You knocked her to the floor and, in the process, Barbara scratched you and got your DNA underneath her fingernails. When she was on the floor, you clubbed her with heel of your shoe. You then dragged her body into closet and shut the door. Then you took your shoes outside and dumped them in the dumpster. On the way back, you met your son in the hallway. He saw you to your room. Now, that's what happened. Don't bother denying it, because those are the facts.
SM: Mrs. Lamar, the evidence puts you at the crime scene and puts the murder weapon in your hands. So we're not going to talk about those facts because those facts are established, aren't they?
AL: I guess so.
SM: Mrs. Lamar, you must feel horrible about all that's happened. It's been so hard for you, hasn't it?
AL: Yes. So very hard.
TA: But you've held up very well. You never let them see you cry.
AL: I didn't, did I?
SM: No, you didn't. But you know, don't you think it's about time you let someone else bear the burden?
AL: What do you mean?
TA: You kept secrets for Bill's own good, didn't you?
AL: Yes. How do you know? You have children.
TA: I know about parenting. Sometimes there are things you don't tell children, aren't there?
AL: Yes.
TA: And you were a good parent. But nobody's perfect, are they?
AL: No.
SM: We're all only human, aren't we?
AL: Yes. Just human beings.
TA: So we're fallible. It happens. Nobody expects us to do everything right. But it feels that way, doesn't it? Like we have be perfect?
AL: Yes. It does.
SM: So isn't it time you stopped trying to be what you can't be – perfect -- and just be human? Doesn't it feel like time to let someone else try to be right all the time?
AL: Yes. Yes, it does.
TA: People are just going to have to accept our mistakes and get over them, aren't they?
AL: Yes. I tried so hard.
SM: I know. You kept Bill and Barbara apart for they're own good, didn't you?
AL: Yes. That baby, it would have ruined both their lives.
TA: You worked with Susan Dubois to make sure that Barbara thought Bill dumped her, and you told Bill that Barbara didn't want to see him anymore and was going away. Then you sent him to Europe. It was all for their own good -- you had their best interests at heart -- but that's what you did, wasn't it?
AL: Yes. So immature. They would have thrown away everything, all their potential.
SM: So you did what you thought was best. A parent has to do that, doesn't she?
AL: Yes. I had to.
SM: But you had a good side. You gave money to ensure that Barbara's daughter was taken care of. Only a loving, caring person would do that. Unless, of course, Susan Dubois forced you to or threatened--
AL: No, she did no such thing. In fact, I insisted on paying the lawyer's adoption fees, Barbara's medical bills, and sending the child money each month. Susan put up a fight at first, but I was very firm.
SM: Of course you were. You are a strong woman; you do what has to be done. Yet you're caring. Everyone will see that in what you did for the child.
AL: You think so?
TA: Of course. Then, when Bill showed up at the pageant, you did what needed to be done. They were about to ruin their lives all over again, weren't they?
AL: Yes, they hadn't learned.
TA: Kids. They're like that, aren't they? So later, when you found out that Barbara would win, you knew you couldn't keep them apart. And they weren't mature enough to understand why you kept them apart so many years before, were they?
AL: Not at all. It took them ten minutes and they were head over heels in love again.
TA: And you couldn't let that destroy everything, could you? You had a responsibility.
AL: No. I couldn't. Yes, yes I did.
SM: And later, you ran in to Barbara in the hallway. She was sick, but I bet she was stubborn.
AL: That girl always was.
SM: She was going to tell Bill, wasn't she?
AL: Yes.
SM: She didn't understand at all, did she?
AL: No.
SM: And Bill is a fine boy -- you did such a good job -- but he just isn't mature enough yet to understand either, is he?
AL: No, I'm afraid not.
SM: So you didn't have a choice, really, did you?
AL: No. You're right. I didn't.
SM: So when Barbara wouldn't listen to reason, you did what you had to do with what you had on hand, didn't you? She fought with you and you used your shoe because you had to.
AL: Yes. Yes. I really didn't have a choice, like you say.
TA: We understand. On your way back to your room, before you ran into Barbara, did you think about what you needed to do to keep the two apart?
AL: I'm not sure.
SM: I bet you were very sad on the way back to your room when you realized that Barbara would have to go -- for everyone's sake. Did it hurt you?
AL: Yes, I was very sad. I really liked that girl, in a way.
SM: So when you realized you'd have to eliminate her, you tried to make some plans out to do it?
AL: Yes, but I couldn't think too well.
SM: But then you saw her, and you knew what you had to do.
AL: Yes.
SM: And you took charge and did what had to be done. People will understand that. Some will look up to you for it.
AL: You think so?
TA: We've seen a lot. Believe us.
SM: And you wanted to spare Bill -- and the others. So you put Barbara out of sight for a while, maybe just to give yourself some time to think. Lord knows, with the pressure you were under, you needed it. So you used the closet, didn't you?
AL: There wasn't anyplace else.
SM: Now Allie, you know we need to know who helped you.
AL: Nobody. I did this all myself.
SM: That's too much for one person!
AL: Just me.
TA: But Susan Dubois--
AL: She cashed my checks. That's it. I had to do it all. No one helped me at all. No one.
SM: So now it's out. Don't you feel better? Isn't better to have the truth in the open?
AL: Yes. I've been carrying all this for so long. It feels good to be free of it. I feel very alive.
SM: It feels good to feel alive.
AL: It does. It really does. Everyone should feel this way.
TA: Too bad Barbara Dubois can't.
Friday, April 9, 2004 -- 9:41 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d2K7z1s0Ko
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e-tC4UsRUs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsekbSoHgC4&feature=related



"Child beauty pageants are an aspect of our culture which reveal the rudeness that adults inflict onto children. This rudeness is rooted in the sexualization and commodification of children which encourages pedophilia. The rudeness in these pageants also includes the reinforcement of unhealthy perspectives (already media-driven) on body-image and competition in children. The most explicit transgression in these pageants lies in the fact that there are no laws currently protecting children from entering and participating in these competitions for their monetary rewards - in other words, pageants are exempt from child labor laws. More subtle transgressions can be seen in the resulting aftermath of child participants: the pedophilia that victimizes these participants and the maturation of these participants who end up with increased stress-related disorders, such as kleptomania and panic attacks."
-Jen, Shana & John