TV reporter (and actress who played Ann Coulter in W) brutally attacked...

[HerbieHeadhunter]

in her home in Little Rock and has sustained life threatening injuries. The attack was vicious...I've heard an account from somebody who knows and it doesn't look good.

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2008/10/breaking_news_5.aspx

[lpbk2713]

1. They stepped up a few notches from mailing white powder.

:eyes:

[YOY]

2. It's still not in full swing yet.

They will go into overdrive once Obama is elected. I fear them NOT.

The real question is "Who are the real terrorists?"

[stillcool]

14. You think this has something to do.

with her role in the movie W? If so, what does Obama have to do with the movie?

[YOY]

22. I suspect it highly. I also suspect that if Obama elected these freaks will

will go balistic...not in ultra-high numbers but enough to warrant public concern.

THey blame the movie and "liberals" for their downfall...instead of their own stupid selves.

[stillcool]

24. I didn't think that many people..

had seen the movie, or even know who this woman is, and what part she played.

[cwydro]

27. Yeah, I sure didn't know anything about her

and I've been reading about the movie.

Most likely this is gonna be a boyfriend crazy thing or else a robbery/house invasion.

[YOY]

29. I'm really in the realm of theory here and not the conspiracy type

but in a smaller town news of a local actor playing in a national release is big news. One of the kids from "The OC" was from my area (where I'm from not where I live now)...they all knew what he was up to career wise.

Perhaps it was a run of the mill burglary attempted murder. Perhaps she can answer if she recovers. I hope she does.

[FatDave]

23. "Who are the real terrorists?"

I'll answer that with more questions.

Who bombs clinics and kills doctors?

Who burned churches and lynched blacks?

Who blew up the Oklahoma City Federal Building?

Whose leaders end up assassinated?

[SpiralHawk]

25. Who is yelling "kill" and "traitor" at republicon 'rallies"?

Ptooey...

[Lex]

3. Terrible, I hope she will pull through.

I hope they get the filth who attacked her.

I saw "W." last night but didn't notice an Ann Coulter character.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

4. I Pray For A Full Recovery.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

5. OMG There Are Some Here Claiming This Is Because Of Her Small Role In W. Oy Vey.

Why do the irrational conspiracy theories always have to so quickly raise their heads in these threads?

What nonsense.

[Lex]

8. I don't even remember an "Ann Coulter character" and I saw it last night.

It must've been a very small role.

[Mabus]

20. I saw W on Saturday

and wasn't aware of an Ann Coulter character being in the movie either. I'm wondering if she was on that Hardball-like show in the background or something.

[RamboLiberal]

37. Yeah there was a segment of W landing on the carrier

and a Hardball kind of show - it wasn't named Hardball. I vaguely remember a blonde though she wasn't playing as Coulter but a Coulter like character.

And IMHO it has not a damn thing to do with the movie. More like some sicko stalker. I've heard many local news people, especially woman have these freaks that scare them in their lives.

Any personality in the spotlight have more than their share of freaks they have to be concerned about.

[greyl]

43. Claiming this IS, or speculating about the possibility?

If anyone is saying they are certain it was politically motivated, that is irrational.
However, it's quite rational to consider the possibility that her appearance in the movie had something to do with her attack. It is an angle of inquiry to follow. It may not be probable, but I don't know of any evidence suggesting it's impossible.
For example, if investigators searched her fan mail and discovered several that contained political opinion, I think it would be negligent to not check it out.

I can imagine a scenario where a right-wing fan(atic) was smitten with her to an unhealthy level and lost it after learning she was in the movie. Since this scenario involves very personal feelings, I wouldn't think the absence of Obama/Biden signs placed over her face by the attacker means it must not have been politically motivated.

Is there a good reason you think it's unlikely the attack was politically motivated?

edit:bolding

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. I hope she recovers fully and hope it wasn't politically motivated

Which at this time I don't think it was.

Speedy recovery and I hope they catch the perpetrator soon.
She sounds like she was popular in her state.

[Lucky 13]

7. Just to clarify, they are thinking this was a robbery and not related to her SMALL part in W.

This is horrifying. I hope she pulls through.

[Lex]

10. Oh good.

It seemed implausible that it would, but you never know about the freaky freepers.

[Divernan]

11. Robberies don't usually involve vicious beatings - she was found beaten & stabbed in her bed.

If caught in the act - a homeowner returns, or a sleeping resident awakens, your average robber exerts enough violence to get out and get away. They don't stick around to administer a vicious beating. Since she was found beaten and repeatedly stabbed, in her bed, it doesn't appear she ever got between her assailant and his exit path. And all that was missing was her purse.

From the OP's link:
Anne Pressly, 26, a news reporter for KATV, was assaulted in her home on Club Road in the Country Club neighborhood last night and suffered serious wounds.

A police spokesman said Pressly was "beaten and stabbed" and that her injuries were "life-threatening." The police do not have a suspect.

Police were called about 5 a.m. Her mother had found her in bed suffering from severe injuries. Neighbors said it was her mother's custom to make a wakeup call to her daughter each morning and she went to check on her when she did not respond. Another neighbor returned Pressly's dogs to the home early this morning. They'd apparently been let loose some time during the night.

Police said Pressly's purse was missing, which raised robbery as a potential motive. She'd apparently last been in touch with others about 10 p.m. Sunday night.

[Lucky 13]

12. No, they don't USUALLY, but it does happen.

I'm sure they will do a thorough investigation. I just think it's a little nutty to start pinning this on Coulter and her friends at this point when we know nothing. Doing so makes us look paranoid and crazy.

[HerbieHeadhunter]

From what I have heard...

her throat was slashed. I don't know what that means as to the type of crime involved (it could be a stalker or just a robbery....or something else, I don't know).

[Lucky 13]

19. Yeah, that's the other thing. If she's a news reporter, it could have been a stalking.

[FatDave]

26. Absolutely correct.

This was no robbery. I'm not saying it was politically motivated, but it wasn't just a robbery. There was a weak attempt to make it look like a robbery.

Robbers just want the money. There's a big difference between taking money and attempted murder. It's not a line most robbers want to cross. There may be a threat of violence, but that's usually all it takes. Nobody's going to risk their life over the contents of their purse.

This was a vicious, violent assault, and there was a real reason for it.

[goodgd_yall]

35. Yes, the robbery is a distraction

I doubt very much that was the motive.

[CoffeeCat]

9. I saw "W" and I don't remember her!

I feel like I'm losing my mind...

I'm so sorry about what happened to her, and I hope she recovers and
is able to tell police what happened to her.

[RamboLiberal]

40. The W Mission Impossible Carrier Landing

when they did the Hardball like TV show and all the pundits were praising W ala Tweety. She was the blonde pundit. Not playing Coulter, but a Coulter like character.

[Mari333]

13. on the other hand

if she was at a news station in little rock, there may have been some reporting done in the community about her role in the movie. someone may have read it or heard about it in little rock or the surrounding area. you just never know.

[natrat]

16. with people yelling kill him at mcsleaze rallies......nt

[Ghost in the Machine]

15. Anne Pressly, 26, a news reporter for KATV, was assaulted in her home on Club Road

Anne Pressly, 26, a news reporter for KATV, was assaulted in her home on Club Road in the Country Club neighborhood last night and suffered serious wounds.

A police spokesman said Pressly was "beaten and stabbed" and that her injuries were "life-threatening." The police do not have a suspect.

Police were called about 5 a.m. Her mother had found her in bed suffering from severe injuries. Neighbors said it was her mother's custom to make a wakeup call to her daughter each morning and she went to check on her when she did not respond. Another neighbor returned Pressly's dogs to the home early this morning. They'd apparently been let loose some time during the night.
(from the same link in the OP)

[Blue_Tires]

28. miscast - too good-looking to play coulter

[glitch]

33. And a full generation too young. WTF? nt

[RamboLiberal]

41. She wasn't playing Coulter

a blonde Repuke bimbo amalgamation of Coulter and the other blondies that supported W at the time.

[Cass]

17. I hope she will be alright. What a terrifying ordeal to go through.

It may have been a random attack, but since she was a well-known tv reporter that might have been a factor as well. Any public figure can easily become a magnet for a deranged nut.

[WarbirdForObama]

18. May she have a speedy

and complete recovery.

And may the blood thirst animals who did it, whatever their motive, spend a lot of time being cellblock party favors.

[GardeningGal]

21. How horrifying for her mother to find her.

I can't imagine that.

[Marrah_G]

30. This probably doesn't have anything to do with the movie

How awful for her family.

I hope they catch the monster soon.

I wonder if she was being stalked by a fan?

[RamboLiberal]

39. I'm betting either a whacko fan or someone she was acquinted with

or it could be a random attacker. I was also wondering if by any slim chance it was related to a cold case a bit over a decade ago. Somewhat similiar.

Jodi Sue Huisentruit (born June 5, 1968) was a television news anchor for KIMT, based in Mason City, Iowa in the United States. She disappeared in the early morning hours of June 27, 1995 while on her way to work and is believed to have been abducted. She was 27 years old at the time.

The ensuing investigation revealed at least three neighbors in her apartment complex who said they heard screams at about the time Huisentruit would have likely been leaving for work. In addition, a neighbor who lived nearby reported seeing a white Ford van with its running lights on parked in Huisentruit’s parking lot at about the same time. This van was never definitively identified.

In September 1995, the Huisentruit family hired Private Investigators from McCarthy & Associates, Investigative Services, Inc. (MAIS) in Minneapolis, MN who in turn enlisted the assistance of Omaha, NE private investigator Doug Jasa.

In conjunction with their investigative efforts, McCarthy and Jasa appeared on several national television shows, including; "America's Most Wanted" and "Unsolved Mysteries."<2> In addition, in November 1997 they and members of Jodi’s family traveled to Los Angeles, CA to meet with three prominent psychics. This meeting was televised and served as the pilot for the "Psychic Detectives" television show. Although each show generated a large volume of leads, none resulted in concrete evidence or the identification of a suspect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jodi_Huisentruit

This one triggered my memories of the Huisentruit case.

All personalities, especially female, have probably at one time or another been stalked by an overzealous fan. Heck a few years ago in my area a female TV reporter was viciously attacked by a stranger while washing her car at a car wash in broad daylight!

[wundermaus]

31. Or made to look like a robbery?

"The initial police report said Pressly was unconscious when they arrived and that there were signs of broken bones, severe lacerations and possible internal injury. The officer who responded observing bleeding from her head." all in the commission of a Robbery? Nope, I don't think so...

More like a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g88asCqfSgg">calling card... if you get my drift.

[lonestarnot]

32. Any word on how this woman is doing?

[goodgd_yall]

34. That's terrible

I pray she makes it.

[Name removed]

36. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[uppityperson]

38. I hope she gets better soon. And thank you mods. Really.

[WillowTree]

42. Ditto. On both accounts.

[wundermaus]

44. Stab wounds may in fact be from blunt force trauma...

"Police seek motive in Ark. anchorwoman's beating

By CHUCK BARTELS – 3 hours ago

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Anne Pressly's personality made her a hit with television viewers. Now, police want to know whether her celebrity made her a target.

The popular KATV anchorwoman, who had a small part in the Bush biopic "W," was in critical but stable condition Tuesday after a severe beating in her home. Investigators aren't sure whether she was the random victim of a home invasion or a target because of her high-profile job.

"(It) is possible that it is something other than robbery," police spokeswoman Cassandra Davis said. "Our detectives are talking with co-workers because she was a public figure, because she was on the news, in the media."

Pressly, 26, was found Monday a half-hour before she was due on the set of "Daybreak," a morning mix of news and features on Little Rock's ABC affiliate. Her mother discovered the anchorwoman battered and bloodied after she didn't answer a wake-up call.

Pressly was in her bed, unresponsive and bleeding from her head. Davis described the injuries as "severe wounds" and said Pressly had been stabbed. KATV, citing investigators, said her injuries were from blunt force trauma to the head and upper body."

more of the article at http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h3sRmbkYztmZI0Nrt0KBPjomlK1AD93UQVQ02

[wundermaus]

45. Police seek motive in attack on TV anchorwoman -

"Police seek motive in attack on TV anchorwoman
Little Rock’s Anne Pressly is in critical condition: ‘Does not have an enemy’

Popular and beautiful Anne Pressly, an up-and-coming Little Rock, Ark., news anchor, had dinner with a friend, talked about her small role in the movie “W.” and went home, where she exchanged cheery text messages. And then she was beaten nearly to death.

While the 26-year-old Pressly remains in critical but stable condition in a Little Rock hospital, her family, many friends and police are all trying to discover who would have attacked a person who is said to have had no enemies, and why.

“If there’s one person that does not have an enemy, it is Anne Pressly,” Mallory Hardin told TODAY’s Matt Lauer from Little Rock Tuesday, a day after the attack. “She’s wonderful to everybody. She’s the most loving girl that anyone could ever meet; is so kind to every stranger. She goes out of her way to help other people.”"

more of the article at - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27294906/

(she better have a guard posted at her bedside... I bet the assassin thought he had killed her.)

[wundermaus]

46. Statement from the family of Anne Pressly -

Reported by: KARK 4 News

Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008 @11:05am CST

The family of Anne Pressly would like to thank all of you who have prayed for Anne and for us, for your visits, your calls and the many ways you've reached out to us at this very difficult time.

We are appreciative of the outpouring of love we've received - obviously out of your love for Anne. We are overwhelmed by your affection; the care Anne's physicians and nurses have given her, the diligence of the Little Rock Police Department in this investigation and local and national reporters who have respected our privacy.

Anne has a long struggle of recovery ahead of her. She is a fighter, a strong, healthy and physically fit young woman. We expect her to recover completely. We ask that you continue to pray for Anne and for us. We very much appreciate the blood donations that you've given in Anne's name. Rest assured that the sacrifice of your own blood will be used either to help Anne or to help someone else who needs it.

Now our family needs private time. Please respect our wishes and give us time to heal as a family - privately - without visitors. We will issue statements as Anne's condition improves. Today Anne is in critical but stable condition.

The Family of Anne Pressly

http://arkansasmatters.com/content/fulltext/?cid=132651