Modern-Day Southern Gothic: "Kentucky GOP Pol Found With Slit Wrists After Shooting Death Of His Ex"

[WilliamPitt]

Fmr. State Rep. Steve Nunn (R-KY)

Kentucky GOP Pol Found With Slit Wrists After Shooting Death Of Ex-Fiancée
TPM

For the last few days, we've all been transfixed by the tawdry spectacle out of California, in which a married Republican family values crusader has gotten his comeuppance after being exposed -- with the aid of a hot mic -- as a repulsive sexual braggard. But a very different story about the personal life of a state-level Republican politician has been playing out today down in Kentucky -- one that's far stranger and more tragic. Indeed, with its themes of love, death, violence, and bourbon, and its suggestion of a son struggling to live up to the accomplishments of his father, it's almost a modern-day Southern Gothic.

Steve Nunn, a former Kentucky GOP lawmaker and gubernatorial candidate was found by police this afternoon with slit wrists in the cemetery where his parents lie buried. Hours earlier, Nunn's former fiancée had been found shot to death in a Lexington parking lot. According to the local sheriff, Nunn, 57, placed mementos on his parents' graves, moved several feet away, then cut his wrists. The sheriff, Chris Eaton, said Nunn had initially told police he had shot himself, and was found in possession of a handgun, but had no gunshot wound. Nunn was taken via ambulance to the hospital. Nunn's former fiancée, Amanda Ross, was found dead this morning. A neighbor told reporters she heard five shots and screams at 6:11 a.m. in a courtyard outside Ross's condominium. Ross was 29 and worked for the state's Department of Insurance. A police spokesman said investigators have leads.

Nunn was arrested after being taken to the hospital, for allegedly violating a protective order against Ross, by carrying the handgun. Eaton, who said he's been a friend of Nunn for around 20 years, said Nunn's mood was "solemn to a point" and "at that time didn't make any comments" about Ross's shooting.

The rest: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/kentucky_gop_pol_found_with_slit_wrists_after_shoo.php

[Botany]

1. once again for those who go on murder suicide actions

Make sure you get the second part aka the most important part done first.

And if you are going to have a death penalty this guy seems like a good person for it.

[sui generis]

2. I'm all against the death penalty

but all for the option of giving them a pill to take at their discretion. Drop 'em down a hole, no company, no communications, no books, no TV, no contact. And a button they can push when they want it all to end.

Gets us out of the business of killing people and lets people make their own choices. I'll bet you there would be a lot fewer people on death row.

[Viking12]

3. Maybe he was just making as pact with Michelle Bachman

that went horribly awry.

[thereismore]

4. I hate republicans. Such drama queens. Why slit wrists when he could shoot himself. nt

[Botany]

5. I read a little about this creep

he beat this girl and threw Bourbon in her face, she had a restraining order against him, a judge ordered him
not to own or buy any firearms, and he was fired from his job because of this domestic violence.

And why didn't he shoot himself? Answer: He is a coward.

[pokercat999]

11. Because they can't do anything correctly..........nt

[JDPriestly]

6. Domestic violence

Of females killed with a firearm, almost two-thirds were killed by their intimate partners. The number of females shot and killed by their husband or intimate partner was more than three times higher than the total number murdered by male strangers using all weapons combined in single victim/single offender incidents in 2002.
The Violence Pol'y Ctr., When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2002 Homicide Data: Females Murdered by Males in Single Victim/Single Offender Incidents, at 7 (2004), available at http://www.vpc.org/studies/wmmw2004.pdf

http://www.abanet.org/domviol/statistics.html


85-95% of all domestic violence victims are female.
Over 500,00 women are stalked by an intimate partner each year.
5.3 million women are abused each year.
1,232 women are killed each year by an intimate partner.
Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women.
Women are more likely to be attacked by someone they know rather than by a stranger.

http://www.aidv-usa.com/Statistics.htm

How many people were killed by domestic violence since 9/11/2001? For certain, more than from terrorism. Yet, we put so few resources into preventing domestic violence. I would like to see the media take up the cause of anger management training and parenting training. Some of this domestic violence, maybe even a lot of it, could be prevented.

[proReality]

7. Republicans here considered him more Democratic

than Republican because he had some really good ideas and did work for the people most of the time. It's a shame he turned out the way he did.

[PVnRT]

8. He's now in jail in Munfordville

Nunn Taken to Hart County Jail

He was also prohibited from owning a gun, per the restraining order taken out against him:

Nunn Ordered to Not Own Gun

Do yourself a favor and skip the comments from the idiots chastising the victim for not owning a gun.

Ross' original criminal complaint against Nunn (PDF)

Even more bizarre is the coverage of Nunn when the domestic violence charge first popped up in March:

Nunn Resigns Cabinet Position

Nunn and Amanda Ross began dating in September 2007 and he moved into her home near downtown Lexington in March 2008. He moved out in October, shortly after they were engaged, because the “relationship had deteriorated,” Nunn said.

They remained in contact, and he was at her home after dinner the night of Feb. 17.

During testimony on Wednesday in court, Ross alleged that Nunn struck her four times in the face and threw her against a hallway lamp, breaking it. She said he then threw a cup of bourbon in her face.

But Nunn said that Ross blocked his path to prevent him from leaving her apartment.

Nunn said he “struggled” for 20 minutes to reach the stairs. He described Ross as “stocky and strong like a bull” because she worked out with a personal trainer twice a week.

“I admit I did slap her face, and she stopped attacking me,” he said.

Nunn said Ross offered to let him leave if he let her strike him in the face. She did so, cutting his face with her ring, he said.

Nunn disputed Ross’ assertion that he threw her into the lamp. Rather, he said, Ross threw him into a lamp and then made him vacuum up the mess.

Yeah, this guy has problems.

[malaise]

9. RRV

Run from Republican Values.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted sub-thread

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

[Taverner]

12. Sounds like a Tennesee Williams play

[parasearchers]

13. Damn, he didnt die?

[moonbatmax]

14. If he'd only remembered...

"Down the block..."