Monday, April 7, 2014
Sneak Preview Mini Documentary is complete!!! Will be shown 4/9/14 at UCD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qh6vjnaTc4&feature=em-upload_owner
University College Day Mini Documentary which was a conjoined effort of my "Infamous Murder and Unsolved Crime" class and my "Women and Crime" Honors Program Class. It is the story of Winnie Judd: The Trunk Murderess from '31. Enjoy! Dr. G.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The Trunk Murderess case is just another indication of how far our criminal courts have evolved. In my opinion, Jack Holloran, was the murder that got away. Winnie Ruth Judd shouldn’t have contributed in the crime by transporting the bodies, but she was wrongfully accused for the murders of Agnes Anne Leoi and Hedvig Samuelson. The court procedures weren’t accurate and a little suspicious. Detectives used evidence from the crime scene, artifacts that were already tainted. Another questionable aspect of the case would be the judge’s ruling to dismiss Holloran . The judge believed that involving a prominent member like Holloran would be viewed as an ideal justice. The judge cared about public opinion instead of following proper procedures?
ReplyDeleteJoyce Shelby 4/7/14
ReplyDeleteThe Trunk Murderess
Ruth Judd a young woman who had a drug addicted husband, she find out that she had tuberculosis and other health issue. She left her husband and move back to Arizona were she meet Jack Halloran who they called (Jack). I believe that Ruth fell in love with Jack who was married; she was ok with that, until he starts getting into bed with her friends. I believe that Jack and Ruth plan this together Ruth was jealousy and as of jack he was a big man around town who he didn’t want this to get out.
Each one of them killed one and I believe he cut the bodies up and put them in that trunk and told her to get rid of in Los Angeles and that what she did. I think that he set her up. It wasn’t long before the newspaper got a hold of it; I don’t think it was self-defense the both of them were in on it; she just got caught with the bodies. This was a case of what lengths powerful people used to cover up their dirty secrets.
The Winnie Judd case is an interesting one. I first want to start out by complementing the excellent work all of the people involved completed. This particular project was a huge undertaking and a labor of love for all of those involved. I think it is amazing work and I am especially impressed by the work that was done by Dr. Gullion’s son he has a talent unlike anything I have ever seen from a young man his age. All of this said the case seems to have been so sensationalized within the media during this time there was no way Judd was going to receive a fair trial. I believe other factors that influenced such a verdict was definitely that she was a woman during this time in our history. Her story was no different than many other women who were accused of crimes during this time. Women were a minority seen as unstable individuals that would do anything for a man. You not only had the influence of the media upon trials during this time you also had religion that was the icing on the cake. The media used words as tigress to help paint a picture of the woman in a negative light long before her conviction. Another factor concerning her case was that it was tainted at the onset by making a deal with Hearst publishing. I believe that a thorough investigation was just not something women during this time enjoyed much of.
ReplyDeleteBlog 15
DeleteSandra Odom
Reply Winnie Judd
I agree with you Misty, kudos to Greg and little Greg on the documentary. It was well done. I also agree that women in those times were seen as unstable, otherwise how could the fairer sex commit such heinous acts. Money, power, and a paternal society all played a part in her conviction. The botched execution of Eva Dugan three years prior probably saved her life. On that note what do you guys think of the recent botched execution in Oklahoma?
“Precisely what happened during the execution of convicted murderer and rapist Clayton Lockett remains unclear. Witnesses described the man convulsing and writhing on the gurney, as well as struggling to speak, before officials blocked the witnesses' view.”
Anyone who still needs to blog please sound off on this topic. I have my opinion, would like to hear what you guys think. Google botched lethal injection. It is a CNN report.
The trunk murders case was very interesting to me because there were many things that were different from the way that things are done today. The time in history in which the murder took place definitely is a disadvantage for a female like Judd. Learning from this case shows us how much our justice system has evolved even though there are still mistakes today. It is crazy to me how the owner of the house makes profit from individuals who wanted to go in the house and examine the crime scene. Much of the evidence in the house had been tainted by all of the people who entered and wandered in the home. I believe Judd was in a great disadvantage due to the fact that she was a woman and the time period that this murder took place. The fact that Judd was involved in the murder by transporting the chopped up bodies put her in a really bad situation that was going to be almost impossible for her to be found innocent .
ReplyDeleteBlog 6
ReplyDeleteSandra Odom
Currently in the state of Arizona there are 119 males and 2 females on death row. There have been 99 executions since 1910; 28 hangings, and 37 by lethal gas, 34 lethal injections. Of the 99 executions 98 were male and 1 female Eva Dugan executed by hanging in 1930.
Eva Dugan was convicted of murdering a rancher (prominent in the community) she worked for her botched hanging caused by a miscalculation caused her to be decapitated causing Arizona to switch to the gas chamber. She was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death although two doctors testified that since Eva had been syphilitic for 30 years, her mental state had been compromised the jury deemed her sane.
In 1933 we have Winnie Judd who may have been also suffering from mental illness accused of murder also involving a prominent man in the community. Winnie may have escaped death due to the botched hanging of Eva in 1930. The cases although different were similar in the mental capacity of the accused, prominent male figures involved and that both women were seen as free spirits not conforming to female standards of society.
The next woman would not be until 1991; Debra Jean Milke the first female to be sentenced to death in Arizona since 1932. Debra was convicted of conspiring to kill her four year old son reportedly to keep him from growing up like is abusive drug addicted father and to collect insurance money. Debra’s conviction was overturned to misconduct by the prosecution side.
Arizona ranks 14 with four; out of 27 states that have placed women on death row, California, Florida, and Texas are the top three California’s with 23 death sentences of women.
Each of the women in Arizona may have suffered some abuse or mental distress in their life time, which made them susceptible to become victims as well as offenders.
The confounding factors in Winnie Judd's life should have been taken into further consideration during the trial and the appeal. Her illness, her husbands drug use the fact that she had marital issues and the fact that she was having an affair and fighting over this man with other women should have been taking into great consideration. All these factors, I believe, are important in understanding what and why something happened. Plus, there was no real definite evidence presented during the trial that truly proved that she killed these women. Yes, she was carrying the body parts, but the testimony she gave to the investigators in which she accused Jack of murdering the women could have also been viable. In the end, there was no concrete evidence against her since the crime scene was rendered useless. She was simply caught red handed. She probably did do it, but a person is innocent until proven guilty and I believe there was never enough evidence to actually prove her guilty.
ReplyDeleteWinnie Judd didn’t have a chance. What I found interesting is that the guy that was the “love interest” could have really been the one to carry out the planning of the murder. I really feel that Judd was smoothed talked into the maybe doing her part of traveling with the bodies and getting rid of them. I’m also wondering how her husband couldn’t see the signs that she was interested in another man. I want to congratulate the team that made it possible for this presentation, they did an outstanding job!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you . How did her husband not know she was seeing some one else........oh wait that's right he probably was too high on his choice of drugs to know the difference. I also found it interesting that they let the lover boy off the hook. I believe that he was the mastermind behind the murders. Poor Winnie she must have really been in love with this sucker to take those bodies on that train.......I don't care I would never agree to do something like that. Well if she to be well-known that's actually what she got.
DeleteReally interesting video! Enjoyed watching
ReplyDeleteThings done back then regarding murder is very different than how they are handle now.
Great work!
ReplyDeleteWinnie Judd was a brilliant and brave women. I think that nobody in her actual mind would have the guts to actually carry their victims bodies the way she did. but we also need to take in consideration why she did what she did and the fact that her husband didn't realize her symptoms, but yet was with her through it all. Is very rare to see a female killer like Winnie get away with murder for the time she did. is a great example of how the criminal justice system needs more people working for them to solve cases like this before another murder was committed.
It was a great and very interesting mini documentary to watch! I learned a lot about this case and it's interesting to see that there was no real evidence that Judd did. The lack of evidence doesn't mean that she didn't do it although there are unsolved pieces of the story. Of course she was a woman and in this time period, it's surprising she wasn't caught sooner.
ReplyDeleteExcellent work on the presentation, and SUPERB narration lol :D. Eh, I think Winnie Judd killed her friends, got help with a drunk in disposing the bodies, and then she was just really confused as to what to do with them. I think she probably planned to stuff her friends in the trunk, a storage container that wouldn't arouse suspicion, overlooking the fact that the body parts would soon begin to smell, and then dump the parts in a far away place, but then thought of the 'genius' idea to drop the body parts piece by piece off of the train, overlooking the fact that the parts would be easily associated with the train track, and therefore it's occupants. I think she killed her friends in a fit of rage with a hint of revenge, panicked, and then regretted it but didn't want to get caught so badly that she went through these bizarre situations in order to avoid getting caught, and failed miserably.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that society has come along way as well as the courts. Winnie Judd had no chance at that time and this just proves how times have changed. Although we still have issues in court cases today, our current system seems flawless compared to that time period.
ReplyDeleteThe story of Winnie is so interesting! We have come so far in our investigation skills since then and it makes me excited to see how technology will advance in the future.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that the home owners of the crime scene let people come in a see their home without the police conducting an investigation first. People are so dumb.
I think it is funny that Winnie tried to use an insanity plea, when clearly she was competent enough to commit the crime, get the bodies on a train, etc. the case is very interesting from the crime itself, the trial, the overturn sentence, the escapes she made, and the pardon she got. Cases like this are crazy and a perfect example of the improvement and growth our criminal justice system has made throughout decades.
Wow Dr. G, I have to say this creative Winnie Judd video is a work of art. Your son did a fantastic job for being only 9.
ReplyDeleteI found this case, next to the Hotel murders, one of my favorites. Its so nice to see that some of the work we worked on get put into the video.
I do hope to one day go see the house where the murders actually happened only because that would be visiting one of a infamous murder case we have learned about in class.
Good Job Dr. G.