Lot’s Of Updates On Benoit
Written by sideshowraheem on February 12th, 2008 in Uncategorized.
Today there have a few different updates on issues involving the Benoit tragedy.
Police Officially Conclude Benoit Investigation
First earlier today the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office officially ended there probe into the triple murder-suicide involving Chris Benoit has concluded that the professional wrestler killed his wife and 7-year-old son, and that he acted alone. The sheriff’s department said further investigation supported those initial indications. The department said it “found no evidence that indicates the presence of any other individual or individuals who contributed to the deaths of the three members of the Benoit family.”
Hustler Magazine Allowed To Publish Nude Photo’s of Nancy Benoit
Also today a judge ruled that the March issue of Hustler Magazine magazine can feature nude photos of Nancy Benoit. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Thrash denied a request for a temporary restraining order against publication brought by Nancy Benoit’s mother. The pictures were taken 25 years ago, when Nancy was a 19-year-old aspiring model. It is not clear how Hustler acquired the photos, Nancy’s first husband, who was present when the photos were taken, testified that he had been told all copies were destroyed. From a First Amendment perspective, this is obviously the right legal decision. As Hustler publisher Larry Flynt has demonstrated many times, the First Amendment is there to protect free speech and free press for everyone, including publishers of content that the vast majority of Americans would find tasteless. But of course from a moral stand point this is a despicable act by Hustler Magazine.
Benoit Family Considering Lawsuit Against WWE
Based on the conclusion of the official police investigation into the Benoit tragedy and the results of the study on Benoit’s brain by the Sports Legacy Institute the families of both Nancy and Chris Benoit are considering lawsuits against the WWE. Because the Sports Legacy Institute concluded that Benoit was not emotionally responsible they may be looking to be point the blame at WWE for their lack of treatment and detection of his concussions.
Committee To Decide WWE’s Fate In Georgia Tomorrow
A Georgia State Senate committee is scheduled to meet at 2:30 p.m. to discuss a bill that not only would eliminate the exemption that has spared the WWE from state regulation but also would subject performers to random drug tests. The WWE is exempted from state regulation due to a July 2005 statute that excludes organizations with assets of more than $25 million. The WWE has threatened to pull out of Georgia if that exemption is lifted. More on this story after the break……
John Taylor, the WWE’s Atlanta attorney, stated “I’m very disappointed, because they appeared to have ignored the very real distinction between professional wrestling, boxing, mixed martial arts and kickboxing. I’m afraid they’re trying to run out a business that has been here since the 1950s.” Senate Bill 413, introduced last week by Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah), would put the WWE under the purview of the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, commonly called the Boxing Commission. If passed, WWE performers would be subject to random drug testing, physical exams prior to matches and other forms of regulation. Johnson conceded that professional wrestling isn’t the same as boxing or mixed martial arts, but added he wasn’t worried about running the WWE from the state either.“Who’s going to walk away from one of the largest states in the country?” he asked. “They’ll stay where the money is.”
Obviously Mr. Eric Johnson has done no research on this or he’d know that the WWE has in the past refused to do business in states like New Jersey and Oregon because of there strict laws and regulations in place that required everyone that worked a show there to be licensed buy the state. The WWE accounted for nearly $2 million in tax revenue to the state in 2007 from shows in Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah and Columbus, according to records released by the WWE. Performances in Atlanta accounted for more than $1 million. WWE events benefit the state of Georgia and it would be a shame if some headline seeking politicians destroyed it for everyone.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Nice bit of research there sideshow.
It’s funny how The WWE are so adamant that their drug testing is legit but have already said that if an outside body wants to do it then they aren’t going there.
Post on what happens tomorrow mate.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Wow. That’s some big news.
Hustler is now the most tasteless company I’ve ever heard of. That’s lower than low. I don’t even have words to describe how offended I am by that.
As for Georgia, they’ll pass it and WWE won’t work in that state. It really is funny, as Gooser posted, that they think their testing is so good but they won’t let others test them.
February 12th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
I have to say I disagree with SideShowRaheem nad Jade in regards to Hustler publisher Larry Flynt. He bought the pictures and can do as he sees fit. Flynt was offered the pictures for purchase from an unnamed source. Why not find fault with the person who sold the pictures to Flynt? I know Flynt could have chosen not to buy the pictures but Flynt is all about being shocking.
I do not think that Hustler is going to see a huge bump in sales from nude photos of Nancy Benoit from 24 years ago. If these photos were taken without permission or she was under the influence of something that she was taken advantage of then I could see the issue, but it seems that she went into the photo shoot knowing it was going to be nude.
This is a lesson to girls/women that taking nude photos might sound exciting but down the road they could come back to bite you.
February 12th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I have to say I disagree with SideShowRaheem and Jade in regards to Hustler publisher Larry Flynt. He bought the pictures and can do as he sees fit. Flynt was offered the pictures for purchase from an unnamed source. Why not find fault with the person who sold the pictures to Flynt? I know Flynt could have chosen not to buy the pictures but Flynt is all about being shocking.
I do not think that Hustler is going to see a huge bump in sales from nude photos of Nancy Benoit from 24 years ago. If these photos were taken without permission or she was under the influence of something that she was taken advantage of then I could see the issue, but it seems that she went into the photo shoot knowing it was going to be nude.
This is a lesson to girls/women that taking nude photos might sound exciting but down the road they could come back to bite you.
February 12th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
-Gooser
The WWE doesn’t want state buy state regulations because each state would have different rules about how and when the test where done and what substances where band witch is a logistical nightmare for them. Although government regulation would resolve the steroid thing once and for all I have to side with the WWE on this one.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
-StreetsboroOH
I’m definitely a proponent of free speech and legally they have the right to do with those pictures as they wish but from a pure moral thing it’s just really fucked up. When Hustler use to use there magazine to attack hight and mighty politicians and religious zealots I was with them 100% but Nancy Benoit was an innocent woman and doesn’t deserve what there doing to her.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
i saw those pics already, well some of them, they look like paintings.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
on the state regulations i agree with sideshow. WWE wrestlers are on the road for so much time, their constantly moving around from state to state, they cant be bothered with having a big signing in with Georgia’s regulations, then having guys taken off the road to do the testing; it all just makes so much more sense to skip the state and do the testing their own way.
as for Huslter, im with StreetsboroOH. it doesn’t bother me that they put picture of Nancy benoit in the magazine, it’s not like anyone is going to think, “ah, yes! I get to see naked pictures of that murderous wrestler’s wife from a hundred years ago”. i dont see how it will drive up sales; but i could be wrong i suppose.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Sideshowraheem-
I agree with your comments about Hustler, but disagree with comments on Nancy Benoit. Nancy was a public figure for many years of her life so I do not see the problem with the pictures being published. Now if Nancy was just Chris’ wife and was never involved with any televised part of wrestling I would totally agree that the pictures should not be released, but she was a public personality as “Women” in WCW and there for I see no harm in this being published. It is just unfortunate that her death is what lead to the pictures being sold and not like a big starring role in a tv show or movie.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Sideshow -
Don’t kid yourself, I know you dont really believe that it has anything to do with inconvenience or logistics. It’s because the majority of their tallent are so juiced up.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
-Gooser
Logistics have allot to do with it just look at what the UFC goes through to get sanctioned in just a few states and they don’t put on anywhere near the amount of shows the WWE does in a year. I’m sure the WWE not wanting third party drug tests is part of it too but the NFL, MLB or NBA also fight against government drug regulations because it’s just a nightmare to deal with.
February 13th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
No, the nightmare is that the one WWE employee that has had actual drug test results released was 58 times his normal ratio for steroids. It’s nothing to do with logistics, it’s because as everyone knows, heavy drug use is a major part of the WWE lifestyle.
Any update on how that all went down today?
February 13th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
-Gooser
No updates yet. Keep in mind this purposed lesilation doesn’t hurt the WWE at all there just not gonna do business in Georgia it kills the local indy feds also here are some of the other things that are included in this change.
- A commission approved physician at ringside for every show at the promoter’s expense.
- An ambulance available on site throughout the show at the promoter’s expense.
- A 5% tax on gate receipts.
- $1000 licensure fee for all promoters.
- Up to $1000 permit fee per show.
- A commission appointed inspector at every wrestling show.
- Medical clearance by the physician for all wrestlers.
- Mandatory drug tests if the physician suspects that a wrestler is under the influence.
- A requirement of a $50,000 surety bond for all promoters.
Allot of those things are good ideas but they’re just to much for small Indy promotions to pay for. They want a $50,000 surety bond for all promoters most Indies do have anywhere near $50,000 they have trouble paying the bills as it is. If this passes it will kill all pro-wrestling in the state of Georgia.
February 13th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
I’m not 100% but I think that those rules are similar if not the same as what happens in New York right now. I listen to a podcast by an indy promoter that used to run out of New York and I’m pretty sure he had to follow those guidelines.