TN STATE Rep. Keith Westmoreland Commits Suicide

WZTV Nashville ^ | 6/19/02 | staff

[GailA]

Rep. Keith Westmoreland Commits Suicide 06-19-2002 -- Kingsport

REPORTS OUT OF KINGSPORT SAY THAT REP. KEITH WESTMORELAND HAS COMMITTED SUICIDE. IT APPARENTLY HAPPENED AT HIS HOME IN KINGSPORT.

AS REPORTED EARLIER ON FOX 17 NEWS, THE KINGSPORT REPUBLICAN WAS CHARGED WITH FIVE COUNTS OF EXPOSING HIMSELF TO CHILDREN AT A HOTEL SWIMMING POOL. METRO POLICE SAY IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME WESTMORELAND HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF INDECENT EXPOSURE. ON MARCH 13TH A MANAGER AT THE DAYS INN ACROSS FROM WESTMORELAND'S DOWNTOWN APARTMENT CALLED POLICE TO REPORT A MAN EXPOSING HIMSELF. A FURTHER SEARCH OF RECORDS BY THE DEPARTMENT'S SEX CRIMES UNIT TURNED UP ANOTHER CASE INVOLVING WESTMORELAND. THE CASE WAS REPORTED MARCH 26TH AT THE HOLIDAY INN SELECT ON ELM HILL PIKE. HOTEL PATRONS WROTE DOWN THE SUSPECT'S CAR TAG, WHICH SHOWED A CAR REGISTERED TO KEITH. WESTMORELAND. SO FAR THE WOMAN IN THE CASE HAS DECLINED TO PRESS CHARGES....TO PROTECT HER 13 AND 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS FROM FURTHER EMBARRASSMENT.

[oldironsides]

Did this fellow have an alcohol abuse issue? He sure looked and acted like it.

[RightOnline]

Obviously one sick sumbitch. He decided to take care of his problem permanently.

[Flyer]

a lifelong public servant

Was he elected in the crib?

No, Life begins at election for politicians..

[meyer]

"The teens and the mother were from east Tennessee. Aaron said the police department would not name the victims because they are minors.

This strikes me as odd - The "victims" being from Tennessee while the offense took place in Florida. I smell a frame job and I smell a RAT. I may be totally wrong here, but who knows. Hopefully, this will be investigated a bit further. Regardless, its too bad it had to end this way.

[GailA]

Apparently he has been talking about suicide as method to solve his mental problems according to what I heard on Steve Gill's program this morning. Guess no one took him seriously. SO VERY SAD.

[GailA]

You are cornfused..There were a total of 3 incidents. Two occured early this year in Tennessee, then the one in Florida last week. Besides the TBI looking into his making threatening phone calls to Rep Zane Whitson and his wife..some sexual in nature according to the media reports.

[meyer]

I had missed that there were 3 incidents. Any connection? Well, I guess after 8 years of Arkancide, I'm always suspicious. I read about the "threatening" calls and I would say that at minimum, they are well beneath someone holding public office.

At any rate, its a sad state of affairs. I mean its his life to take, but I do feel sorry for the surviving family.

[ez2muz]

Anyone know if he's related to General William Westmoreland?
http://www.uwm.edu/People/mbra dley/westmoreland.html

[vanna516]

I agree with the proposition that he was being blackmailed for his PRO TAX vote and maybe I am being paranoid but this suicide seems a little convenient. It really doesn't make sense that he would travel all the way home Kingsport TN - when he was in Nashville yesterday for a legislative session and would have to be back in Nashville today - it is I'm guessing over a 4 hour drive. Moreover, he had an apartment here in Nashville where he said during legislative sessions.

According to the The Tennessean (Nashville newspaper), his son had flown in from California to yesterday to be with him. It just seems peculiar with he would drive all the way to kill himself in his home. Where was his family?

[Gaston]

Some things, once you have been accused of them, are just as damaging even if they have no substance, because once accused, you are assumed guilty until proven innocent- and the nature of the accusations are such you can never prove your innocence. Among these things are molestation, homosexuality, and racism.

Very well put.

As the Dems said in the Clairance Thomas hearings, "it is not weather the alligations are ture or not, but the severity of the alligation that should be the considering factor."

[palo verde]

hi oldironsides
I don't know if he had alcohol abuse problem too
if he was upset with himself for his exposing himself problem
maybe he thought alcohol would make him happy
then he may have gotten upset with himself for getting drunk
and compounded his misery
anyone who has had problems can empathize
the trick seems to be to find solution which works, not one which makes the suffering worse
but I learned this the hard way
(maybe most people do?)
he must have felt desperate to do this
death always makes everyone feel guilty
it is exponential with suicide
I pray God to comfort his family
Love, Palo

[palo verde]

lol
nice to c u, old friend

I agree with the posters above who said this must have been a week of hell for him and his family

couldn't he have just resigned office instantly
taken his family to resort in mountains out west
and calmed down amidst the peace and beauty of nature
he sounds like he needed a fresh start in life
Love, Palo

[Lee'sGhost]

Too bad he didn't at least have the decency to change party affiliation before he killed himself.

[lone star annie]

My guess he was addicted to internet pornography. This is happening more and more. Pornography can cause serious damage to families.

Committing suicide is the ultimate act of selfishness in my book.

[maximus@Nashville]

Suicide is the action of a coward or a brave man. A coward cannot face the consequences of his actions. A brave man is admitting guilt and sparing his family further exposure. Regardless of his motivation, this should put an end the investigations and publicity.

The odd thing that I am hearing this morning is fellow Tennessee representatives are now blaming the media. These are his colleagues, people who had heard that he was considering suicide, yet they took no action. His suicide took place on the day that he returned to the State House and was welcomed to his face by his colleagues. Who is to say that the whispers behind his back were not the final straw?

[wardaddy]

Damn...Ern....I wished you could have whipped his ass.

[wardaddy]

Good insight on the probable arm twisting.

[Redbob]

"At least he had a conscience enough to kill himself..."

If only Clinton had been as honorable... but what am I saying?
Honor was unknown to that, that... person!