That was a classic line...a keeper!
Posted on 06/19/2002 7:57:12 PM PDT by 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.
In Nashville, there are even more accusations of indecent exposure against Rep. Keith Westmoreland, (R) Kingsport.
Wednesday, at a 5 p.m. press conference, Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said that in a review of cases by the sex crimes unit it appears that Westmoreland is a suspect in another indecent exposure case.
Westmoreland was arrested last week in Florida on seven felony charges that he exposed himself at a hotel in Sandestin.
On Monday, NewsChannel 5 revealed that Metro police warned Westmoreland in March after witnesses said Westmoreland exposed himself to a motel located across from his Nashville apartment.
During Wednesday's news conference, Aaron said that a newly uncovered case involving Westmoreland happened at the Holiday Inn Select on Elm Hill Pike on March 26.
Two girls, ages 13 and 15, told their mother that a man was exposing himself to them in the hotel's hot tub area.
The mother reported the incident to the hotel's management.
"When that notification was made, the suspect reportedly got out of the hot tub, hurriedly dressed, exited towards the parking lot, got into a vehicle and fled the hotel," Aaron said.
The victims wrote down the vehicle tag number and that number came back as belonging to Westmoreland.
When police interviewed the victims, the mother was unsure about prosecution. A few days later, when contacted by police, she declined to prosecute.
Aaron said in light of recent events, the police department would leave the Holiday Inn case against Westmoreland open.
The teens and the mother were from east Tennessee. Aaron said the police department would not name the victims because they are minors.
Westmoreland Target Of TBI Investigation NewsChannel 5 has learned that Westmoreland was the target of a recent Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe, which adds to the growing list of troubling revelations against the Kingsport Republican lawmaker.
Westmoreland isn't talking, but he didn't dodge Wednesday's legislative session.
No one knew if he would show, but at 10 a.m. Westmoreland made his way to the state house chamber.
Westmoreland had nothing to say about the seven felony charges filed against him in Florida for indecent exposure.
He stood by his desk in the back of the room and was warmly welcomed by his colleagues.
"You've got cameras around and we'd avoid him like the plague if he wasn't well liked," said Rep. Ken Givens, (D) Rogersville.
Rep. Joe Armstrong, (D) Knoxville, said, "I didn't say a word to him. Patted him on the back and I know everybody has trials and tribulations in their life."
It seems Westmoreland's had his share.
NewsChannel 5 has learned he was the target of a TBI investigation for allegedly making harassing phone calls to a fellow lawmaker and his wife.
Representative Zane Whitson wouldn't talk on camera, but confirmed he asked the TBI for help.
Agents tracked the calls, some sexual in nature, to Westmoreland.
Whitson never pressed charges.
In a separate case, Westmoreland was in trouble with Metro police in March after guests at a hotel complained he was flashing them from his apartment next door.
This was the call made to 911 -- "Yes, this is the Days Inn on 7th and Union. We have a guy on the apartment and he's exposing himself and we have a hotel full of teenagers."
As it was, Westmoreland was warned. It was clear people at the hotel can see inside the apartment when windows are open, Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said.
Westmoreland's legislative office refers all questions to his attorney in Florida.
In a statement, they call the indecent exposure charges in Florida nothing more than innuendo and Westmoreland wants his day in court.
That will come in July.
What was his position on the income tax?
That was my first question yesterday when the scandal charges first broke. GailA said he was PRO - income tax.
This is an amazing story. Suicide? Whoa....
(look at the times)
Now if only a bunch of homosexual child sodomizing Catholic Priests would do society a favor, and follow Westmoreland's example......
...or tax raising Republicans...
I mean, after all.. It's "only" flashing kids.
Has no bearing whatsoever on his job performance.
(/Sarcasm)
Teletubbies are on summer repeats.
No kidding.
Democrats duck & stall for months, go on tv with connie chung and repeat: "I have not been a perfect husband" over, and over and over..
That was a classic line...a keeper!
What an insane maniac.
I think this means he is guilty and tired of living with a dark secret that he believed couldn't be controlled. Sad.
Charges were filed but the case never came up, or at least the prosecutor never called me, for what reason I don't know. But I can tell you I've never been so angry at another person before or since. I got a few choice words in and when he decided he was going to get out of his truck to fight me is the exact moment the police showed up.
I only lost my temper when I thought he was going to get away before the police arrived.
All the while he's talking to the police he's acting nice and then when they aren't looking he's giving me a look like a cold blooded killer, then when they would start to look at him again he would revert to "Mr. nice guy, it's all a misunderstanding". The worst part about it was he fit the description of a rapist ten minutes south of here and I couldn't get the dang police in that jurisdiction to call me back after about 5 calls.
He probably plead guilty.
I completely agree here. It was a very cowardly action, nevermind towards his constituents, but to his own family.
Kingsport Police Chief Mark Addington, far right, confers with other members of the department at the home of Rep. Keith Westmoreland. Ned Jilton II photo.
http://www.timesnews.net/index.cgi?BISKIT=1186382793&CONTEXT=story&id=61372&category=6&fulltext=1
Rep. Keith Westmoreland dead of self-inflicted gunshot wound
By TIM WHALEY
KINGSPORT - State Rep. Keith Westmoreland, R-Kingsport, a lifelong public servant in Sullivan County and Kingsport, died at his Kingsport home Wednesday night of what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Kingsport Police Chief Mark Addington said.
Westmoreland, 55, was at home alone at the time of the incident, Addington said.
"At approximately 8:25 p.m. this evening, Kingsport central dispatch received a call from Dennis Westmoreland, brother of state Rep. Keith Westmoreland," Addington said. "Mr. Westmoreland reported that he had found Rep. Westmoreland with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was found in his home in the bathroom."
Addington said Westmoreland left a note for his family, but the contents of the note were not released Wednesday night.
"Rep. Westmoreland was to have joined his family for dinner at his brother's home, and when he failed to show up, Dr. Westmoreland and Keith Westmoreland's son went to the home on 3216 Kenridge Street, where they found Rep. Westmoreland."
Addington said the investigation was continuing at 10 p.m.
Westmoreland's death comes amid allegations that Westmoreland exposed himself to three girls under age 16 at a San Destin, Fla., hotel hot tub last week.
Then Tuesday, Nashville Metro Police confirmed that Westmoreland received a verbal warning from police after motel guests in a building across the street from Westmoreland's apartment reported seeing Westmoreland standing naked at his window on March 13.
Westmoreland told authorities that he had just gotten out of the shower, and a verbal warning was issued, Metro Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said.
And on Wednesday, Aaron held a press conference after a search of Nashville Metro records at media requests revealed an indecent exposure allegation on March 26.
Aaron told the Times-News that the March 26 incident allegedly occurred at the Holiday Inn Select on Elm Hill Pike.
Aaron said two sisters, ages 13 and 15, reported that a man was exposing himself in the hotel's hot tub.
A hotel manager was called to the pool area, and Aaron said "the suspect quickly dressed and fled into the parking lot, got into a vehicle and drove away."
"An individual was able to write down the license number on the vehicle. The tag number came back to a Keith Westmoreland, of Kingsport, Tennessee. The tag numeral 2 and then the letters ND," Aaron said.
Aaron said he did not know if the tag was a legislative tag, but Westmoreland has represented the 2nd State House District since 1992.
Aaron said the girls' mother has declined pressing charges when contacted on several occasions, including as recently as Wednesday.
"If that's her decision, it's certainly understandable," Aaron said. "This is a lady who resides in East Tennessee, not Davidson County. These are two teenage girls, and if she wants to spare them the legal process in this misdemeanor situation, that's certainly understandable."
Aaron said the Nashville charge, if one had been placed, would have been a misdemeanor based on the details as known Wednesday.
Westmoreland was charged with seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to a child under age 16 in Florida.
Although no charges have been placed in Tennessee, Aaron said Wednesday that the investigation was being kept "open in light of the circumstances" in Florida and the March 13 apartment window incident.
Rep. Keith Westmoreland Commits Suicide
Rep. Keith Westmoreland, (R) Kingsport, is dead Wednesday night after committing suicide.
Westmoreland was reported dead in his Kingsport home where he shot and killed himself.
Westmoreland was recently arrested in Florida where he was accused of exposing himself to several teenagers at a hotel in Sandestin.
Wednesday afternoon, Metro police revealed that Westmoreland was a suspect in a similar case in Nashville that happened in March.
In the Nashville case, two teen sisters said that a man exposed himself to them in a local hotel hot tub. When it was reported to the hotel management, the suspect fled in a car bearing Westmoreland's license plate.
Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said police did not pursue the case because the mother of the girls didn't want to press charges.
A similar incident was also reported at a Days Inn located across the street from Westmoreland's Nashville apartment in March.
Police said Westmoreland was accused of exposing himself through his bathroom window to teenagers staying in the Days Inn hotel.
Since police could not find witnesses from the hotel, they gave Westmoreland a warning.
Fellow lawmakers were stunned Wednesday night.
"We feel sorry for the family and grieve for the loss of a life," said Beth Harwell, (R) Nashville, chairwoman of the state republican party.
Ben West, (D) Nashville, called Westmoreland's suicide unbelievable and said, "you never know what a man's mind harbors."
In a statement, Governor Don Sundquist said, "Keith was an excellent legislator…he will be greatly missed…my heart breaks for his family and friends. They will most certainly be in our prayers."
Westmoreland was 55. A wife, Alice, and two children survived Westmoreland.
Isn't it amazing how all these charges suddenly came to light, but nobody heard about them before?.
"He voted for the income tax in the most recent vote."
He was reportedly a conservative "anti-tax" Republican until he recently voted for the income tax. Anybody else putting 2 and 2 together here? I think he was blackmailed with this dirt by the pro-taxers. This guy was apparently pretty sick, but at least he ended it all by doing the honorable thing.
WSMV Nashville
Nancy Amons
June 19, 2002
The surprising revelations of Representative Westmoreland’s troubles with police began emerging just three days ago, although the allegations now go back several months.
Channel 4 broke the story of Westmoreland's arrest in Florida last week. And soon it beca me apparent that it wasn't the first allegation against him for public indecency.
Westmoreland's trouble with the law in Florida began one week ago Wednesday. On June 12th, according to a police report, he exposed himself, his sex organs to juveniles at a pool in Sandestin.
When Channel 4 broke the news of his arrest Monday, his colleagues on the hill were reluctant to believe it. "Men are innocent until proven guilty. And if that's a fact, that's a shame." Gary Odom said he hoped it was not true. "I find it hard to believe, he was a for me r law enforcement officer."
Tuesday, we learned Nashville police had talked to Westmoreland in connection with an incident at his Nashville apartment, The Wautaga on March 13th. In that case, police investigated him for standing naked in front of a window, but never charged him after he said he'd just gotten out of the shower.
Despite the publicity, Westmoreland appeared at the legislature just Wednesday morning. But Wednesday afternoon, Channel 4 learned that there had been yet another incident March 26th , at the Holiday Inn Select on Elm Hill Pike.
Police have an open case, Westmoreland had never been arrested. Two teenage girls say Westmoreland exposed himself to them in the hot tub.
In that March 26th incident, police say he fled the scene. But some one got the tag number, and the status of the case, was still under investigation. But obviously, that case won't go forward.
Keith Westmoreland was very popular in his ho me district of Kingsport. The Republican lawmaker was first elected to the statehouse in 1992. He had a distinguished career in local government and law enforcement.
Keith Westmoreland was 55 years old. He's survived by his wife and two children.
How odd. Was he elected in the crib? Sad story no matter what. Some people have demons they can't control. But, he finally did get his under control.
She went to NYC and a man was doing the same thing directly behind her on a crowded subway car. She reached back and said "hello" with her nails! He screamed like a wild animal and ran.Wasn't that Claude Balls?
Well, of course. And the worst he could have done is lie, deny and smear the victims.
Suicide comes down fairly firmly in the middle. It's a confession of sorts and now we all know he won't ever do it again. Terrible for his family, but I'm not sure a public anal exam would have been better.
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