For a good recount of yesterday’s indictment of Dr. Phil Astin, Chris Benoit’s physician, check out today’s LA Times. Also, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution continues its excellent coverage of this story, adding comments from Dick Bathrick of Men Stopping Violence who said, “The outside medication is a vehicle, it is not the cause … He takes the drug. He knows the effect that it has. And he’s making the choice to stay with that.” Bathrick goes on to say that the woman was threatening to leave in 75 percent of domestic violence cases that resulted in death. The AJC has also published a story on how parents deal with kids that have Fragile X Syndrome, while Dan Abrams of MSNBC (Marc Mero and Steve Blackman were guests last night) suggested that the Fragile X part of this story was a diversion from the steroid factor. On this topic, Wade Keller of PWTorch.com has posted today that human growth hormone “is not a valid treatment for Fragile X.”
The AJC also says that when federal agents raided Dr. Astin’s office on Wednesday, he was carrying Chris Benoit’s medical file. The U.S. Attorney speculates that Astin may have been tampering with it; Astin’s attorney says he had it with him because he thought the authorities would want it.
More revelations about Dr. Astin: there are three domestic abuse complaints in his history, two of which resulted in no charges being filed, but one from February 2007 did. According to the charges reported by Fox Atlanta, after his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer, there was an incident at his neighbor’s house where he accused his wife of cheating and threatened his neighbor. Additionally the local CBS affiliate has two differing accounts of Astin from family members.
Here’s a list of specific indictments, as reported by the local NBC affiliate by way of PWTorch.com:
– April 2004: provided percocet, vicoprofen, and xanax to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– July 2004: provided percocet, lorcet, and xanax to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– October 2004: provided percocet, lorcet, vicoprofen, and xanax to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– March 2005: provided percocet to “O.G. in Carrollton”
– March 2005: provided percocet and lorcet to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– July 2005: provided adderall, percocet, and lorcet to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– September 2005: provided percocet and lorcet to “O.G. in Carrollton”
In another new development, The Boston Herald is reporting that Holly McFague, Chris and Nancy Benoit’s neighbor who had a key to their home, found the bodies of Chris, Nancy and son Daniel when police asked her to go inside because she knew the two dogs that were outside. An excerpt from the story:
[McFague’s representative George] Regan said McFague, who runs an events company in Atlanta, had spoken to Benoit sometime on Saturday and he told her his wife and son were sick with food poisoning.
“He told her this big, long story about how sick they were,†Regan said. “At the time she was thinking that it was way too much information.â€Â
…
“She found [Chris Benoit] very odd to say the least,†he said. “But she was very close to his wife, and the little boy was friendly with her children.â€Â
Last night on the Nancy Grace show (CNN/HN), guest host Jane Velez-Mitchell spoke with Konnan, wrestling columnist Alex Marvez, the attorney for Dr. Astin and more on a long segment (almost the whole show) about the Benoit tragedy. A transcript can be found here.
Warrior’s long-awaited appearance on Hannity & Colmes (FNC) yesterday did not happen due to technical difficulties on the network’s end, but Debra Marshall/Williams was on, along with a doctor and… Mark Furman from the O.J. Simpson saga, with Furman saying that he’s not convinced there wasn’t a fourth party involved and this could still be a triple-homicide. Warrior has been rescheduled for TONIGHT’S show.
Also on FNC, Greta van Susteren interviewed Ted DiBiase, who was backstage at the June 25 RAW, originally scheduled to be a “Mr. McMahon Memorial” show. He said he arrived to RAW about fifteen minutes after Vince told the wrestlers that Chris, Nancy and Daniel Benoit’s bodies were found dead, and there was a lot of crying, etc., and wrestlers were told they could record their testimonials for the Benoit tribute show if they wanted. He went on to say that a couple of hours later, when investigators started speculating on a double-murder/suicide, everyone went into shock. He reiterated how everyone felt about Benoit prior to this tragedy, and talked a bit about how he (DiBiase) turned his life around, as well as WWE’s history of drug testing.
TheSmokingGun.com has posted Benoit-related documents, including comments that the DEA was investigating Chris Benoit for a connection to Marietta, GA-based RX Weight Loss prior to the alleged double-murder/suicide.
For comments from Jakks Pacific on ceasing production of Chris Benoit action figures, click here.
Mark Madden, in his latest column, says “Every time somebody in WWE shrinks – as per cooperation with the ‘wellness program’ – his role and paycheck shrink, too. Ask Chris Masters. When ‘The Masterpiece’ got smaller, so did his TV time.”
