Guilt is a funny thing. It can be the impetus for good behavior. It can eat away at the soul like a cancer. Guilt can enhance manipulation and control of another, while trying to save one´s skin. It can cause cracks in relationships brought together by malfeasance and peccancy.
A growing fissure already exists in Poplar, Montana.
Reportedly, more than the three girls, Maude Grayhawk Kirn, Sissy Atkinson and Joanne Jackson were at the scene that fateful night of Kim Nees´ last desperate pleas for help. In fact, one of these girls has stated more than once that Jordis Ferguson (now White Hawk), Roberta Jackson--Joanne´s sister, and Rhea Red Dog were also active and willing participants in the beating. Laurie Shaffer supposedly accompanied Eddie Vandover and Mike Longtree is said to have been present as well.
The three names that keep rising to the top like rancid cream are Maude, Sissy and Joanne. It is not a huge leap to imagine that Sissy Atkinson has spent the past 29 years keeping a lid on Maude Grayhawk (now going by the name Maude J. Kirn), who reportedly has been keeping a lid on Eddie Vandover, who supposedly devised the original plan to "get" Kim Nees in order to "teach her a lesson". It is hard to believe though that Eddie is the complete mastermind when endless stories circulate of Sissy, Maude and others often "beating up white girls" and physically attacking people like a roving pack of mongrel dogs. Historically, the violence of these girls was obviously not squelched--mainly due to nepotism in local law enforcement. And as grown women, they continued their rampage of intimidation, fear mongering and, many in Poplar think, other murders.
The guilt in Poplar is nearly palpable. Guilt for what people know or think they know. Many think they know for a fact who was involved in the beating and murder of Kim Nees. Most all of them admit it was not Barry Beach. But, Maude Grayhawk Kirn wants the whole thing to "go away" as she told someone close to her. She wants "peace for the Nees family" and frequently calls people "liars". She has dodged interrogations, feigned mental illness, admitted herself to a hospital, skipped out on a subpoena (Why is she not in jail?) and continues to change her story in the nasty scheme of 1979.
However, her years of stories, denial and subsequent bad behavior are catching up with her.
Maude is thought by some in Poplar to have something to do with Kim Nees´ uncle´s murder, as well as the murder of her ex-husband, Dana Kirn. Rumors of her constant infidelity and questionable reputation are well known in the small town, and she was living with Tracy McGowan, Dana Kirn´s murderer, while still married to Dana. Dana Kirn made a big mistake in telling her he would reveal her admitted involvement in Kim Nees' death to the authorities--his final mistake. Maude Grayhawk allegedly coerced Tracy McGowan to take the fall for killing Dana Kirn. Reportedly, no weapon was found, so we do not really know who held the knife. Tracy McGowan, by the way, reportedly got only 3 years for the murder as opposed to Barry Beach's 100 years, with no parole. Poplar justice.
Is it gossip? Is any of this important?
Yes. The current Assistant Attorney General Plubell pulled out a copy of a restraining order taken out by Maude against Dana Kirn, in response to his sister, Maria Decker´s testimony during Barry Beach´s appeal to the parole board. Plubell used it in an attempt to discredit her, leading people to believe her brother was the bad guy. Lawyering 101: let´s-make-the-dead-guy-look-like-the-villain. Shades of Racicot.
The truth is, after years of emotional and psychological abuse by Maude through innuendo, infidelity and whatever else one of the Witches of Poplar conjured up, he had every right to be angry with her. She was just the first one to get the order.
Does that make her smarter? No, just lucky. Investigator Ron Kemp interviewed Maude in 2004 about the night Kim Nees was murdered, and found her to be increasingly upset at the questioning. Four years later, one can only imagine that her dam is not far from breaking. With the increased pressure to find the truth in this case, Maude is getting weaker and Sissy Atkinson is getting tired. Steven Grayhawk, Sr., the derelict cop who constantly protected his delinquent daughter through any means, is now denying he ever was employed at the time of Kim Nees´ death. Conveniently those sheriff´s office records were destroyed in a fire.
Maude Grayhawk could have told the truth that night in 1979, or the next day, or three weeks later. Steven Grayhawk could have done the same. So could all the rest of the players in this tragedy. If Maude did only what she has said, and she was not the one who struck the final deadly blows, she would have paid a minor price for a sad situation of a revenge that got out of hand. Now, though, with possibly other murders under her belt and a lifetime of deceit, she has stolen at least three lives: Kim Nees, Barry Beach and Dana Kirn.
Those who know the truth are schooling like self-absorbed sharks, verbally disemboweling each other in semi-anonymous blogs, making threats, accusations, and calling each other out. If Maude Grayhawk Kirn is smart, she will realize whoever cracks first and goes to the authorities with the truth will have the best chance at a semblance of life when all is said and done. Perhaps though she is not as smart as she likes to think she is. In fact, none of them seem to be.
Just like Maude Grayhawk Kirn, Montana politicians would like the whole thing to go away, too. However, if Poplar implodes, and another murder or two takes care of witnesses, so much the better for them. Their positions are then safe and things like prosecutorial misconduct, payoffs and cover-ups will be summarily dismissed as crazy rumors from a drugged-out Poplar--perhaps courtesy from former Governor Racicot´s alleged smuggling operation.
If the residents of Poplar are smart, they will see that the Montana government looks at their small town as expendable. If they are smart, they will see that revealing the truth in the Kim Nees murder case could be the best thing to ever happen to Poplar. Only those with healthy guilt are liable to make ammends, tell the truth, have a chance. Without the truth, the town will self-destruct into a dusty crossroads of guilt-racked and broken lives, an inconsequential polyp in Montana history.
Montana politicians are counting on that.
A growing fissure already exists in Poplar, Montana.
Reportedly, more than the three girls, Maude Grayhawk Kirn, Sissy Atkinson and Joanne Jackson were at the scene that fateful night of Kim Nees´ last desperate pleas for help. In fact, one of these girls has stated more than once that Jordis Ferguson (now White Hawk), Roberta Jackson--Joanne´s sister, and Rhea Red Dog were also active and willing participants in the beating. Laurie Shaffer supposedly accompanied Eddie Vandover and Mike Longtree is said to have been present as well.
The three names that keep rising to the top like rancid cream are Maude, Sissy and Joanne. It is not a huge leap to imagine that Sissy Atkinson has spent the past 29 years keeping a lid on Maude Grayhawk (now going by the name Maude J. Kirn), who reportedly has been keeping a lid on Eddie Vandover, who supposedly devised the original plan to "get" Kim Nees in order to "teach her a lesson". It is hard to believe though that Eddie is the complete mastermind when endless stories circulate of Sissy, Maude and others often "beating up white girls" and physically attacking people like a roving pack of mongrel dogs. Historically, the violence of these girls was obviously not squelched--mainly due to nepotism in local law enforcement. And as grown women, they continued their rampage of intimidation, fear mongering and, many in Poplar think, other murders.
The guilt in Poplar is nearly palpable. Guilt for what people know or think they know. Many think they know for a fact who was involved in the beating and murder of Kim Nees. Most all of them admit it was not Barry Beach. But, Maude Grayhawk Kirn wants the whole thing to "go away" as she told someone close to her. She wants "peace for the Nees family" and frequently calls people "liars". She has dodged interrogations, feigned mental illness, admitted herself to a hospital, skipped out on a subpoena (Why is she not in jail?) and continues to change her story in the nasty scheme of 1979.
However, her years of stories, denial and subsequent bad behavior are catching up with her.
Maude is thought by some in Poplar to have something to do with Kim Nees´ uncle´s murder, as well as the murder of her ex-husband, Dana Kirn. Rumors of her constant infidelity and questionable reputation are well known in the small town, and she was living with Tracy McGowan, Dana Kirn´s murderer, while still married to Dana. Dana Kirn made a big mistake in telling her he would reveal her admitted involvement in Kim Nees' death to the authorities--his final mistake. Maude Grayhawk allegedly coerced Tracy McGowan to take the fall for killing Dana Kirn. Reportedly, no weapon was found, so we do not really know who held the knife. Tracy McGowan, by the way, reportedly got only 3 years for the murder as opposed to Barry Beach's 100 years, with no parole. Poplar justice.
Is it gossip? Is any of this important?
Yes. The current Assistant Attorney General Plubell pulled out a copy of a restraining order taken out by Maude against Dana Kirn, in response to his sister, Maria Decker´s testimony during Barry Beach´s appeal to the parole board. Plubell used it in an attempt to discredit her, leading people to believe her brother was the bad guy. Lawyering 101: let´s-make-the-dead-guy-look-like-the-villain. Shades of Racicot.
The truth is, after years of emotional and psychological abuse by Maude through innuendo, infidelity and whatever else one of the Witches of Poplar conjured up, he had every right to be angry with her. She was just the first one to get the order.
Does that make her smarter? No, just lucky. Investigator Ron Kemp interviewed Maude in 2004 about the night Kim Nees was murdered, and found her to be increasingly upset at the questioning. Four years later, one can only imagine that her dam is not far from breaking. With the increased pressure to find the truth in this case, Maude is getting weaker and Sissy Atkinson is getting tired. Steven Grayhawk, Sr., the derelict cop who constantly protected his delinquent daughter through any means, is now denying he ever was employed at the time of Kim Nees´ death. Conveniently those sheriff´s office records were destroyed in a fire.
Maude Grayhawk could have told the truth that night in 1979, or the next day, or three weeks later. Steven Grayhawk could have done the same. So could all the rest of the players in this tragedy. If Maude did only what she has said, and she was not the one who struck the final deadly blows, she would have paid a minor price for a sad situation of a revenge that got out of hand. Now, though, with possibly other murders under her belt and a lifetime of deceit, she has stolen at least three lives: Kim Nees, Barry Beach and Dana Kirn.
Those who know the truth are schooling like self-absorbed sharks, verbally disemboweling each other in semi-anonymous blogs, making threats, accusations, and calling each other out. If Maude Grayhawk Kirn is smart, she will realize whoever cracks first and goes to the authorities with the truth will have the best chance at a semblance of life when all is said and done. Perhaps though she is not as smart as she likes to think she is. In fact, none of them seem to be.
Just like Maude Grayhawk Kirn, Montana politicians would like the whole thing to go away, too. However, if Poplar implodes, and another murder or two takes care of witnesses, so much the better for them. Their positions are then safe and things like prosecutorial misconduct, payoffs and cover-ups will be summarily dismissed as crazy rumors from a drugged-out Poplar--perhaps courtesy from former Governor Racicot´s alleged smuggling operation.
If the residents of Poplar are smart, they will see that the Montana government looks at their small town as expendable. If they are smart, they will see that revealing the truth in the Kim Nees murder case could be the best thing to ever happen to Poplar. Only those with healthy guilt are liable to make ammends, tell the truth, have a chance. Without the truth, the town will self-destruct into a dusty crossroads of guilt-racked and broken lives, an inconsequential polyp in Montana history.
Montana politicians are counting on that.
