Talk:Brian Douglas Wells

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bicentennial Tower
 Brian Douglas Wells is part of WikiProject Erie, which is building a comprehensive and detailed guide to the Erie, Pennsylvania metropolitan area, the surrounding counties of Crawford and Warren, and related subjects on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, visit the project page, where you can join the project.
Start
This article has been rated as Start-Class
Low
This article has been rated as Low-Importance


This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography. For more information, visit the project page.
Biography Portal
Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the project's quality scale. [FAQ]

Contents

[edit] Bomb Explosion Video

I removed the link to it for two reasons. Primarily, since it does not provide useful information concerning the situation and simply serves to distribute images of gratuitous violence. Also because youtube.com will remove the video and the link will be dead. People who wish to watch Faces of Death videos, know where to find them.

[edit] Sloppy Citations

Someone with more experience then I at fixing citations needs to go over this. Thank you. Veriss 20:00, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

Fixed the Associated Press citation. Can someone check the citation from ABCnews (not sure if its just my computer) because I think the link is dead. --​​​​Dtbohrer​​​​talk•contribs 20:58, 11 July 2007 (UTC)
The main citation that needs attention is the Cleveland Plain Dealer article referred to several times throughout the event section. I attempted to fix it so it referred to a footnote since it is referrenced several times throughout that section but was unfamiliar with the style of template used in this article. Thanks Veriss 21:26, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

It took a few tries but I finally sorted out the Plain Dealer references. Other citations use differing styles and templates and it is beyond my current skill level to streamline all of them to properly refer to the reference list in the same manner as most of the others. Veriss 22:25, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Video Issues

The video, even if the ending is fake, the beginning was a factual account of what happened--Cahk 10:09, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

I removed the Youtube link, as the video was quite obviously a fake.
Youtube link was reposted, I removed it as well. If you want to put the video back, make it clear that the ending IS FAKE. Cite it and its contents properly and there should be no problem putting it there.Diemunkiesdie 04:30, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
The Youtube video is legit, including the ending. A change in camera/camera angle does not imply a fake video. It's a different camera. Why is it so difficult to believe that there was more than one camera on scene? Even Wells' car is in the shot. I don't understand why you are claiming it's not real.Skyviper 19:06, 26 February 2007 (UTC)
The explosion left a "fist-sized hole in his chest", not his entire head off. Marikina 05:58, 13 May 2007 (UTC)
What is your point? The video doesn't show his entire head being blown off. Are you saying that the video is legit?152.119.108.85 21:51, 21 May 2007 (UTC)
the video on youtube isnt real,the video on AMW last saturday{7/14/07}was real(the censored part)and it showed it all different.(4tildes)

[edit] General Discussion

I have no problem with people putting a news story and a fitting tribute on Wikipedia. But does this belong in Recent Deaths? This makes the page seem amateurish. I am sure he was a fine young man who was the victim of a horrific evil. Never the less, this is a place for people who are part of the larger global culture and DIED ON THE DAY listed. I am sorry, but this just does not belong here. I have no problem with Brian having an entry in Wikipedia in general, but not here, not several years after the fact. Diggerjohn111 19:39, 26 February 2007 (UTC)


Was this the inspiration for the movie Saw?

That's exactly what I thought when I heard about this - it reminded me of Saw or Phone Booth. Battle Ape 13:51, 28 December 2005 (UTC)
I've thought this for years, anyone have any info on this?

Hello all. I am a fellow coworker of Brian Wells. IF someone rewrties this biography, please do not start off with a mean and degrading sentence. I am very close to brian wells. Closer toi Mr wells then anyone has been. I LOVE WELLS AND I HOPE THE KILLER WILL BE CAUGHT.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO DEGRADE WELLS AGAIN, PLEASE DO SO I CAN COME KICK SOME ASS YOU ROTTEN PEOPLE.

  • "high school dropout" is not degrading. BD2412 T 01:18, 19 April 2006 (UTC)

This is really messed up. I always love a good mystery like this, but god...

Sharkface, thanks for re-adding a Battle Royale reference. Some moron deleted my BR reference on Dec 10. Acr01 02:48, 16 January 2007 (UTC)

Whoever keeps removing the Battle Royale reference is really dense. Just because it was released before the Brian Wells event does not make it irrelevant. BW does not have to influence BR; who's to say BR didn't influence BW? The scenario is too similar to dismiss and it's not like this kind of crime happens with any regularity. Acr01 10:35, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Similar Prior Event

I recall that a woman in Israel/Palistine was killed by a collar-bomb a few years before the Brian Wells event and Battle Royale. Does anyone have any further info on this? Asteroceras 02:48, 14 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Cite sources

I'm pretty sure I remember hearing there was not enough time to complete all the tasks layed out in the letters, but it does need to be cited by a published source. I've been looking for articles and transcripts myself, but haven't found anything yet. Do you remember what Dateline episode backed this up? Please see WP:CITE Hoof Hearted 15:49, 16 March 2007 (UTC)

I read in the magazine "DER SPIEGEL" that Wells hadn´t enough time to complete the tasks. Dagadt

[edit] Current Event Tag

Should it be removed? It does not seem like a current event any longer ... Any thoughts? (JosephASpadaro 20:39, 21 April 2007 (UTC))

I removed it; if there are any important breaks in the case, it can be put back. -​​​​Dtbohrer​​​​talk•contribs 23:31, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] UPDATE

there are new devolpments in the case,some one was arrested,this is the info i found and where i found it,feel free to incorporate it into the article.

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=3361781&page=1

By CHRIS FRANCESCANI

ABC News Law & Justice Unit July 10, 2007 Font Size


Nearly four years after one of the strangest murder cases in federal law enforcement history, authorities appear poised to announce indictments in the case of the pizza bomber as early as Wednesday, sources tell ABC News.

Sources say the indictments will center on a former high school valedictorian with bipolar disorder who is believed to be the ringleader of a bizarre Pennsylvania bank robbery gone bad. What remains vexingly unclear is whether pizza-delivery man Brian Wells was involved in the plot in any way.

In late summer 2003, Wells walked into an Erie, Pa., bank wearing a bomb attached to his neck by an elaborate, locked metal collar. He was also carrying a gun disguised as a walking cane.

Cornered by police in a nearby parking lot after the robbery, Wells said that armed gunmen had locked the bomb around his neck and sent him into the bank. Police seized a multiple-page note full of instructions that told Wells to move swiftly to a variety of seemingly unrelated spots around the area or the bomb would detonate.

"Why is nobody trying to come get this thing off me?" he yelled to authorities as he sat handcuffed near a police car. "I don't have enough time."

He didn't. With a small crowd gathered that included curious media, the bomb exploded, blowing a hole through Wells' chest and killing him instantly. He was 46 years old.

The case has taken numerous twists and turns over the years, and investigators have acknowledged at times that they were simply stumped. This week though federal authorities are expected to announce indictments, sources close to the case tell ABC News' Law & Justice Unit.

Valedictorian Turned Robbery Ringleader? Monday, a federal public defender for a woman named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong filed court documents trying to prevent the government from holding a news conference to announce indictments. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office in Pittsburgh, which is handling the case, declined comment, as did federal public defender Thomas Patton's office.

Diehl-Armstrong, a high school class valedictorian with multiple graduate degrees who suffers from bipolar disorder, has long been a main target of the investigation. While law enforcement sources tell ABC News Diehl-Armstrong has cooperated with investigators, she is still expected to be charged in the case, possibly as its ringleader. _____________________________________________________________

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_516508.html Baffling Erie collar-bomb case takes new twist

By Jason Cato TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, July 10, 2007


The nearly 4-year-old mystery of who used a collar-bomb to kill an Erie pizza delivery man soon might end, according to a lawyer for a former teacher expected to be charged by federal authorities.

Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, 58, who is in jail for another killing, is likely to be indicted for the August 2003 death of Brian Wells, federal public defender Thomas Patton said in court papers filed Monday in Erie. Wells was decapitated when a bomb strapped around his neck exploded shortly after a bank robbery.

"Ms. Diehl-Armstrong has not yet been charged; however, it is anticipated that an indictment will be forthcoming shortly," Patton wrote in a request for a gag order to keep prosecutors from holding a news conference to announce the charges. Patton declined to comment.

"Due to the extensive media coverage that has occurred to date, it is reasonable to conclude that any press conference would be heavily reported on in the media," Patton wrote, noting attention shown the case by USA Today, "America's Most Wanted" and Geraldo Rivera. "Ms. Diehl-Armstrong submits that any public discussion of any forthcoming indictment would prejudice the potential jury pool in this case."

U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan declined to comment. In February, she said the investigation was nearing an end.

Wells, 46, left Mama Mia's Pizza-Ria about 2 p.m. the day of his death to deliver pizza to a remote location, which turned out to be an abandoned television tower. About 40 minutes later, he showed up at a PNC Bank branch outside Erie, handed a note to a teller and raised his shirt to show the bomb.

Police stopped Wells two minutes after the robbery. A series of notes found in Wells' possession gave explicit details on how to rob the bank and survive the experience -- including instructions to go to three locations within a specified time to retrieve keys and a code to disarm the bomb.

"Alerting authorities, your company or anyone else will bring your death," a handwritten note read. "If we spot police vehicles or aircraft you will be killed."

The bomb exploded while officers waited for a bomb squad.

Investigators have spent years trying to determine whether Wells was a victim in the bank robbery plot or participated willingly. Wells' death has remained a mystery in part because several people connected to the investigation died since the incident, Buchanan has said.

Diehl-Armstrong, formerly of Erie, is serving 20 years in state prison for killing her roommate, James Roden, whose body was discovered stuffed in a freezer in September 2003. Diehl-Armstrong pleaded guilty but mentally ill.

She was charged in 1984 with the death of her boyfriend, Robert Thomas. She was acquitted of the homicide charge but convicted of carrying a firearm without a license. She received probation.

Jason Cato can be reached at jcato@tribweb.com or 412-320-7840. __________________________________________________

http://brianwells.net/

US Federal Government Ordered the Beheading of Murder Victim Brian Wells

19 Hours after the bomb locked around Brian's neck exploded, the bomb experts said they still could not render the collar harmless.

So with this knowledge Federal Law Enforcement Agents, the FBI, ATF and Pennnsylvania State Police decided the best way to proceed would be to take Brian's body to the coroners office in the Erie County Courthouse and remove his head, rather than unbolting the collar or cutting the collar in two pieces.

There were five representatives of law enforcement at the coroners office, but they did not have the courtesy to allow Brian's 75 year-old mother, to pay her last respects to her son.

This is one of the many reasons why I , John Wells and many others do not place a lot of faith in the Law Enforcement Officers involved in this Investigation.

The Family was not permitted to say their last farewell to Brian Wells They were allowed to bury a group of body parts wrapped in cloth.

__________ Listed Below are the first four Pennsylvania State Troopers that failed to help Brian D Wells They also refuse to speak with any Family Member. Brian Was Murdered while in their custody.

Bomb Squad not called for over 30 Minutes while Brian was interrogated. Brian was in police custody for 46 minutes.

Brian was alive and breathing, fighting for his life after the bomb exploded. Brian was denied Emergency Medical Treatment.

Inadequate Officers

Trp Stafford Trp Weible Trp Dawdy Trp Szmanski _____________________ Ongoing Grief

You can only imagine what heartache and sorrow I experience on a daily basis because of the unsolved murder of my brother Brian, who was forced into a collar bomb and made to play the role of a bomb hostage. This evil crime still sickens me and it’s incomprehensible that it happened here in our community – Erie. Who could have planned and implemented such an inhumane crime, which has devastated our family and changed our lives forever. We live with ongoing grief and heartache. Questions as numerous as the stars have yet to be answered. What is the reason why we and the public cannot see what my brother Brian said and did within the bank? We are disturbed and hopeful each time there is a write up in the newspaper or on T.V. regarding our brother’s murder. We are disturbed because our brother had no involvement in this bizarre, unheard of crime and yet law enforcement, the FBI and State Police continue to lead the family and the public to wonder and believe that probably Brian had something to do with this. This is wrong and a grave injustice to Brian and to our family. How would anyone in our community respond if it were your loved one who was portrayed as possibly involved when he/she was simply an innocent person, victimized by a group of strangers who chose to kill that day? Can you imagine this injustice has been going on for almost three years? When I ask the FBI, “What prevents you from clearing Brian’s name?” They respond, “I can’t answer that.” They have no evidence against Brian yet they continue to portray Brian’s role as possibly involved. This kind of investigation makes my stomach turn. My faith in this case ever being solved in Truth and Light is slim. From the beginning of this crime we have been treated with disrespect from law enforcement. First of all, they failed to notify our family of Brian’s death until after 11:00p.m. at night, when Brian died at 3:18p.m. and they knew of his identity even earlier than this. Doesn’t that just boggle your mind and make you wonder what’s going on? I guess they were just all shook up that they let an innocent man die in their custody and didn’t even attempt to offer Brian assistance. Brian wasn’t even given a chance by law enforcement because they were frozen in fear on the scene. They were baffled, confused and scared to death. They didn’t think to call the bomb squad immediately when they knew a live bomb was secured on him. Why? Why? Why? They knew and believed it was real because they hid behind their squad cars pointing guns at my brother Brian as he sat handcuffed pleading for help, expressing this wasn’t him, and that it was going to go off. Law enforcement failed my brother Brian on that day and they didn’t even come forward to any family member and convey what Brian said to them while in their custody. Why? Why? Why? Will any law enforcement officer please come forward now and talk with our family about what Brian said to them that day? We simply want closure, we want to know for peace of mind and heart. Put yourselves in our shoes. Wouldn’t you want to know if this happened to a family member of yours?

These are Questions that need to be addressed now.

1. What new protocol if any is in place now?

2. How is a person, who is forced into a bomb hostage situation supposed to respond to try to save his/her life and the lives of others?

3. Can we now expect law enforcement to immediately call 911 and dispatch the bomb squad at once to try to disarm a bomb, to give the person hope of survival, especially if secured upon a person?

4. What is the profile of the killers?

5. What were the motives of the killers?

6. Can outside handwriting analysts look at the notes to help determine who wrote them?

7. Can new investigators come into this with open mindedness to follow the evidence leading to those responsible?

8. When will the identities of those who conceived this evil and carried it out in our community be revealed to the public and brought to justice?

9. Will everyone continue to pray for us and with us? And pray that this crime can and will be solved soon.?

By : Jean Heid ( Brian’s Sister) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.46.49.98 (talk • contribs) 18:41 UTC, 10 June 2007

You do know you can add it yourself. --​​​​Dtbohrer​​​​talk•contribs 12:58, 11 July 2007 (UTC)


From what I can gather... the crime has pretty much BEEN solved. 71.74.13.4 21:10, 11 July 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Redirect

There should be a redirect to this page from "collar bomb case". The term has caught on in the media.--71.194.128.49 00:52, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Done. I also created a redirect for pizza-bomber as well. Veriss 01:07, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Page Split

Feel the page should be split. Once you get past the intro, the article is more about the actual turn of events and not really about Wells. --​​​​Dtbohrer​​​​talk•contribs 11:03, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

  • Oppose he was only notable for the one event that ended his life. If anything, we should have an article about the events and redirect this there. --rogerd 12:35, 12 July 2007 (UTC)
  • Oppose (both split and rename), articles like JonBenét Ramsey, Ronald Goldman, Scott Peterson, and Armin Meiwes seem to set a precedent for including single-notworthy events in an article named for the victim/perpetrator. Hoof Hearted 15:15, 12 July 2007 (UTC)
  • Oppose (both split and rename), as per rogerd and hoof. Travb (talk) 11:47, 13 July 2007 (UTC)
  • Oppose split, though I would not have a problem with renaming the article to "Erie Collar Bomb case" and redirecting the current name there - someone searching for the person would be searching because of the case. bd2412 T 20:09, 13 July 2007 (UTC)
  • Oppose. As rogerd so well puts it, he was only notable for the one event that ended his life. Terry Carroll 20:24, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

Okay, I'm starting to get the picture that Wells isn't notable enough to have his own page, but moving/renaming the page is still a possibility (one with which I don't have a problem). --​​​​Dtbohrer​​​​talk•contribs 20:50, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

Well, my opinion is that Wells is notable enough to have his own page, and it's fine as it currently stands. Hoof Hearted 13:11, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Unsourced info

I moved this unsourced info to talk, since it is repeated, in abbreviated and sourced form, in the 2007 section:

At the press conference, authorities also revealed that they believe Wells himself was complicit in the robbery plot which ultimately took his life. At one point during the press conference, shouting broke out in the back of the room. This shouting was in response to an assertion that Brian Wells was forced to wear the collar bomb which killed him, but because he carried through with the bank robbery (even though it was under duress), he is still considered a conspirator in the crime. The spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office also indicated that Wells had played a minor role in the planning of the bank robbery, but that he was not the mastermind behind the crime.

Travb (talk) 11:53, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] New Info

I found some interesting information that should be added to the article. I'm working on other things on other things and don't have time to add it. Later if I have time I'll add it.

Palattella, Ed. "Warrant: Wells had neck measured for bomb", Erie Times-News, 2007-07-18. 

--​​​​Dtbohrer​​​​talk•contribs 01:39, 19 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] "three black men"

A sentence in the article reads "he was to claim that three black men forced the bomb on him..." Apparently some editors do not like this and edit it to "three white men", "three mysterious men," etc. I suggest we keep it to the correct facts, which is that his claim was to be that it was three black men. This isn't a racial slur, no one is saying there actually were three black men. But it is what Wells was instructed to claim, and should not be changed.

The fact that Wells was instructed to make the claim is well-cited, and the newspaper article in the footnote, found at [1] reads:

As the robbery plan crystallized, the group pulled Wells in with a lure of cash. Wells helped plan the robbery, authorities said, and his partners told him the bomb would be fake. If arrested, he was told to tell police he was a hostage and that three black men [emphasis added] had forced him to do it, Buchanan said.

He was not instructed to claim it was three white men, or three mysterious men. He was told to claim it was three black men. Stop messing with it. Terry Carroll 01:33, 27 July 2007 (UTC)