Or, the other reason that Thornton resigned was because he knew what was about to happen with Melanie Flynn. But afte that the case went cold for years. The main director of the Bluegrass Conspiracy, Andrew Thornton III, was the only one who truly suffered any consequences. After calls to his elder sisters, both of whom dismissed . The Bluegrass Conspiracy by Sally Denton - KY for KY Store After finding out about the illegal activities, questions were raised about the capability of the Lexington Police Department and government officials. The country music ties to the Bluegrass Conspiracy and the Cocaine Bear were loose to begin with. I would appreciate it if you would also use air quotes while youre reading this.). Who has power? This training has the potential (and the history as per Bluegrass Conspiracy and others) of being USED by government against the ordinary citizen. Dan Lassiter lived here in Lexington and was in the horse business and started the Ponderosa restuarants which were very popular back then. After searching the car for any clues of where Melanie might have been and any evidence of the person who took her all Lexington Police found was a red leather jacket that Bobby Flynn identified as being Melanies. Visit him online : One of the chief people to help cover it up is now the Police Chief. Gov. "We are out here for a reason. Predictably, neither obit mentioned their involvement in the Bluegrass Conspiracy and the other sordid events of the 1970s. Stories, Truths and Anonymous Tips surrounding The Company and Melanie Flynn. You are correct to mention Ollie North as having more power than his station in life called for but you have to put the CIA in the mix whom I believe he had and perhaps still have strong connections with. He would be sentenced to 17 years and eight months. But, there's also a dark side to the region. She owned Hamburg Place, a 2000-acre farm that had produced 5 Kentucky Derby winners and 5 Belmont Stakes winners, including the first triple-crown winner, Sir Barton. She had agreed to introduce detective Bill Canan to people associated with the drug ring that was taking place in Lexington during the 1970s. bluegrass, in music, country and western style that emerged in the United States after World War II, a direct descendant of the old-time string-band music that had been widely played and recorded by such groups as the Carter Family from the late 1920s. This, the second of five related stories this week, looks at the WKYT journalists who worked to dig up the network of organized crime and corruption with ties to the story behind the film. Henry Vance Loses Appeal. Anita Madden (Bluegrass Conspiracy) was right in there with Lambert, John Y. For that reason, were pulling one out of the archives about bluegrass conspiracy theories. And yet, in spite of this amazing accomplishment by a bluegrass artist, she was kept off the television broadcast. Also Bobby believed that Melanie didnt have much cash on her because she didnt get paid until three days later, which in the time that the three days pasted Melanie didnt come and pick up her check. Privacy Policy. Both men would serve the majority of their sentences and then return to Lexington upon their release. Police received a tip about a possible underground tank that may hold the remains of Flynn. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. One day however, they finally caught up with him. This lead to the investigation of the scandal involving the higher status individuals of Lexington, Kentucky. The strange true story behind Cocaine Bear and Andrew Thornton - The and this is just a few) had Intelligence connections or more. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Remember former state house member and "Bluegrass Conspiracy" actor Henry Vance? I have often wondered (because of the threats and harassment to the people who video-taped that little gathering and the timing of it) if Mark Fuhrman himself wouldn't have shown up on the video if the whole thing could have been played. The Bluegrass Conspiracy: An Inside Story of Power, Greed, Drugs and Lexington, KY 40509 Recommended. Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh, 52, and Paul . Bluegrass | plant | Britannica Many of the cops and others later arrested claimed that they had been told they were working for the CIA and of course the CIA disavowed them. Wow, I haven't had this much fun reading since Bill Bryson's 'A Walk in the Woods'. It is a highly-fictionalized account loosely based on fact, from a story that has its roots in the Bluegrass. Only the files were made but nobody was ever arrested. Yet even today, the 1977 disappearance of Melanie Flynn remains a mystery. Bradley and Drew were able to meet many different kinds of people; enough of those people had lots of money. IF YOU ALREADY GOT BROADSIDED IN YOUR VAN, THATS THE OPENING SHOT. 5). Live updates: Historical windstorm blows in. I am an investigative reporter, author, and historian who writes about the subjects others ignore--from a drug conspiracy in Kentucky to organized crime in Las Vegas; from corruption within the Mormon Church to murdered women in New Mexico; from one of America's bitterest political campaigns to the powerful forces arrayed against Franklin D. Roosevelt. Among the major players were Governor John Y. She met Preston West Madden (born July 24, 1934 . Saying goodbye to her co workers and heading off to the doctors office, driving her 1975 Ford Elite (Melanie Dee Flynn, Kentucky, 1977). The search is expected to continue for days. The Bluegrass Conspiracy. (Source: WLEX/Family Photo) LEXINGTON, Ky. (WAVE) - After a few days of wet weather postponed it, the search for Melanie Flynn resumed Wednesday. However, when questioned about these allegations Canan denies that he and Melanie had any such relationship. When you see news happening, share it! Brad hopes that this tip could finally be the one. Local citizens had major issues with their authority and suspected abuse of power. The tapestry of crime outlined in The Bluegrass Conspiracy has its roots in the socially significant world of Kentucky. The LA Secret Police as Mike Rothmiller calls them. Something that struck the police, however, was that Melanies keys and purse were not found in her car at the site were her car was found. Just a friendly tip from a guy who just ordered his passport, and is ready to go now. (How many cops trained this way since 66?). Key members of 'Bluegrass Conspiracy' died within days of each other. In January of 1980, a hotel maid called the police when she smelled pot smoke. New 'Cocaine Bear' Film Is More Bear, Less Bluegrass Conspiracy There is a big difference. Police are also encouraging anyone with tips to report them. The city of Lexington, Kentucky, has made major changes since the 1970's and 1980's. During this time period many corruptions were going on within the major families and the major businesses that shouldn't have been involved with the scandal but more or less have been trying to stop the scandal. post-template-default single single-post postid-13172 single-format-standard, Summary of Sally Dentons Bluegrass Conspiracy & Los Angeles Connections. Siegel told LEX 18 that he has watched police dig up dirt piles for at least two full days and carefully search the area. Im personally fond of the belief that the moon isnt real. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Brad Roberts? "When Kentucky Blueblood Drew Thornton parachuted to his death in September 1985 carrying thousands in cash and 150 pounds of cocaine, the gruesome end of his startling life blew open a scandal that reached to the most secret circles of the U.S. government. It seemed as if Thorntons parachute didnt open when he was trying to land (Consequences and Effect). I think that little "picnic" that you mentioned--The Good Ole Boy Roundup--in Chattanooga, Tenn. is a prime example. 9780380714414: The Bluegrass Conspiracy - Sally Denton - AbeBooks Instead, they found an overdosed bear. All rights reserved. Although Thornton denied any allegations that him and Melanie had no other relationship the just being close friends. I think that little "picnic" that you mentioned--The Good Ole Boy Roundup--in Chattanooga, Tenn. is a prime example. If I came out and publicly announced that it was satire, those taking it seriously might still believe it anyway, so what good would it do? Logout. By Rachel Nix Building Kentucky. CONSPIRACY THEORIES THAT TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE: List of - Blogger At the time Ralph Ross was the head of organized crime and intelligence unit for the Lexington Police Department. Has this training continued? "I think if there could be some answers and some justice that it would go a long way towards helping everybody heal from the results of this," said Denton. Bluegrass Conspiracy | Nicholasville KY Where is She Now? | brookejackie Theyre all interconnected globally and will find anyone: ANYWHERE. The Lex PD covered it up. 'Cocaine Bear': Real-Life Agent Recalls Surreal 1985 Case, and One Even of Fed money coming in with strings attached) are trained in another facility in East Georgia run by the CIA. But, I would much rather lose a few bucks than walk around ignorant of the forces of evil that are cleverly manipulating us every day. Ross turned his attention to Andrew Thornton. Her purse was found shortly after her disappearance on the Kentucky River in Jessamine County. (This is purely for your education, but remember that access to information is the greatest weapon we have, and one that you can be sure they dont want you to have. 1894 The Dreyfus affair. It was the site of many a party and was, for a time, under close FBI surveillance. Bluegrass Conspiracy: Where are they now? It's on the Kentucky River on U.S. 68 in Mercer County. But with the way Kentucky is churning out revolutionary country performers these days, it could have made for a cool backdrop and soundtrack to an intriguing film. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Brown, Jr. was married to the ex wife of Robert Evans of Paramount Pictures fame---the Heidi Fleiss case--and had been the lover of Denise Brown years before---connected to drugs---tied in with the Cotton Club murder---etc. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Her purse was discovered floating in the Kentucky River months later. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. http://www.smartfellowspress.com/_random1/0000000f.htm, Your email address will not be published. The fact is that it all goes back to Bill Monroe knowing too much about one of the biggest figures in the Nashville music scene. And perhaps the LAPD cops were working with The Company (what they called themselves here) made up of cops, ex-cops, ex-military and mercenaries that Provided "security" for drug deals and money laundering. Denton did not respond to an interview request for this story, but, in a 2019 podcast interview with WKYTs Amber Philpott, Denton said that Lexington in the early 1980s was an investigative reporters paradise because of the corruption in plain sight. The _Lexington Herald-Leader_ ran a story about his death that, some 12 years after "The Bluegrass Conspiracy" was published, is less than objective about Ross. J. A very good friend at the time was a man we heard of later with another Democratic governor by the name of Dan Lassiter. Constantly recognizing businesses, towns and roads in such a narrative is a lot of fun for me. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. (LEX 18) Authorities have recently searched a property along the Kentucky River on the Mercer and Jessamine County line in connection with the 1977 .