Man Confesses Murder After Seeing 'The Passion'

[Hardbopjazz]

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A repentant Texas man went to police after seeing Mel Gibson (news)'s controversial film "The Passion of Christ" and confessed to murdering a 19-year-old woman who was pregnant with his child, authorities said on Thursday.

Police had thought Ashley Nicole Wilson, who died on Jan. 18, had hanged herself, but Dan Leach, 21, went to them on March 9 to admit that he had killed her, said Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Jeannie Gage.

Leach wanted to seek redemption after talking to a friend and seeing the movie about the last hours of Christ's life, she said.

"He mentioned that speaking with the friend and seeing the movie 'The Passion of Christ' made him feel remorse," Gage said.

Leach said he killed Wilson because she was pregnant with his child and he did not want to be involved with her anymore, she said.

Wilson was found in her apartment with a suicide note describing her depression but Leach said he staged the murder to look like she had killed herself. The Houston Chronicle first reported the story in its online edition.

Leach was released after his confession while police investigated and was arrested on Tuesday after a grand jury indicted him. He was being held on $100,000 bail, Gage said.

The Mel Gibson film has been criticized for graphic violence and for its portrayal of the role of Jews in the death of Christ.

[PHILLYQ]

So the 'Passion' scorecard is now 2 dead, one convicted?

[Hardbopjazz]

Yeah.

I guess Mel can justify the movie now

[Chrome]

... and one incident of family violence:

Couple arrested after 'Passion' fight

Thursday, March 18, 2004 Posted: 11:30 PM EST (0430 GMT)

STATESBORO, Georgia (AP) -- A couple who got into a dispute over a theological point after watching "The Passion of the Christ" were arrested after the argument turned violent.

The two left the movie theater debating whether God the Father in the Holy Trinity was human or symbolic, and the argument heated up when they got home, Melissa Davidson said.

"It was the dumbest thing we've ever done," she said.

Davidson, 34, and her husband, Sean Davidson, 33, were charged with simple battery on March 11 after the two called police on each other. They were released on $1,000 bail.

According to a police report, Melissa Davidson suffered injuries on her arm and face, while her husband had a scissors stab wound on his hand and his shirt was ripped off. He also allegedly punched a hole in a wall.

"Really, it was kind of a pitiful thing, to go to a movie like that and fight about it. I think they missed the point," said Gene McDaniel, chief sheriff's deputy.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

So the 'Passion' scorecard is now 2 dead, one convicted?

...and no acts of anti-semitism like soooooo many were cackling on about.

[RDK]

Yeah.

I guess Mel can justify the movie now

Did Mel *need* to justify the movie?

[Alexander]

So the 'Passion' scorecard is now 2 dead, one convicted?

...and no acts of anti-semitism like soooooo many were cackling on about.

Well, unless you count the church that put up a sign that said "the Jews killed our Lord" the day the film opened...

You don't call that anti-semitism?

How about the angry letters several film critics have received for writing negative reviews of "The Passion?" At least one critic reported that many of these letters stated that he was acting out some kind of "Jewish agenda" for slamming the film.