-Caveat Lector- http://news.excite.com/news/r/990924/17/news-shootings-martyr Colorado School Shooting 'Martyr' Account In Doubt Updated 5:27 PM ET September 24, 1999 By Judith Crosson DENVER (Reuters) - Cassie Bernall, the teenager hailed as a martyr in the Columbine High School massacre for professing her belief in God before she was shot dead, may never have had such an exchange with her killer, officials said Friday. The story of the 17-year-old, one of the 13 people shot to death when two teen-age gunmen stormed Columbine High School last April 20, has inspired religious fervor among Christian teenagers across the United States and spawned Web sites for her bravery and faith while staring down the barrel of a gun. Her parents last week published a book about her life called, "She Said Yes: the Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall." But police said Friday they cannot confirm the exchange between Cassie Bernall and her killer ever happened. "There just seems to be a real question whether the dialogue took place," said Steve Davis, spokesman for the Jefferson County sheriff's office. "The Bernalls were made aware there seemed to be some doubt," Davis added. The parents were not available for comment but the publisher of the book stood by the account that Cassie Bernall died after answering "Yes" when gunman Dylan Klebold, 17, asked her if she believed in God. "We were aware of variations of the account and we interviewed three students who gave corroborating stories and they stick to it," said Chris Zimmerman, editor of The Plough Publishing House book. Davis said some of the students do maintain that the exchange took place, but said doubts arose after investigators put the stories together with the time line and where witnesses were when they said they heard the exchange. The Denver Rocky Mountain News reported that Joshua Lapp, one of the witnesses to the account, said he has not changed his mind. But another student, Emily Wyant, 16, who was crouched under a table less than 2 feet (0.6 meters) from Bernall, said she never heard Klebold ask Bernall if she believed in God, the paper said. Klebold and Eric Harris, 18, turned their guns on themselves after they killed 12 fellow students and a teacher. In the book Misty Bernall recounts how her own daughter had traveled down a difficult road, falling in with the wrong crowd and becoming distant. She said she found letters Cassie had received from a friend urging her to kill her parents. Cassie threatened suicide and tried to see the friends about whom the parents were worried. But three months after the girl was transferred to a new school, she attended a weekend religious retreat and came home a changed person. "We don't feel this discussion (about the exchange before her death) detracts from the value of the book," Zimmerman said. Kinkel Pleads Guilty In Oregon School Shooting (Previous story) Colorado Medical Research Center Told To Halt Tests (Next story) Archive: Fri Sep 24 Thu 23 Wed 22 Tue 21 Mon 20 Sun 19 Sat 18 DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
