The case led to a critical overview of Newfoundland's legal and child welfare systems as well as Canada's bail laws. [2]:80 In 1980, Turner enrolled at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's, seeking to embark on a medical career. "There's no point in going on," David saidof their logic at the time. The pair dated and were sexually intimate on two occasions afterward. She was arrested in December 2001, but released on bail while her extradition to the United States worked its way through the Canadian courts. A Timeline Of At this point, Turner had completely gone off the deep end, which culminated in themurder-suicide of both herself and young son, Zachary. Justice Gale Welshmaintained that "there is no indication of a psychological disorder that would give concern about potential harm to the public generally.". This documentary has serious heart:and its unusual approach makes it all the more heartbreaking. Bagby's parents, friends, and associates were uneasy about the relationship because of what they saw as Turner's off-putting behavior. I would like to preface this article by saying that I dont think Ive ever been known for my style, so take that as you will. [5] Distraught over Zachary's death, and outraged at the Canadian legal system's failure to protect the child, David and Kathleen mounted a campaign to reform the country's bail laws, which they believed had helped allow Turner to kill her child and herself. The documentarys vulnerability and its uniquemix of joy and sadness remind us that some true crime stories are not just about the perpetratorsthey can also bea moving tribute to their victims. Andrews parents, David and Kate Bagby, have relocated toCanada to be closer to Zacharyand pursue justice for Andrew. She went so far as to discharge her family law lawyer because of his positive attitude towards the Bagbys. Andrews later said that the law "gives [the Bagbys] some sense that someone has heard their cries so this will not happen again, to change the law to make sure something this tragic will never happen again. Dressing for you and not for others is easier said than done. Shirley Turner, a mother and medical student who played the victim card throughout her life, was not what she seemed - or was she? Bagbys childhood friend Kenneth Kuenne made the film as a way to document the memories of Andrews life. The next morning, Andrew didnt show up for work. Kuenne finished his documentary and dedicated it to the memories of both Bagby and Zachary. [4] The case led to the passage of Bill C-464, or Zachary's Bill, strengthening the conditions for bail in Canadian courts in cases involving the well-being of children. After mixing her lorazepam into Zachary's baby formula and ingesting a toxic dosage herself, Turner strapped the infant to her chest with her sweater and jumped off a fishing wharf at Foxtrap Marina into the Atlantic Ocean. He found Turner draped in a black dress and holding a dozen roses, coupled with two letters -one of them a suicide note. She even spins. This is a response to "Ways to Follow Clothing Trends in 2021.. Meanwhile, Turner exhibited possessive behavior towards Bagby and harassed him over the phone. It received critical acclaim, particularly for its editing and emotional weight. The Dr. Andrew David Bagby Family Medicine Scholarship is for medical students at Excela Health Latrobe Hospital, and almost four dozen students pursuing Bagby's speciality of family practice have benefited from the award. Need some creative inspiration? Poor attempt at coping with finals, but hey, you can't think about that biology exam anymore, you're just numbing your pain. 10 Haunting Documentaries He had been shot five times in the face, the chest, the buttocks, and the back of the head with CCI .22 bullets. While this fraught situation dragged on, Kuenne traveled to the United Kingdom and across the U.S. to interview Bagby's friends and extended family. And,with no evidence of tampering, it was highly likely Turner was the culprit. During the extradition process, Turner revealed she was pregnant with Bagbys child, a baby boy she named Zachary. "[14], The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures named the film one of the five top documentaries of the year. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. ", Is there a greater nightmare than people hinting that your child is gone but not confirming it? Frankie Stein is from Italy, but lives in Ingolstadt, Germany. Its not technically the most impressive documentary film, but the subject matter is powerful-enough that you cannot help but be deeply impacted by the story. There's no shortage of harrowing documentaries, but Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is one of the most intense. Despite the distance between states, Turner and Bagby initially tried to maintain a long-distance relationship. He had been shot five times. [12], Peter Debruge of Variety called the film "a virtuoso feat in editing" and noted: "The way Kuenne presents the material, with an aggressive style that lingers less than a second on most shots, it's impossible not to feel emotionally exhausted. One note had been addressed to Doucet and the other to her psychiatrist; the latter read, "I am not evil, just sick." In an attempt to quell Turner, the ex-boyfriend allowed her into hishome, where she camped out for over a month, refusing to leave him. Backpacking across Europe? Were excited to hear from you! She could be charming[,] friendly and lively but when caught in an untruth she would become angry, accusatory and loud. In a market awash with true crime docs,Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is unique. The film, released in 2008 entitled Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, had been intended as a tribute to Andrew Bagby that Zachary could appreciate when he got older. While Kenneth Kuennes documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father was named for the boy, he began filming before Turners pregnancy was even announced. When a constable contacted Turner's lawyer about the harassment, she denied the allegations. Andrew Bagby, a medical student, was murdered by his girlfriend Shirley Jane Turner soon after he ended their stormy relationship in 2001. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Dear Zachary has an approval rating of 94% based on 51 reviews, with an average score of 8.10/10; the site's critical consensus reads: "Dear Zachary is both a touching tribute to a fallen friend and a heart-wrenching account of justice gone astray, skillfully put to film with no emotion spared. Its that powerful of a film, but not for the faint of heart. I wish I could discuss more about the plot line, but that would be sacrificing your open mind. Clare Regelbrugge, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Sign in to comment to your favorite stories, participate in your community and interact with your friends. A possessive and jealous Turner also confronted Bagby about his friendship with an ex-girlfriend. But Ive found that these are the clothes that I feel most confident and like myself in. Those two exams just stripped you of your pride. The film, released in 2008 entitled Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, had been intended as a tribute to Andrew Bagby that Zachary could appreciate when he got older. According to The New Yorker, the "heart of the [film's] narrative" centers around "Andrew Bagbys life and how horrible his death was for those who loved him.". After receiving a call from the police department telling her to call a coroner's office, Andrew's mother, Kate, gotknocked around to numerous departments and authorities who told her nothing more than the factthere was "terrible news." The child, a boy, was born on 9 July 1982. After Zachary's birth on 18 July 2002, Turner initially refused to allow David and Kathleen Bagby to see their grandson, fearing they would kidnap him. On 18 August 2003, Zachary was scheduled to be in his mother's custody. I'm grateful this story was told, even if it was painful to experience. Dear Zachary WebTheres no shortage of harrowing documentaries, but Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is one of the most intense. The man contacted the RNC on three occasions to complain about Turner's harassment, which both violated the terms of her bail and was considered grounds to lose custody of Zachary. Turner was arrested as a suspect, and, shortly thereafter, announced she was pregnant with Bagby's child, a boy she named Zachary. Those awful seven hours of studying paid off, definitely aced that exam. Last night, I watched the best documentary I have ever seen. Dear Zachary Following the end of her first marriage on 29 January 1988, Turner married her boyfriend from Corner Brook the following July.