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Subscribe to RSSIn a two-hour episode this Friday, "Dateline NBC" examines the details behind a story that made headlines in Canada in February of 2010, when a top ranking officer in the Canadian military pleaded guilty to an astonishing number of predatory crimes, beginning with home break-ins and lingerie theft, and escalating all the way to murder. "Dateline's" Keith Morrison turns the spotlight on Colonel Russell Williams' string of crimes that left women in his patch of Canada terrified. Viewers will be shocked to hear the story of Williams' double life as a straight-laced commander of Canada's largest air force base, with a dangerous sexual obsession.
"Dateline" explores how investigators tracked Williams down by his tire treads, and how they discovered thousands of lurid photographs on the Colonel's own computer. We'll also hear reactions from friends, neighbors, and a former commanding officer of the Canadian air force, who says that Williams' actions have betrayed the military's honor so profoundly that there is not much room for forgiveness.
Watch a preview of 'Conduct Unbecoming'
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This was a sad situation for Canada but thank you United States of America for using it for ratings.... as always your ratings are what is number one.....
Wowww, so America gets bitched at for "not paying attention" to the rest of the world and as soon as we air a story about Canada, someone gets on here whining about ratings. I think the story shows that we should be more aware that anyone can be a killer, not just someone who "looks like it." Reminds me of Ted Bundy.
Go whine somewhere else.
Hey I live in Canada and I think Dateline did a superb job of telling this gruesome (yet fascinating) story. The producers of the show really know how to build a narrative and draw in the viewer. Dateline never feels rushed like some other shows.
Jennifer, you're creating an issue out of nothing. This is a story that is about the depths of human depravity, which transcends nationality. By your logic, Canadian news programs should never report on American tragedies. Nonsense.
Who would defend this sick animal??
Cmon ratings let the world know
What an extraordinary writer and narrator Keith Morrison is. It is strange that a story of such tragic enormity would haunt an entire nation to the north of the US but be generally unknown by its neighbors. Dateline is to be congratulated for recognizing and reporting on this anguishing and cautionary tale not about residents of one country or another but about members of this puzzling human race.
Exactly. America has enough of its own stories. We don't need this story just for ratings, like Jennifer seems to be implying. How absurd for someone to get heated because we air this story. I definitely wouldn't mind if Canada were exposing the kind of stories that we have like this (which they do...). Ridiculous. I agree with you, congrats Dateline.
WHAT???
Good to see the States take on it.
We lost power about half way through thanks to a wind storm. I live in the same town as Russell Williams and really wanted to see this since the Canadian media wouldn't reveal half the details that Dateline was going to. Does anyone know if Dateline Re-airs there programs?
Thanks!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/#/41673072
They always post them on their website :)
While watching the program, it occured to me that Colonel Williams may have been taking an antidepressant or other psych drug. After our own family tragedy, over 10 years ago, I did extensive research for years, on the drugs. I found, through reading tens of thousands of other tragic stories, that antidepressants, especially the SSRI group, can cause SOME people to do bizaare, completely out of character, sometimes even violent things. Does it happen to everyone? Of course not, but it happens to far too many. There are thousands of lesser tragedies caused by antidepressants happening every day. These are just a few of the more infamous cases: O.J. Simpson was on Zoloft when he killed his wife and her friend. He was also on it when he was abusing his wife early on. Susan White, who drown her 2 sons, was taking Prozac. Jeffrey Dahmer was on Prozac for years before and during his reign of terror. For those of you who don't believe the connection...you don't know what I do. I tried Paxil (Paxhell), years ago and quit after 5 days of the stuff. The hellish withdrawal caused me to think of shooting myself and my husband! My mind wasn't my own...it had been severely altered by the drug and that was just FIVE days on the poison! Go to SSRI stories if you want to learn more or type in SSRI violence in any search engine. Several noted psychologists write about this problem. Nine out of ten recent school and workplace shooters were taking one or more SSRIs (Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, Luvox). At the end of the story last night, the Colonel's friend said that he thought it might have been medication that he was taking that caused him to do the things he did. That's when I knew I was right. I'd like to know what he was taking. Again, for those of you who discount this "side" effect...you don't know what it's like, so you can't comment. You don't know, for certain, that power, mind-altering psych drugs can drive some people out of their minds. Do some research before you comment
you must be related
I think we have the DEVILS ADVOCATE here.
Stay away from asprin
In response to Deb's comments, I had read that Russell Williams had started taking a corticosteroid (prednisone) back in late 2006 for arthritis, and YES apparently those close to him HAD noticed changes in his behaviour, but subtle ones at that. Incidentally, steroids have been linked to dramatic behaviour changes. To Toronto8086, it is fact, so stop with the immature snide comments towards Deb. There is scientific proof that anti-depressants as well as steroids and other medications CAN change human behaviour, and not for the better. It MAY be an explanation and worth exploring further. Not an excuse, but an explanation.
I was born and raised in Belleville, Ontario, and when I initially heard the news last year about Russell Williams, I was shaken to my core. Congratulations to Keith and to Dateline for doing a tremendous job with the story.
I hate how medication is blamed for someones behaviour. Fact is HE COMMITED THESE HORRIFIC CRIMES. To take mind altering drugs is a choice. To kill is a choice. I hope he rots in hell.