[MooseyMoose]

I don't believe Arbuckle raped her either. And it seems that he was set up. Being the highest paid star of his time is good enough reason for someone to 'cause harm to him. I agree with others. Someone saw a chance to remove him from his postition in Hollywood and took it.

[Boulter's Canary]

I have no doubt that Arbuckle was innocent. The whole thing started as an attempt at blackmail and, after Virgina Rappe died, turned into a moral crusade. He was, after all, guilty of one thing - drinking during prohibition. (He was also having far too much fun and making far too much money according to the bible-belt moralists).

The autopsy on Rappe was done in secret, not by the official coroner, and several organs - including the bladder that (allegedly) caused her death - mysteriously disappeared. There were attempts to bribe and browbeat witnesses and the whole thing smelled of kangaroo.

I recommend David Yallop's book 'The Day the Laughter Stopped':

http://www.yallop.co...ter_stopped.htm

[Ancestralbone]

Wow, I had no idea that her autopsy was done in secret and that some of the organs dissapeared. Thanks for the new info and the book recommendation.

[Lady Hawk]

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I can recall my grandparents talking about the mis-carriage of justice inflicted upon Arbuckle. There were three trials, the first resulted in a "Hung Jury" the evidence being so sketchy the jury could not come up with a decession. The second Arbuckle was acquited, by federal law an acquital means the accused is a free man, not this time though, not for Arbuckle. No more accusations. or charges should have been levied upon him. However the California Attorney General and both DA's from San Francisco and Los Angeles conducted what was, even by Hollywood standards, one of the cruelist miscarriages of justice ever known in US legal history.

Arbuckle was arrested shortly after the second trial and re-charged with Murder One! In effect double jepordy, illegaly applied violating Arbuckles Constitutional Rights.

Because of the strength of the "Morals Board" which oversaw Hollywoods decline in racy movies and shorts many actors and actresses were ostricised because of the loose morals of Hollywood and its' residents; you want to view an X-Rated movie (2 reeler) or short (1 reel) find any copies of some of the early era silent-movies between 1914 and 1923, OUCH!!

When Arbuckles second trial was being heard, one of Hollywoods favorite and most successful Producer/Directors was murdered in his home. On FEB22, 1922, Director William Desmond Taylor was murdered by an unknown person. As soon as his butler arrived for work on the morning of the 22nd, he discovered the body of Taylor lying "posed" on the living room floor. Instead of calling the police, the butler called the studio heads.

This murder had occured at the wrong time for Arbuckle because the three main suspects were two of Hollywoods golden actresses, one of whom was Arbuckles leading lady in most of his films. Both ladies were always seen in movies with "pure values and saintly scripts". One of the actresses was drug a user and severe alchohalic. The third suspect (today) was the mother of one of the young ladies who apparently was in love with Taylor too.

Both "murders" offered plenty of fuel for the Morals Board. Even though the coranors final report showed Rappe was dying before the party; the abortion had been less than 10 days before the party; Arbuckle was tried a third time and again acquitted. Not only was his career finished, but the careers of both actresses died too.

Arbuckle did not force himself upon Rappe, he had only gone into the room to check on her. However as soon as he took hold of her arm, she screamed out in acute pain and began bleeding heavily. By the time the hotel doctor arrived she was as good as dead from loss of blood and shock. The autopsy showed her gall bladder and bladder had ruptured, as well as her kidneys and other internal organs. She was, in effect a walking corpse.