Budd Dwyer a fost un politician ce si-a desfasurat activitatea politica in statul Pennsylvania. Nascut in 1939 in St.Charles, Missouri, Dwyer a fost acuzat in 1986, in timp ce ocupa functia de trezorier al statului, ca ar fi utilizat 300 000$ din fondurile publice in alte scopuri decat ar fi trebuit. Pe intreaga durata a procesului Dwyer si-a sustinut in mod insistent nevinovatia, la fel ca toate persoanele apropiate.
In cele din urma este gasit vinovat, si cu o zi inainte de comunicarea oficiala a sentintei anunta o conferinta de presa televizata. Cei mai multi se asteptau ca Dwyer sa-si anunte demisia din postul de trezorier, pe care continuase sa il ocupe pe toata durata procesului.
Totusi, la conferinta anuntata, Budd Dwyer (extrem de agitat si confuz) isi sustine o data in plus nevinovatia, declarand ca nu va renunta la postul pe care il ocupa, dupa care rosteste umatorul discurs:
„I thank the good Lord for giving me 47 years of exciting challenges, stimulating experiences, many happy occasions, and, most of all, the finest wife and children any man could ever desire.
Now my life has changed, for no apparent reason. People who call and write are exasperated and feel helpless. They know I’m innocent and want to help. But in this nation, the world’s greatest democracy, there is nothing they can do to prevent me from being punished for a crime they know I did not commit. Some who have called have said that I am a modern day Job.
Judge [Malcolm] Muir is also noted for his medieval sentences. I face a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison and a $300,000 fine for being innocent. Judge Muir has already told the press that he, quote, „felt invigorated” when we were found guilty, and that he plans to imprison me as a deterrent to other public officials. But it wouldn’t be a deterrent because every public official who knows me knows that I am innocent; it wouldn’t be a legitimate punishment because I’ve done nothing wrong. Since I’m a victim of political persecution, my prison would simply be an American gulag.
I ask those that believe in me to continue to extend friendship and prayer to my family, to work untiringly for the creation of a true justice system here in the United States, and to press on with the efforts to vindicate me, so that my family and their future families are not tainted by this injustice that has been perpetrated on me.
We were confident that right and truth would prevail, and I would be acquitted and we would devote the rest of our lives working to create a justice system here in the United States. The guilty verdict has strengthened that resolve. But as we’ve discussed our plans to expose the warts of our legal system, people have said: „Why bother? No one cares. You’ll look foolish”. 60 Minutes, 20/20, The American Civil Liberties Union, and others have been publicizing cases like yours for years, and it doesn’t bother anyone.
At this point in time…is Bob Bolstey here? Bob… and where’s Greg…can you come up here? And where’s Don Johnson…can you come up Don?”
In acest punct al conferintei Dwyer inmaneaza celor pe care i-a numit trei plicuri sigilate, in care se va afla ulterior ca erau un bilet de ramas bun catre sotia lui, un document prin care se arata de acord sa-si doneze organele si o scrisoare catre noul-ales guvernator Robert P. Casey.
„Greg, where are you…okay, just hang onto that right for the moment…Don, there’s some things for you to do, and there’s a note in here for Joanne..”
Dupa ce inmaneaza cele 3 plicuri, Dwyer scoate dintr-un alt plic un revolver .357 Magnum.
„When I… and I…
Please leave the room if this will offend you…”
Cei participanti incearca sa-l opreasca, moment in care ii avertizeaza:
„no, no, don’t, don’t, don’t, this thing will hurt someone…”
Dupa care introduce teava armei in gura si apasa pe tragaci. Dwyer se prabuseste la pamant, sangele curgandu-i abundent din nas, totul in timp ce e filmat si fotografiat in continuare.
Numeroase televiziuni au difuzat imaginile cu sinuciderea lui Dwyer in ziua respectiva, dupa care s-a optat pentru difuzarea unor imagini de pana in momentul in care s-a apasat pe tragaci.