The Convenient "Suicide" Of The DC Madam

I don't like to speculate -- but the reported suicide of Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the "DC Madam," is difficult for me to fathom. The suspicion I hold that the "suicide" of this 52-year-old seemingly vibrant woman, who could reveal the identities of powerful Washingtonians who used her "escort" services may have not been a suicide at all, causes me sadness -- over the tragic death of Palfrey herself, and over my distrust of the powerful who have proven time and again that they will do anything to protect their fortunes and their "good" names.

According to the HuffingtonPost, reporting on the suicide, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/01/dc-madam-dead-in-apparent_n_99653.html, Palfrey had spoken out on suicide in the past when she reflected on the death of one of her former escorts, University of Maryland Professor, Brandy Britton. Palfrey said of Britton's suicide:

This is a woman who was divorced, who was trying to raise two, ah, high-school children, college-age children... [Britton had] the great job title, the great position, all the respect in the world, but she wasn't making enough money. So she decided to do a little moonlighting... And she was publicly outed, is a good way to put it, she was absolutely humiliated. Ah, she couldn't take the humiliation. Her whole life was destroyed. And she, she just, ah, ultimately committed suicide.

From the tone of Palfrey's words, Palfrey seemed to view Britton's suicide as a tragic response to personal degradation and humiliation. Palfrey, herself, was feisty and outspoken in her defense of her escort service -- claiming the services rendered were adult fantasies and within the realm of legality. She also believed the purchasers of the services should be subject to public scrutiny and bear culpability if there was culpability to bear. Palfrey wanted to make public the names of her clients, which she claimed were in her "black book."

Moments ago I spoke with Arizona-based progressive radio host, Meria Heller (meria.net), who interviewed Palfrey in July. Heller claims Palfrey was "vibrant and filled with future plans." Heller finds it inconceivable that Palfrey would have taken her own life.

The Florida police and Palfrey's mother have confirmed Palfrey's death. According to Florida Police Officer, Captain Jeffrey Young, Palfrey was found hanging from a nylon rope in a storage shed close to the home of her 76 year old mother, Blanche Palfrey -- who was the first to discover her daughter's body.

I, for one, am hopeful the public -- particularly the blogger community -- will hold the authorities accountable for a thorough, open and honest investigation of this bizarre and tragic occurrence. In this highly political year, egregious acts are possible -- if not probable -- particularly when the futures and fortunes of the powerful are at stake.

Comments

[Pleidian]

Who doesn't want to commit suicide when they have a juicy trial and prospective millions in even jucier book deals waiting for them......that makes ALL the sense in the world.

This is such a Washington Insider murder...and should be investigated mercilessly.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Women RARELy hang themselves.... choice of suicide for women is pills.

I doubt she was very "humiliated" that she was uncovered. Big deal! But many DC careers were at steak I bet.

Has the "black book" been discovered?

[DixieMelody]

When I saw the helicopter news footage of "the shed," I was in complete disbelief.

It looks just like the metal shed in my backyard . . . the one I can't even stand upright in, and I am 5'3".

And the metal crossbeams are pretty flimsy, hardly capable of supporting approximately 100 lbs.

Definitely NOT an "ideal" setting in which to hang one's self.

[fiatpax]

Thank you. That's just what I was thinking. I can't imagine suicide in the first place, but choosing hanging, and near her mother's house? Sounds like a warning to me.

Besides, anyone who makes her living as a madam isn't going to be "humiliated" by public disclosure of her activities. Her clients have much more humiliation to fear than she did.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

I totally agree.

[drkazmd65]

Is it concievable that, facing a potential life behind bars for at least several years that Ms. Palfrey in a fit of dispair chose to end life on her own terms? Sure - it is concievable.

But at the very least, the possibility of this being some sort of conspiracy to silence or marginalize her should be explored. I'm sure the real conspiracy theorists (I am merely a chronic cynic) will investigate, speculate, and bluster in the meantime.

The real story after the fact, as Ms. Milazzo points out, should be making sure that those that used her firm's (apparently illegal) services for the purpose of having sex don't get to skate free with no consequences.

The cynic in me has gotta admit though,... her conveniently turning up 'dead by her own hand' takes some of the pressure off of corporate and government bigwigs that she might otherwise have named.

[omaro]

See this, from yesterday's HuffPo:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/01/dc-madam-dead-in-apparent_n_99653.html

It includes this:

"During several recent appearances on The Alex Jones Show, Palfrey also said that she was at risk of being killed and that authorities would make it look like suicide. She made it clear that she was not suicidal and if she was found dead it would be murder.


Palfrey had threatened to release the names of well-known clients of her upscale call girl ring in the nation's capitol, and had indicated that Dick Cheney may be one of them.


"No I'm not planning to commit suicide," Palfrey told The Alex Jones Show on her last appearance, "I'm planning on going into court and defending myself vigorously and exposing the government," she said."

Granted, this was before her conviction, but she had commented about the college professor/escort's suicide that she thought she was made of different stuff, implying that she did not see herself as someone who would commit suicide, even knowing she was going to prison.

[westbrooks01]

Is denial a stage of grief?

[RoloTomassi]

So, are the two MSM-clone-posters present so far part of the HuffPo "strategy"?

This article is dated 5-01-08, but I'll be damned if I could find any such article on this site yesterday, and I looked in every location I could think of.

Complicity as well as coordination between most media sources--including the Huffington Post--seem to widespread.

Under the well publicized and politicized circumstances, it is a travesty that ANYONE in the general public or news media should roll over and assume that this woman's death was a suicide. Put this scenario into any well publicized format where no political players were threatened by potential disclosures of incriminating or politically embarrassing information, and the MSM would be having a field day with the story; if this were a hollywood story, we'd hear about it ad nauseum.

[SLal]

Absolutely - this requires a thorough and complete investigation. I was surprised to see it called a suicide (despite initial indications) before any thorough investigation had even begun. Women rarely hang themselves - it's not normally their chosen method.

[jhNY]

Having no more proof for my theory than you provide for yours, I'm pretty sure Bigfoot killed her. After all, there are a lot of bushes and trees in Florida for him to hide among-- and so far, nobody's been able to definitevly state that he was nowhere in the area.

[RoloTomassi]

Your flippant remarks are on par with the mindless apathy of the "American Idol" crowd.

[Nommo]

I am certain she is comparing notes with Vince Foster even now. So there's all the investigation we are bound to see here. Reminds one of an Elizabeth Allen poem, "The Female Seer Shall Burn Upon This Pyre".