WI - Bambi Bembenek dies in Oregon

wonders

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I just ran across this on my yahoo. Hope I'm placing it in the correct place.

Ex-Playboy bunny convicted of murder dies in Ore.
But despite the fame garnered by her flight, Bembenek died having spent more than two decades insisting on her innocence but never fully clearing her name. Her attorney said Sunday that effort will continue.

The 52-year-old died Saturday of liver failure at a hospice care center in Portland, Ore., said her longtime attorney, Mary Woehrer.

Bembenek worked briefly as a Playboy Club waitress in Lake Geneva before becoming a police officer in Milwaukee, where she married detective Fred Schultz. Bembenek was convicted in 1982 of fatally shooting his ex-wife, Christine Schultz, after allegedly complaining about the alimony he had to pay.

Bembenek was sentenced to life in prison but maintained her innocence. In 1990, she escaped Taycheedah Correctional Institution in Fond du Lac and fled to Canada with then-fiance Dominic Gugliatto, the brother of another inmate.

In Milwaukee, more than 200 supporters — many wearing "Run Bambi Run" T-shirts — rallied to show support for her flight from the law. Bembenek and Gugliatto were captured in Thunder Bay, Ontario, about three months later after the case was publicized on "America's Most Wanted."

Bembenek fought extradition for a time but willingly returned to Wisconsin in 1992. A judge said that "significant mistakes" had been made in the probe of Christine Schultz's death, and Bembenek soon struck a deal with prosecutors in which her conviction was set aside. She pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and received 10 years of probation. Bembenek moved to Washington state in the late 1990s to live with her parents.

Her story was made into a book and a 1993 TV movie starring Tatum O'Neal, "Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story."

In 2002, after completing her parole, Bembenek filed a motion seeking testing for genetic material in the case in the hope of clearing her name. Later that year, she seriously injured her foot while apparently trying to escape out a hotel window before an appearance on the television talk show "Dr. Phil," which had agreed to pay for some of the DNA testing. Her attorney said restrictions placed on Bembenek were excessive and triggered memories of her imprisonment. The injuries forced Bembenek to have her right foot amputated a few weeks later.

A Wisconsin appeals court in 2006 refused to let Bembenek appeal her murder conviction. More recently, she had been petitioning the office of outgoing Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle to pardon her, although last week a Doyle spokesman said Bembenek's most recent application was incomplete.

Woehrer said Sunday that Bembenek's family would continue to seek a pardon from Doyle.
 
R.I.P Bambi. IMO, she was framed. Bembenek was yet another victim of the MPD.
 
hm, I had no idea about the Dr. Phil thing and her foot being amputated

wonder what led to her liver failure
 
hm, I had no idea about the Dr. Phil thing and her foot being amputated

wonder what led to her liver failure

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/109696054.html

Bembenek, 52, who later changed her first name to Laurie, had been admitted to a hospital in recent days and then was transferred to a hospice, her sister said. Her health problems included hepatitis C and liver and kidney failure, Colette Bembenek said.

I've read that hepatitis C is rampant in prisons--guessing she picked it up at Taycheedah. And I'm guessing the hepatitis C is what caused the liver failure.

I grew up near Milwaukee, and was in high school when she escaped from prison. I really don't know enough about the case to have an opinion one way or another about her guilt/innocence, but have vivid memories of the media circus around her in 1990.
 
I also remember the media hoopla over her escape and I think I read a book about her (CRS syndrom) gosh I just don't remember. What I didn't know for sure was that she had been released from prison. I also don't know if she did the deed or not. I may have to go and do some research about her later this week.
 
I remember this whole thing so well from growing up near Milwaukee. Years after the trial so much dirt came out about her ex-husband, the evidence and the MPD in general that I really think she was set up. I watched her final interview on line which apparently aired at the end of October. It's very sad to see her deterioration. Here's the link to part 2 of her interview. It's startlling, she really was a pretty woman at the time all of this went down:
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/106339728.html
 
Did anyone hear about what happened with the DNA test and Dr.Phil? I have never been able to gleen from anything what the results were.

Anyone?
 
Rest in Peace Laurie...
You were framed...

So very sad.

It seemed Dr. Phil just dropped the whole matter of the DNA.


She had a hard life and it wasn't fair. Very interesting, sad case.

Goz
 
Oh, this is so sad. I read her story many years ago and immediately felt that she had been set-up by her husband. My heart went out to her and I've always believed that a terrible miscarriage of justice was allowed against her.

I wish she would have been able to clear her name....boy, watching that video brought back so many memories. The way her life deteriorated is so sad.

RIP Bambi.


P.S. Wonders - thanks for starting this thread!
 
I remember watching the movie, I think she was framed too.

RIP Laurie :rose:
 
Sad story :( I remember it too - I hope they will continue with the testing and clear her name if she is innocent. I think she was framed. What a tragic ending for Bambi.
 
This was one of the first crime stories that garnered my attention when I was a young girl. I always thought she was innocent and never blamed her for running.

May she rest in peace!
 
Add me to the group that believes she was set up. I think her husband and a "friend" Judy something? were in on it and planted the wig and other evidence.
 
I remember this whole thing so well from growing up near Milwaukee. Years after the trial so much dirt came out about her ex-husband, the evidence and the MPD in general that I really think she was set up. I watched her final interview on line which apparently aired at the end of October. It's very sad to see her deterioration. Here's the link to part 2 of her interview. It's startlling, she really was a pretty woman at the time all of this went down:
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/106339728.html

I only know what I've seen on various crime tv shows, but I have always believed this woman was completely innocent of the charges.

Thank you for the link.

How very sad: what a sad ending to such a sad life.
 
http://www.allmesotheliomainformation.com/hot-news-today/the-saga-of-bambi-bembenek-finally-ends-sydney-morning-herald.html

The saga of ‘Bambi’ Bembenek finally ends – Sydney Morning Herald

Laurie Bembenek … died οf liver failure.

  • Convicted οf murder bυt maintained hеr innocence
  • Sentenced tο life іn jail bυt escaped
  • ‘Rυn, Bambi, rυn’ T-shirt campaign
Milwaukee’s longest running legal saga mау hаνе еndеd wіth thе death last night οf Lawrencia “Bambi” Bembenek.

Bembenek died іn Portland, Oregan, whеrе ѕhе wаѕ іn hospice care, hеr sister, Colette Bembenek οf South Milwaukee, ѕаіd.
 
I saw that Bambi's story will be featured on "On the Case with Paula Zahn". She interviewed Bambi not terribly long before her death and the interview will be aired sometime next week, I believe. Will update when I have the exact air date.
 
I saw that Bambi's story will be featured on "On the Case with Paula Zahn". She interviewed Bambi not terribly long before her death and the interview will be aired sometime next week, I believe. Will update when I have the exact air date.

Jan. 2nd, 10 pm, ID channel. Looking forward to seeing this episode.
 

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