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-Lurid Crime Tales-
Amy Bishop Plot Thickens: Accused University of Alabama Shooter is Cousin of Author John Irving
2010-02-18
Yet another surprising twist in the story of Amy Bishop, the Alabama university professor who allegedly opened fire on campus, killing three of her colleagues. Bishop is the second cousin of John Irving, a publicist for the author confirmed today.

Irving is writing a novel and declined to comment about his relationship with Bishop's family. Random House publicist Anne Tate except said he is a cousin of Judith Bishop, who is Amy Bishop's mother.

According to book club acquaintances, Bishop often said she hoped the connection would help her publish her three novels, which she viewed as a way out of the frustrations of her university job, the Boston Globe reported.

Rob Dinsmoor, who was in a writer's group north of Boston with Bishop, said she told him that Irving gave her advice on writing and finding an agent.

Among Irving's best-known books are "The World According to Garp," "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and "The Cider House Rules."

Amy Bishop is accused of shooting six of her peers during a University of Alabama staff meeting Feb. 12. Three died. Three have so far survived. She is charged with capital murder and may face the death penalty.
Lemme guess. Irving's latest book is about a psycho serial killer who keeps getting away with it because she is a lefty intellectual with friends in high places. Then she goes too far....
Posted by:Atomic Conspiracy

#3  Well, at least she didn't shoot her, so she's got that going for her...
Posted by: tu3031   2010-02-18 20:47  

#2  Now on the net at Boston.com (what a nut!):

In March, 2002, Bishop walked into an International House of Pancakes in Peabody with her family, asked for a booster seat for one of her children, and learned the last seat had gone to another mother.

Bishop, according to a police report, strode over to the other woman, demanded the seat and launched into a profanity-laced rant.


When the woman would not give the seat up, Bishop punched her in the head, all the while yelling "I am Dr. Amy Bishop."

Bishop received probation and prosecutors recommended that she be sent to anger management classes, though it is unclear from court documents whether a judge ever sent her there.

The woman, identified in court documents as Michelle Gjika, declined to comment, saying only "It's not something I want to relive."
Posted by: One Eyed Slins3386   2010-02-18 20:21  

#1  Yeah, I don't think that amounts to a thickening. That there's more of a congealment.

I must have forty or fifty first-through-second cousins, at least a few of which I'd not vouch for on a background check. I doubt I'm a rarity in that regard.

Hell, there's probably a fifty-fifty chance that both Irving and Bishop are eighth or ninth cousins with the original wonder cousins, Obama and Cheney.
Posted by: Mitch H.   2010-02-18 13:42  

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