Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Wolfer, Gayle.]]>
The owner of the house, Craig Bush, was allegedly a cocaine dealer looking to sell his home and get out of the drug dealing business. He was also shot and suffered brain damage. His fiancé had been handcuffed by the shooter but managed to escape from the house during the time when Ms. Wolfer was being shot.

Wolfer put up a struggle after the assailant’s handgun initially jammed. She survived her three bullet wounds and less than five months later, by sheer coincidence, came upon the man who shot her. She identified the shooter as Edward Beaufort-Cutner, an Erie County sheriff’s deputy who happened to be mounted on a horse during a patrol at the Erie County Fair.

During his trial it was determined Beaufort-Cutner had stolen $2,600 cash from Bush’s home before he shot his victims. Beaufort-Cutter was convicted of attempted murder, robbery, burglary, and weapons counts. He was sentenced to 29 to 50 years in prison.

Ms. Wolfer’s story was so compelling that a made-for-TV movie called “With Murder In Mind” aired on CBS in 1992. The late actress Elizabeth Montgomery played Wolfer’s character. Gayle and her companion Robert Sprague, who had played a key role in her recovery, attended the filming in Atlanta and served as extras in the movie.
Sprague’s character was played by Robert Foxworth.

WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg and photographer-editor Jack Keller documented the making of the movie in a four-part series that aired in May 1992. There were two other Buffalo connections to the making of the movie. Jack Maurer, the executive producer, and Joanie Cuff, an associate producer, were from Western New York. Cuff personally knew Ms. Wolfer and attended school with her children. ]]> Newberg, Rich (Writer, Reporter)]]> Keller, Jack (Photographer, Editor)]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)]]> eng]]> Holocaust survivors]]> Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Personal narratives]]> World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps.]]> Originally aired on WIVB-TV.]]> Newberg, Rich (Producer, Writer, Host)]]> Summerville, Dan (Photographer, Editor)]]> Vandivort, Dave (Director)]]> Mombrea, Mike Sr. (Contributing Photographer)]]> Ader, Joe (Contributing Photographer)]]> Wigginton, Chris (Production Editor)]]> Root, Kim (Production Editor)]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)]]> Christian, Roger (Music Coordinator)]]> Barbour, Al (Technical Staff)]]> Case, Hal (Technical Staff)]]> Johnson, Len (Technical Staff)]]> Novelli, John (Technical Staff)]]> Pels, Gordon (Technical Staff)]]> Rowell, Earl (Technical Staff)]]> Rozek, Dan (Technical Staff)]]> Back, Toby (Historical Consultant)]]> Kuperstein, Asaiah (Historical Consultant)]]> Bucholz, Arden (Historical Consultant)]]> eng]]> Refugees--Syrian--United States--2000-2020]]>
In 2015, a media studies graduate of the University at Buffalo produced a message to the world about Syrian citizens fleeing oppression in their country. Documentary filmmaker Akrom Shipley, a Syrian American, had accompanied his father and sister on a journey to refugee camps in Jordan.

These two reports by WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg deal with Shipley's plea for Americans to understand the plight of Syrian children who lost fathers in the Syrian civil war. "With losing their fathers," he said, "they lost a sense of their childhood."

Rebel groups. with support from NATO, had taken up arms fighting the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad. Russia and Iran were providing arms to Assad. The death toll of the Syrian civil war is estimated to be as high as 617,910. Civilian deaths alone are believed to number more than 306,000.

Shipley said the ultimate goal of the Syrian migrants "isn't just to flood our borders and take our jobs." He said their goal is to "rebuild hope and return home."

Rich Newberg also presented a story of two Syrian brothers who made it to Buffalo and were able to bring their wives and children to safety in the Queen City. They said their city in Syria had been leveled by bombs and fighting.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Hill, Ahmir]]> eng]]> [Stevens, William Dodge]]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Kline, Hibbard]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Postcards--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Public buildings--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Telephone Building (Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> New York Telephone Company--Buildings.]]> M. B. (author)]]> ENG]]> Flagg, James Montgomery]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Postcards--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Photographic postcards.]]> Buffalo (N.Y.)--Buildings, structures, etc.]]> Religious organizations--United States.]]> Church buildings--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Synagogues.]]> National Art Views Co. N.Y. City]]> ENG]]> Britton, L. N.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Housing--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Buffalo (N.Y.) Municipal Housing Authority]]> Grosvenor Room of B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Visa: 9.395]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Thorp, G.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]>
Anderson was held for six years and nine months, the longest of a group of Americans taken hostage at the time. The abductions were an attempt to drive U.S. military forces from Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war. Anderson was released on December 4, 1991.

From the time of his abduction, his sister Peggy Say worked tirelessly for his release. Her efforts were covered extensively by the Buffalo news media and often made national and world headlines. She was perhaps the most covered of all the hostages’ relatives.

On December 4, 1991, Terry Anderson was finally released by his captors. His 2,455 days as a prisoner included about a year and a half in solitary confinement. WIVB-TV anchor, the late Bob Koop, traveled to Wiesbaden, Germany for Anderson’s first meeting with the press. His report includes Peggy Say’s joyful embrace of her brother, one of the most moving moments of his newly found freedom.

This series of reports begins with a CNN recap of Anderson’s ordeal and later life activities. A sequence of reports follows, beginning with the time leading up to his release, his reunion with his sister, first statements as a free man, reaction in Batavia, and finally, Anderson’s return to Batavia in 2011 while on a “mission of peace.” ]]> Newberg, Rich (Reporter, Archivist)]]> Rich Newberg Reports Collection]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> Michael Terranova (Digital Editor)]]> Koop, Bob (Reporter)]]> McClintick, Michele (Reporter)]]> CNN (from YouTube)]]> Rich Newberg Reports Collection]]> eng]]> 1990-2015]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Pennell, Joseph]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Ioseph Pennell Del.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Christopher, Joseph G.]]> Serial murders -- New York (State) -- Buffalo]]> Racism -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.]]>
Catherine Pelonero, author of the book “Absolute Madness,” makes the case that “Christopher’s crimes might have been prevented if he had received the psychiatric help he was seeking.” Ms. Pelonero provides the on-camera introduction and conclusion to this compilation of WIVB-TV reports.

An intensive search for “The .22 Caliber Killer” ensued after the first four homicides.
Two more African American men were murdered on October 8th and 9th. They were taxi cab drivers who had their hearts cut out. Christopher would later confess to these two killings, although evidence pointed away from Christopher as the perpetrator. Both cases remain open and unsolved.

In November 1980, Christopher enlisted in the U.S. Army. While on Christmas furlough, he journeyed to Manhattan and, on December 22nd, allegedly stabbed four people to death. He then became known as “The Midtown Slasher.”

A week later, on December 29th, after returning to Buffalo, another black man was stabbed to death. The following day, on December 30th, an African American male in Rochester was slashed and died from his injuries.

In January, Christopher reported back to his Army base at Fort Benning, Georgia and attacked a black soldier with a knife. The soldier lived and Christopher was confined to the stockade, where he attempted to take his own life with a razor.

In a session with a psychiatrist at the base, it has been reported that Christopher said he “had to” kill Blacks. At that point, Christopher’s home was searched by the police. They found evidence linking him to three murders. In April 1981, Joseph Christopher was indicted based on this evidence.

At his trial in 1982, Christopher rejected attempts by his mother to provide him with lawyers. He represented himself before a trial judge and was found guilty. However, the ruling was overturned because the judge had not allowed psychiatric testimony about Christopher’s mental ability to stand trial.

In 1985, after being found competent to stand trial, he was again found guilty and sent to Attica Correctional Facility. At the prison he was quoted to have claimed credit for thirteen killings. Author Pelonero says Christopher allegedly claimed eighteen victims during “a savage four month reign of terror…”

Christopher died in prison on March 1, 1993. Although it was reported at the time that he died of a rare form of male breast cancer, Ms. Pelonero’s research determined that the cause of death was testicular cancer. He was 37 years old.

This compilation of WIVB-TV news reports includes the manhunt for Christopher and a massive Buffalo rally against racism. Reporter Rich Newberg traveled with photographer Mike Mombrea, Jr. to Fort Benning, Georgia for first hand accounts from soldiers in Joseph Christopher’s barracks. This retrospective also includes special WIVB-TV coverage of an appearance by the Reverend Jesse Jackson, during Christopher’s reign of terror.
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]]> Vetter, Tom (editor)]]> Terranova, Michael (editor)]]> Postcards--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Photographic postcards.]]> National Guard State of New York]]> S.H. Knox & Co. (Duluth, Minn.)]]> S.H. Knox & Co.]]> ENG]]>