A6 THE ORION ■ Telling the stories nobody else will ► journalist Jana Bommersbach Through state archives, Bommersbach was able to recon¬ struct the entire case. PRIZEhlstopy champions controversial causes "I had everything the cops had," she said. "I swore that after 1 wrote this book that I would do anything librarians Over the years, Jana LORYLL NICOLAISEN asked me to do." Journalist Staff Writer Bommersbach Despite opposition from people, including Barry has won Goldwater, whose response to Bommersbach's interest was numerous Getting convicted murderers out of prison is just part of "You tell that girl to stay away from that story," she continued awards: Jana Bommersbach's job as a journalist. to search for answers and wrote a book about the case. ■ In 2001, she won a "I have milked "The journalism as much as I can. If there is story is so unbelievably outrageous; this was like a Regional Emmy for one more nipple in journalism to pull, I will pull it," dark, deep secret: What in the world was going on in Phoenix, the television series Bommersbach said. she created called Arizona?" she said. "The dirty linen of Phoenix was exposed "Hurrah for Arizona." Bommersbach spoke with students while visiting Chico to the entire world. There was no resistance because they Her Emmy story pro¬ State University last week. wanted this sin purged." filed a camp that In a discussion in Plumas Hall Bommersbach said Tuesday she thought she helps children deal night, the award-winning journalist from would never find anything more exciting with the loss of a Phoenix spoke on two murder cases she than Judd's case until 1987, when Carol loved one. covered as a This isn't an Herriman was arrested for reporter, both involving murdering her ■ In 1999 and 1997, women convicted of murder. husband. she received the Although the two cases happened more issue that men Bommersbach said she wanted to write a Gold Medal as the nation's than 50 years apart, both cases interested book about women who kill their abusers. outstanding columnist for her her because of the misrepresentation of the are "Most of these women are seen as going to poor Phoenix Magazine women in each case. white trash, and who cares about that?" she column, "Jana's 'The agony and the ecstasy of these two change. Women said. View." cases have been the base of my career," Herriman had endured a life of domestic ■ In 1991 and 1988, Bommersbach said. are abuse, and one The Orion/BRAD I going to have day decided it had gone too she won The Don In 1931, Winnie Ruth Judd was suspect¬ far. She shot through her bathroom door Journalist Jana Bommersach holds up a copy of her debut Bolles Award for ed of to twice with her murdering her two best friends and change it." husband on the other side, book about Winnie Ruth Judd, a woman convicted of double Investigative Reporting from the stuffing their bodies into trunks that were saying she only intended to scare him. murder in the 1930s. Judd was imprisoned for 40 years. Arizona Press Club - later sent to , where Judd was One of the first things Herriman had told the state's most was to Jana Bommersbach the caught. She sentenced death, but police when they arrived at her house Bommersbach spent four years on the Herriman story, and acclaimed reporting Arizona was in the Jourmlist process of changing its was that her husband had been mean to her. on April 20, 2001, Herriman was released from prison. award. death penalty from and Judd was "That doesn't sound like a whole lot "It was one of those moments when you have to remind ■ In 1993, her debut able to when he's escape execution. lying dead on the floor," yourself to breathe if you're the journalist covering the story," book "The Trunk Bommersbach said despite Judd's Bommersbach said. Bommersbach said. "She had gotten her freedom back. There Murderess: Winnie small size, she was still believed to dis¬ Ruth Judd" was Herriman was assigned a court- was not a dry eye in the entire state ofArizona at that moment." nominated for the pose of a bloody mattress and carry out heavy trunks with¬ appointed attorney who had never handled a murder case. Bommersbach said that through these two stories she hopes Edgar Allen Poe out scraping the floors. Her boyfriend was put on trial as an Battered Women's to raise awareness of domestic violence and Syndrome was yet to be recognized in the mistreatment Award from the court and Herriman was convinced to but got off, and Judd had to carry the entire stand her ground. She of women. Mystery Writers of accusation of the crime alone. was convicted of 1st degree murder and was serving 25 "I find (domestic violence) to be the No. 1 female issue America. "She was not a murderer; she was not a butcher but this was years in prison when Bommersbach revisited her case in the of our time," Bommersbach said. "We have turned our backs ■ In 1983, the Arizona a moment in wake of court society where women's value was extremely recognition of Battered Women's Syndrome. on women and it raises every anger in me that families live Press Club named low," Bommersbach said. "It was hard to walk away from this woman because I in constant terror. It speaks to my sense of what we must do. her Arizona's jour¬ Judd was declared insane and committed to a state nalist of the hospital thought her case was so compelling," Bommersbach said. This isn't an issue that men are going to change. Women are year. that she "She was escaped from seven times. Eventually, she was happy to have someone care because indeed this was going to have to change it. I'm happy to be one of those released at the age of 66. one of the white trash women that nobody cared about." voices."

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