Kill The Messenger

The episode begins in March 1986 as the investigation into Sheriff Gable whips into high gear. South Carolina prosecutor Jim Anders leads an investigation for SLED into misappropriation of funds against the sheriff. The charges initially go to a state grand jury before being handed over to federal investigators and a federal grand jury. The federal grand jury indicts Sheriff Gable. This becomes he...

This chapter reveals what life was like in McCormick County in the mid 1980's. Leslie's perspective is a main focus, as she was the subject of various forms of "rural redneck guerrilla warfare". On one trip over to Washington, GA to pick up the latest edition of the Messenger , some teenagers tried to run her off the road. This incident was followed up weeks later by a logging tr...

Its March 1986 and there has been a theft of the latest edition of The Messenger from the loading dock of the McCormick post office and from the newspaper racks around town. A local female teenager takes the rap in an effort to cover up for her other accomplices. Tom Wall stops by the newspaper office to express his dislike of the obituary for his brother. Tom challenges Ken to come outside for a...

We find out how much the residents of McCormick love rumor-mongering. This helps explain why McCormick has had a hard time attracting business and industry to the county. The Messenger loses a major advertiser in Gurley's Supermarket. We are introduced to Clark H. Hill and his column where he creates the tern Rufacts - half rumor and half fact. Anna and Ken learn they are expecting......twins!...

An investigation into Sheriff Gable is started. The November 21, 1985 issue of The Messenger was a sellout and carried the headline "Audit Investigation Focuses on Sheriff". Ken is given a copy of an audit report from 1982 by an anonymous source - a source that he reveals in this episode. Sheriff Gable is called into a meeting with county officials. Harassment of the Fortenberrys is ramp...

Ken takes the 'high tech' family van into the repair shop and is pressed by the mechanic on where he is going to enroll his kids in school. We get a deep dive into the educational system in McCormick County and are introduced to Miss Mary. Culture comes to town in the form of MACK. The Messenger strongly supports MACK in their editorials, while Anna leads a grassroots effort to get MACK to...

Secret Agent Man: Ken has been in McCormick for a few weeks. On July 29th, Ken visits the Sheriff's Department to obtain a copy of the jail log and we get introduced to Press Gable - father of Sheriff Jimmy Gable. Sheriff Gable is not in the office today but THE sheriff is.....Press Gable. Ken gets a call from the sheriff the next day and he finally gets to meet Jimmy Gable. After politely req...

The Dream Begins: We are introduced to the author of "Kill The Messenger", Ken Fortenberry, while he is the Executive Editor of the News Chief in Winter Haven, FL. Ken begins by reading the preface and we get to see McCormick through Fortenberry's eyes. We learn of Ken's deep ties and affection for the Palmetto State, as he prepares to move his family "home" to South Ca...

It's been 40 years since Ken Fortenberry left his job as the Executive Editor at the News Chief in Winter Haven, FL to return to his small town roots. Leery of raising his family in a material world of designer drugs and designer jeans, he pulled up stakes and moved his household to McCormick, South Carolina where he had just purchased The McCormick Messenger . Millions of Americans would be i...