Hostage Gave Meth to Atlanta Fugitive

[BlueJac]

By GREG BLUESTEIN, Associated Press Writer
2 minutes ago



Ashley Smith, the woman who says she persuaded suspected courthouse gunman Brian Nichols to release her by talking about her faith, discloses in a new book that she gave him methamphetamine during the hostage ordeal.

Smith did not share that detail with authorities at the time. But investigators said she came clean about the drugs when they interviewed her months later. They said they have no plans to charge her with drug possession.

In her book, "Unlikely Angel," released Tuesday, Smith says Nichols had her bound on her bed with masking tape and an extension cord. She says he asked for marijuana, but she did not have any, and she dug into her illegal stash of crystal meth instead



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050927/ap_on_re_us/courthouse_hostage_book&printer=1;_ylt=Avgjdo1AORwzvbIfFOkc9VJH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-

[rodeodance]

1. oh washing the laundry does tend to shake a few things out.

[Catherine Vincent]

2. She just happen to have some crystal meth around?

Oh well, at least she wasn't caught.

[whatever4]

3. Makes me wonder

Why this is a story. So the woman did drugs? Likely, in this case, it saved her life. Go figure. But, I guess she's the one talking about it, so it isn't evil gossip or anything.

One thing I've always thought was that, in some ways, the man who stopped himself from hurting her is a hero. I mean, really, if some guy broke into my house, a guy going to prison with nothing left to lose, I'd be thankful if he changed his mind. He listened to her, actually listened to her? When I saw that story on tv, it actually made me tear up. He stopped. Made me think, irrationally though it is, that he was the angel. Not her. Not just her. She pleaded, but the victims always plead, don't they? Begging doesn't generally help at all.

Just something I've always wanted to say. I don't know what kind of person that man is, but I know hearing what happened, and that he let her go, well, it seemed pretty special to me. Hope he's doing okay now. I thought he deserved some recognition, and wish he would have gotten it.

My two cent rant. We should all pray for such mercy, and be thankful when someone shows it. To anyone. For any reason.

[Ian David]

6. The woman was a media star for her 15 minutes. The Today Show...

for example, interviewed her.

In fact, they had the author of "The Purpose Driven Life" on with her, plugging his book.

She was all over the fundie press.

[Ian David]

9. If she'd had pot instead of Crystal Meth, he would have ate all her food..

and then settled down for a nap in front of the TV.

[Sydnie]

4. Wow - she DOES have a purpose driven life

Let's see, was poor, held hostage by an escaped criminal, shared her illegal drugs with him, goes on tv and talks about the "book that changed their lives", becomes a hero, writes a book, talks about the illegal drugs, no charges filed, makes money, no longer poor. :sarcasm:

And to think, Rowlings had to come up with Harry Potter all on her own.

[chookie]

5. The Purpose-driven Meth User

n/t

[Ian David]

7. Let this be a lesson to all of you...

This is why everyone should keep a stash of Crystal Meth under the bed.

You never know when you're going to be taken hostage.

Keep it right next to the duct tape and plastic sheeting.

[Ian David]

8. Since Nichols' arrest, Smith has received $70,000 in rewards...

<snip>

Since Nichols' arrest, Smith has received $70,000 in rewards and has been bombarded with offers for books, movies and speaking engagements. Her ordeal has been held up as an example of the redemptive power of faith.

"It's hard for people to understand the miracle of the story," she told the newspaper. "This was totally a God thing, to me in my life. This was God getting my attention, going, `I'm going to give you one more chance.'"

<snip>

She writes that she asked Nichols if he wanted to see the danger of drugs and lifted up her tank top several inches to reveal a five-inch scar down the center of her torso — the aftermath of a car wreck caused by drug-induced psychosis. She says she let go of the steering wheel when she heard a voice saying, "Let go and let God."

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050927/ap_on_re_us/courthouse_hostage_book

It sounds like Gawd has "contributory negligence" in this matter, and that dugs can take only part of the blame.

She's only going to blow all the money on drugs!