After discussing her secret battle with alcoholism and how she overcame the problem 12 years ago, an acclaimed reporter asked her audience members if they had any secrets they would like to share — because secrets may lead to murder.
“The secrets that criminals kill over are the same secrets that we have,” said Jane Velez-Mitchell to a group of 45 students last night at Barnes ‘ Noble at Boston University as part of a certificate-award ceremony for professional investigation.
Velez-Mitchell, who covered the Michael Jackson trial, discussed murderers’ lonely battle with their secrets after introducing herself in a light-hearted manner by singing her rendition of The Eagles’ “Desperado.”
She then transitioned into more serious themes about nationally covered murder cases and how the drive to commit murder could be prevented. Although everyone has secrets, Velez-Mitchell said when people are ashamed of them and do not confront them, they become “toxic” and could push them to murder.
Velez-Mitchell, who has worked on many high-profile cases and appeared on national news stations, also used the appearance to summarize some main points in her book Secrets Can Be Murder: What America’s Most Sensational Crimes Tell Us About Ourselves.
“True crime has always been an interest for our customers,” said Barnes ‘ Noble author events coordinator Jeanne Haight.
Velez-Mitchell’s book explains secrets — especially familial, financial and sexual one — can sometimes fester, if left unchecked, and cause a person to commit murder.
Sexual secrets are one of the leading causes of crimes involving murder, Velez-Mitchell said, especially in situations in which women are portrayed as helpless victims and men as sexual predators.
“We are so saturated with violence . . . particularly against women,” said BU professional investigation certificate program graduate Mary O’Sullivan. “When these tragedies happen, why should we be surprised?”
Shamshak Investigative Services President Thomas Shamshak, a retired police chief who has appeared on television with Velez-Mitchell and worked with her on local cases, arranged for Velez-Mitchell to speak at the certificate award ceremony for PI students last night.
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