Dear Zachary Takes On Social Justice
Kurt Kuenne's Documentary Making Waves Around the Country
Oct 23, 2008
Bagby was brutally murdered by his ex-girlfriend, Dr. Shirley Turner in 2001. When a warrant was issued for Turner’s arrest, she fled to Canada. During her fight against her extradition, she announced that she was four months pregnant with Bagby’s child, a son whom she named Zachary.
Kuenne originally wanted to make the film in memory of Bagby--a way to bring him back to life for his family and friends. However, when he found out about Turner’s pregnancy “my project took on a whole new meaning.” Kuenne was determined to make the film for Bagby’s infant son so that someday, he would get to know his father. Kuenne went around the country and visited Bagby’s friends and relatives, asking them to tell the camera about Bagby and to send a message to Zachary.
The Film Focus Changes
Unfortunately, the focus of the film changed once more when Shirley Turner drowned herself and Zachary in 2003 while awaiting an appeal for extradition. During her fight, the Canadian government allowed Turner to be free on bail for a year and a half, while maintaining custody of Zachary.
Child protective advocates did not even seek Turner’s psychiatric records while she was in custody of Zachary. If they had, they would have discovered that Turner’s mental health was unstable, having attempted suicide over other failed relationships.
In one instance, she pursued an ex-boyfriend from Halifax to eastern Pennsylvania. When the man came home, he found Turner unconscious, wearing a black dress and holding a bouquet of roses. The suicide note read, “I’m not evil, just sick.”
Justice For Andrew and Zachary
Dear Zachary became a cry for justice, not only for Andrew Bagby, but for his son, Zachary. Kuenne said in his director’s statement.
“It is my goal to get this film seen all around the world, but in particular by the citizens of Canada. They have the power to prevent a recurrence of this catastrophe, the power to compel their Parliament to deny bail to people accused of murder pending a speedy and fair trial, so that innocent lives are not continually put at unnecessary risk.”
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father will be released in New York on October 31st, 2008 in Los Angeles and Chicago on November 7th 2008. It will be released to several film festivals following these screenings.
Sources:
- Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
- Richard Gazarik, Death Review Blames Child Welfare, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
