The death of Mr. Jennings was a tragic event, as is anyone's' passing.
However, it has been made a sensational news item because honeybees were
involved.  That the autopsy showed the cause of death to be a heart attack
and that the honeybee connection was ancillary was not sensational.  I heard
a lot about the initial event.  It was SENSATIONAL and sold a lot of
newspaper.  Subsequent findings showed the SENSATIONALISM to less than true
and received little press, probably only seen by readers of local papers in
Franklin, Ct.

People die of heart attacks every day.  If the heart attack victim dies
while driving on the highway and the newly dead driver causes a horrendous
accident, THAT'S sensational news and you'll get full details at 6 o'clock.
If a newly dead person receives lots of bee stings, THAT can be
SENSATIONALIZED and before full details are known you'll get sensationalized
details at 6 o'clock.  I doubt autopsy results made the TV news at all,
although I admit I do not watch local Frankin, Ct. news.

Tom Barret is correct, the story has been sensationalized.  BeeCrofter is
probably correct, no shark attacks that day although reporters would have
sensationalized it anyway.  A shark attack AND a beestings homicide in the
same day would sell LOTS of papers!  However, BEE-L is being just as guilty
in the whole sensationalism of this story by carrying it on.  It is
unfortunate that the bees were destroyed, perhaps good PR but poor science.
People will continue to speculate with wild abandon, some still do here on
BEE-L.  Morphological examinations ruled out Africanized bees, yet
speculation continues.  Whether the bees were a wild swarm or kept bees is
conjecture and cannot at this point be verified.  But speculation will
continue.  I don't recall how the bees were destroyed.  Were samples kept
for further studies?

As beekeepers we will hear of the guy in Connecticut who got stung to death
for years.  I was out of the country when the incident occurred, but people
lined up at my office to tell me the story when I got back.  As beekeepers
it will be up to us to dispel the sensationalism of the guy in Ct. who got
stung to death by educating those who will turn this into great American
folklore by letting them know the actual cause of death was a heart attack.
The newspapers won't do that, it's not sensational and won't sell.

May Mr. Jennings rest in peace.  Unless there are more facts to add to the
discussion, this sensational topic on BEE-L should also.

Aaron Morris - thinking Extra!  Extra!! Read all about it!!!