This past March marked the 15th anniversary of Charlie Minor's death,a top A&M exec who was murdered by a former girlfriend.Does anyone have any updated info on the status of Suzette McClure(the girlfriend)-has she been released from prison?I don't think there's ever been a post on A&M forum concerning Charlie Minor.
Charlie Minor
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A couple of movies were made on the topic - not exactly Academy Award material or family fare.
CherryStreet
Member
Suzette Melina McClure was able to plead to second degree murder on May 15, 1997. A first degree conviction would have assured life in prison for the former laid-off aerospace worker turned stripper. Municipal Judge Elva Soper in October 1995 dismissed a special allegation of lying in wait, which could have made McClure eligible for execution if convicted. Soper said prosecutors failed to prove the allegation. At sentencing on June 3, 1997, she faced 19 years to life in prison.
Suzette McClure was thirty at the time & five feet two inches tall and weighed barely one hundred pounds. She drove to Minor's beach house, pulled a .25-caliber semiautomatic from a fanny pack, and fired nine soft-point bullets - the kind that leave exit wounds the size of a grapefruit - into her former boyfriend. The property was later leased by MTV solely for filming the fake/reality series "The Hills".
Verah Bradford, tried to prove that her client was also a victim, a young innocent whose life was pushed in the wrong direction by men with far more power and sophistication than she had. Bradford claims that abuse of women is endemic to the way the record industry does business. "Record promotion depends on the use of strippers and prostitutes, who are used as objects of pleasure and commercial bargaining chips," she says. "We will prove that Suzette was a victim of the way wealthy men use women - and in the process, we'll blow the lid off the music industry".
"Minor called a radio programmer back in 1975 to talk up "Love Hurts," the single by the rock group Nazareth. The programmer sounded depressed. His fiancee, he explained, died only hours earlier in a plane crash. "Don't you see, it's true, love hurts," Minor responded. "That is why you've got to play this song."
As shameless as the pitch was, it worked. Weeks later the song was on the station's playlist.
More on Charlie - http://articles.latimes.com/1995-09-24/entertainment/ca-49278_1_death-march
Suzette McClure was thirty at the time & five feet two inches tall and weighed barely one hundred pounds. She drove to Minor's beach house, pulled a .25-caliber semiautomatic from a fanny pack, and fired nine soft-point bullets - the kind that leave exit wounds the size of a grapefruit - into her former boyfriend. The property was later leased by MTV solely for filming the fake/reality series "The Hills".
Verah Bradford, tried to prove that her client was also a victim, a young innocent whose life was pushed in the wrong direction by men with far more power and sophistication than she had. Bradford claims that abuse of women is endemic to the way the record industry does business. "Record promotion depends on the use of strippers and prostitutes, who are used as objects of pleasure and commercial bargaining chips," she says. "We will prove that Suzette was a victim of the way wealthy men use women - and in the process, we'll blow the lid off the music industry".
"Minor called a radio programmer back in 1975 to talk up "Love Hurts," the single by the rock group Nazareth. The programmer sounded depressed. His fiancee, he explained, died only hours earlier in a plane crash. "Don't you see, it's true, love hurts," Minor responded. "That is why you've got to play this song."
As shameless as the pitch was, it worked. Weeks later the song was on the station's playlist.
More on Charlie - http://articles.latimes.com/1995-09-24/entertainment/ca-49278_1_death-march
Captain Bacardi
Well-Known Member
I remember a VH-1 Behind The Music episode on Charlie Minor. Sad story.
Capt. Bacardi
Capt. Bacardi
Steven J. Gross
Well-Known Member
I was dating a psychopathic girl for the last 3-4 years...thank God I escaped. 
Rhonda Engle
New Member
Su
Suzette has not been released from prison. I was her roomate at California Institution for Women. If you ask me she is very sweet and was manipulated by good ole Charlie. I hope when she does go up for parole they release her!
Suzette has not been released from prison. I was her roomate at California Institution for Women. If you ask me she is very sweet and was manipulated by good ole Charlie. I hope when she does go up for parole they release her!
Actually, I was going to comment on this story, but I forgot the executive's name. I first heard about this story on the E! Channel's E: The True Hollywood Story. From what I understand and from what I saw on the special, Charlie came from a Southern background and also came from a good family, and had an incredible love for music. When he joined A&M, he felt like he had finally found his home. I forgot how the special said how they met, but from what I remember, Miss McClure was a deeply troubled woman, with a troubled past. The special said that Charlie did indeed try to get help for her, but nothing worked. Charlie,tired and exhausted from the drama, decided to break off the relationship; much to Suzette's chagrin. She kept calling him, stalking him, trying to get their relationship back together. Charlie told her her to stop harrasing him, as now at this time, he had already moved on with his life, and found a new girlfriend with whom he was much happier.
That's what pushed Suzette over the edge, and in a jealous rage, she went to Charlie's house and killed him, and also I believe his new girlfriend as well. All of the A&M family was very upset, and the special also interviewed Amy Grant, Jimmy Jam, and also Jerry Moss. They all testified to what a great guy he was, how caring he was of the artists and their music, and while during the trial of Miss McClure, while her lawyer tried to portray Charlie as a slick, sleazy, manipulative, stereotypical record company guy, who basically "pimped" Suzette, and dumped her when he felt the good times were over, others came back with a different story of Charlie altogether. He was described by people who knew him as a very generous, very loving guy who had a special love for musicians and their work. He was known to outright give money to people when they were down and out, and also put up people in his house when they had no lodgings of their own.
After hearing the testimony of Minor's family and friends, and after the jury declared Miss McClure guilty, her father went up to Charlie's mother and tearfully BEGGED her forgiveness for what his daughter had done! You see, her father had also believed Suzette and her lawyer's story about being "used and abused" by Charlie, but when he heard the testimony of Minor's family/friends, he then had a different opinion of Minor. "OH MY GOD,I'M SO SORRY,HE WAS A NICE MAN! H-H-HE HELPED ALL THESE PEOPLE OUT! HE DID ALL THESE NICE THINGS!!I-I"M SO SORRY MY DAUGHTER DID WHAT SHEDID!! FOR GIVE MEE!!" exclaimed Suzette's father to Charlie's mother outside the courthouse. Mrs. Minor calmly took Suzette's father's hand, and said she harbored no ill will towards him; it was his daughter that commited the crime, not him.
Towards the end of the special, Jimmy Jam said that A&M held a special memorial for Charlie on the Chaplin stage, which Jam described as huge, and also said that when people went to the podium to say something about Charlie, they couldn't finish their sentences because they broke down crying with emotion, that's how much Charlie meant to them. Later, Amy Grant said that she played him her version of "Amazing Grace", and that Charlie broke down crying profusely, he loved that song. Then Jerry Moss said that because Charlie had such a love for music, he was probably "rockin' and rollin' in his grave!"
All the above is basically from what I remember from the E: True Hollywood Story Episode about the murder, which aired in the late 90s, from what I remember. Folks, before we judge somebody, let's hear another side to the story. I'm in particular referring to the last two posters, I believe Mr.IRS and the young lady afterwards. You said Miss McClure was "sweet" and was manipulated by Charlie, but "sweet" people , too can be manipulative, and tell their side of the story to justify what they do/did. Sorry, but I just felt to get that out, after from what I remember what was said on the special which I just related to you all.
jazzdre
That's what pushed Suzette over the edge, and in a jealous rage, she went to Charlie's house and killed him, and also I believe his new girlfriend as well. All of the A&M family was very upset, and the special also interviewed Amy Grant, Jimmy Jam, and also Jerry Moss. They all testified to what a great guy he was, how caring he was of the artists and their music, and while during the trial of Miss McClure, while her lawyer tried to portray Charlie as a slick, sleazy, manipulative, stereotypical record company guy, who basically "pimped" Suzette, and dumped her when he felt the good times were over, others came back with a different story of Charlie altogether. He was described by people who knew him as a very generous, very loving guy who had a special love for musicians and their work. He was known to outright give money to people when they were down and out, and also put up people in his house when they had no lodgings of their own.
After hearing the testimony of Minor's family and friends, and after the jury declared Miss McClure guilty, her father went up to Charlie's mother and tearfully BEGGED her forgiveness for what his daughter had done! You see, her father had also believed Suzette and her lawyer's story about being "used and abused" by Charlie, but when he heard the testimony of Minor's family/friends, he then had a different opinion of Minor. "OH MY GOD,I'M SO SORRY,HE WAS A NICE MAN! H-H-HE HELPED ALL THESE PEOPLE OUT! HE DID ALL THESE NICE THINGS!!I-I"M SO SORRY MY DAUGHTER DID WHAT SHEDID!! FOR GIVE MEE!!" exclaimed Suzette's father to Charlie's mother outside the courthouse. Mrs. Minor calmly took Suzette's father's hand, and said she harbored no ill will towards him; it was his daughter that commited the crime, not him.
Towards the end of the special, Jimmy Jam said that A&M held a special memorial for Charlie on the Chaplin stage, which Jam described as huge, and also said that when people went to the podium to say something about Charlie, they couldn't finish their sentences because they broke down crying with emotion, that's how much Charlie meant to them. Later, Amy Grant said that she played him her version of "Amazing Grace", and that Charlie broke down crying profusely, he loved that song. Then Jerry Moss said that because Charlie had such a love for music, he was probably "rockin' and rollin' in his grave!"
All the above is basically from what I remember from the E: True Hollywood Story Episode about the murder, which aired in the late 90s, from what I remember. Folks, before we judge somebody, let's hear another side to the story. I'm in particular referring to the last two posters, I believe Mr.IRS and the young lady afterwards. You said Miss McClure was "sweet" and was manipulated by Charlie, but "sweet" people , too can be manipulative, and tell their side of the story to justify what they do/did. Sorry, but I just felt to get that out, after from what I remember what was said on the special which I just related to you all.
jazzdre
CherryStreet
Member
Charlie Minor was definitely a "manipulator". And he was paid handsomely for it
by A&M for nearly 20 years. Let's remeber that Herb called him "Jaws" because
he could work 4 to 5 phone lines at once without missing a beat of conversation.
He even left A&M twice and came back and was VP at Giant for Irving Azof.
He always wanted to be VP of A&M but Jerry & Herb would never give it to him.
So yes he manipualted people for a living, just look at the Nazareth "Love Hurts"
story! But does "manipulator" justify "murder"? Sadly one side of this tragic
story will never be heard from again.
I don't think we will ever know the full story and I hardly would trust E! True Hollywood
Story as being filled with nothing but the facts. Suzette was a beautiful woman and I am
sure she still is and Charlie obviously loved beautiful women, but on that March night in
1995 "beauty" could not contain her rage and became the "beast". Sadly as in most cases,
it is the families on both sides that have had to live with the pain for these last 16 years.
by A&M for nearly 20 years. Let's remeber that Herb called him "Jaws" because
he could work 4 to 5 phone lines at once without missing a beat of conversation.
He even left A&M twice and came back and was VP at Giant for Irving Azof.
He always wanted to be VP of A&M but Jerry & Herb would never give it to him.
So yes he manipualted people for a living, just look at the Nazareth "Love Hurts"
story! But does "manipulator" justify "murder"? Sadly one side of this tragic
story will never be heard from again.
I don't think we will ever know the full story and I hardly would trust E! True Hollywood
Story as being filled with nothing but the facts. Suzette was a beautiful woman and I am
sure she still is and Charlie obviously loved beautiful women, but on that March night in
1995 "beauty" could not contain her rage and became the "beast". Sadly as in most cases,
it is the families on both sides that have had to live with the pain for these last 16 years.
In a nutshell, that is what a music industry promotion person does: they shmooze, manipulate, wine and dine, etc. The LA Times was a fair write-up of his career. The real irony was how he was dialing back his fast lifestyle at about the time he was shot...
Don't know if it's that simple - sounds like the real truth lies somewhere in-between the extremes.....
Captain Bacardi
Well-Known Member
I think it's time to lock this thread. Too much nonsense.
Capt. Bacardi
Capt. Bacardi
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