Latest news with #UndertheBridge
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Reena Virk's killer has day parole revoked over positive drug tests, 'negative' behaviour
Canada's parole board has revoked day parole for the woman who killed 14-year-old B.C. teen Reena Virk, following a series of positive drug tests and behaviours the board said represent "an undue risk to society." According to parole documents, Kerry Sim — who was known as Kelly Ellard in 1997 when she killed Virk — first saw her limited release into the community suspended last January when she tested positive for methamphetamine following months of "negative and non-compliant" behaviour. Although she denied using drugs — blaming prescribed medication for what she claimed were false positives — Sim again tested positive for non-prescribed medication in prison in April and later admitted that she "had taken another offender's medication." In a decision issued last month, the Parole Board of Canada told Sim "you present with an anti-social or delinquent value system, that you have an unwillingness to accept responsibility for your own actions and your rebelliousness puts you at a high risk for future delinquent behaviour." "Your behaviour in the community prior to your suspension is inconsistent with what is minimally required or expected on an earned release," the decision says. "You disregarded minimum supervision expectations and when this was addressed with you, you became hostile, argumentative, antagonizing, lacked accountability and deflected blame." 'Antagonizing, threatening and insulting' Sim is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder in the 1997 killing. The decision describes a 42-year-old struggling with children, single-parenting, substance abuse — and the consequences of her actions. The impact of Virk's murder continues to reverberate years after Sim and Warren Glowatski followed the teenager across the Craigflower Bridge and dragged her into Victoria's Gorge waterway following a savage beating by a swarm of teens Virk thought were friends. The case has inspired books, plays, podcast episodes and a recent Hulu true-crime TV series — starring Oscar-nominee Lily Gladstone — based on the 2005 non-fiction book of the same name, Under the Bridge. Sim — who has had a troubled history before the parole board — has long stood in stark contrast to Glowatski, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 but sought forgiveness from Virk's parents, meeting with them to express his remorse. Sim stood trial three times for the murder before the Supreme Court of Canada finally upheld her conviction in 2009. She was released on day parole in 2018, but has been hauled back in front of the parole board multiple times for domestic violence and positive urine tests. According to the parole documents, Sim was arrested in 2021 because of a deterioration in behaviour. She returned to a community residential facility in the Lower Mainland in 2023, but was in and out of trouble. Staff described her behaviour as "antagonizing, threatening and insulting." 'An undue risk to society' According to the parole board, Sim was ultimately apprehended at the facility following the positive drug test last January, but would not leave her room, making "vague suicidal comments" and "screaming and kicking" before she was taken into custody. Sim — who is the mother of two young children — has "struggled emotionally" due to her child's behavioural issues, being a single parent and "managing legal custody issues" with her ex-partner. WATCH | Reporter Jason Proctor recounts what it was like to cover the high-profile murder case in 1997: The parole decision says she also voiced safety concerns following the release of the television mini-series. At the time of the series release, the board noted that Sim had "demonstrated some remorse and victim empathy after a discussion about an upcoming television series based on your crimes." "You said the series is disrespectful to the victim and her family, and that the index offence was so horrendous that it would re-victimize the victim's family," the board noted in a previous decision. The parole board noted that Sim has been working as a cleaner since returning to jail and has "demonstrated positive behaviour" but concluded the risk of releasing her was too great. "Despite the time you have had for self-reflection since returning to custody, the board finds you continue to engage in behaviours and thinking that contributed to your suspension," the decision concludes. "You will, by re-offending before the expiration of your sentence, present an undue risk to society."
Sydney Morning Herald
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
True crime dramas seldom provide understanding. This one is different
Under the Bridge ★★★★ Genuine understanding is often the last thing a true crime drama provides. The horror of what happened in real life takes over on screen, even as the fictionalised characters seek to apply justice. The how tends to overwhelm the why. But this wrenching, insightful 2024 American limited series, which is making its free-to-air debut, achieves a sad, necessary balance. It struggles to make sense of the inexplicable, and to ask what ultimately divides the perpetrators and the investigators, the victim and those who looked away. A story that dominated the news cycle in Canada at the time, Under the Bridge explores the 1997 murder of Reena Virk (Vritika Gupta). A teenager in British Columbia town of Saanich, Reena is the daughter of Suman (Archie Panjabi) and Manjit (Ezra Faroque Khan). She rebels against their Indian heritage and Jehovah's Witnesses faith, trying to earn the friendship of a clique of female schoolmates, led by the capricious Jo Bell (Chloe Guidry), who used gangster rap and street gangs as empowering imagery. Reena goes out one chilly November night to meet the girls who had been alternately encouraging and tormenting her, and her battered body is discovered the next morning. Her family is devastated, the wider community shocked, and the authorities ill-prepared. It's two locals that sit apart who advance the case: police officer Cam Bentland (Lily Gladstone) is the adopted First Nations daughter of the police chief, while her long absent friend, Rebecca Godfrey (Riley Keough), is a writer wrestling with grief. Under the Bridge was adapted from Godfrey's 2005 literary non-fiction of the same name. Creator Quinn Shephard worked closely with Godfrey, who passed away just before the limited series started production, and they shaped a story where the questions asked are diverse and difficult to answer. The storytelling can be idiosyncratic or unexpected: a scene that suggests a generic dynamic will not unfold as expected, while one episode is an extended flashback to the courtship between Reena's parents in 1979. The show looks thoughtfully at the many factors that tragically intersected on Reena's final night alive, whether it's the racism and suspicion the Virk family had to navigate, or how teenagers like Jo, who lives in a group home overseen by social services, have already been written off by many locals before they've done anything wrong. The one boy present on the night Reena died, Warren Glowatski (Javon Walton), comes into focus as an unbuoyed figure, and his bond with Rebecca is tender and doomed. Loading Both Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Keough (Daisy Jones and the Six) give cohesive performances that pull and fray at the conventions of their characters. You can feel the former's Cam bristling at the off-hand dismissals of the town's disadvantaged, realising she could easily have been one of them. The latter's Rebecca silently knows that her empathy for all involved must eventually come up against her desire to write about what happened, to pass a written judgment.
The Age
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
True crime dramas seldom provide understanding. This one is different
Under the Bridge ★★★★ Genuine understanding is often the last thing a true crime drama provides. The horror of what happened in real life takes over on screen, even as the fictionalised characters seek to apply justice. The how tends to overwhelm the why. But this wrenching, insightful 2024 American limited series, which is making its free-to-air debut, achieves a sad, necessary balance. It struggles to make sense of the inexplicable, and to ask what ultimately divides the perpetrators and the investigators, the victim and those who looked away. A story that dominated the news cycle in Canada at the time, Under the Bridge explores the 1997 murder of Reena Virk (Vritika Gupta). A teenager in British Columbia town of Saanich, Reena is the daughter of Suman (Archie Panjabi) and Manjit (Ezra Faroque Khan). She rebels against their Indian heritage and Jehovah's Witnesses faith, trying to earn the friendship of a clique of female schoolmates, led by the capricious Jo Bell (Chloe Guidry), who used gangster rap and street gangs as empowering imagery. Reena goes out one chilly November night to meet the girls who had been alternately encouraging and tormenting her, and her battered body is discovered the next morning. Her family is devastated, the wider community shocked, and the authorities ill-prepared. It's two locals that sit apart who advance the case: police officer Cam Bentland (Lily Gladstone) is the adopted First Nations daughter of the police chief, while her long absent friend, Rebecca Godfrey (Riley Keough), is a writer wrestling with grief. Under the Bridge was adapted from Godfrey's 2005 literary non-fiction of the same name. Creator Quinn Shephard worked closely with Godfrey, who passed away just before the limited series started production, and they shaped a story where the questions asked are diverse and difficult to answer. The storytelling can be idiosyncratic or unexpected: a scene that suggests a generic dynamic will not unfold as expected, while one episode is an extended flashback to the courtship between Reena's parents in 1979. The show looks thoughtfully at the many factors that tragically intersected on Reena's final night alive, whether it's the racism and suspicion the Virk family had to navigate, or how teenagers like Jo, who lives in a group home overseen by social services, have already been written off by many locals before they've done anything wrong. The one boy present on the night Reena died, Warren Glowatski (Javon Walton), comes into focus as an unbuoyed figure, and his bond with Rebecca is tender and doomed. Loading Both Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Keough (Daisy Jones and the Six) give cohesive performances that pull and fray at the conventions of their characters. You can feel the former's Cam bristling at the off-hand dismissals of the town's disadvantaged, realising she could easily have been one of them. The latter's Rebecca silently knows that her empathy for all involved must eventually come up against her desire to write about what happened, to pass a written judgment.
Malaysian Reserve
02-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Warner Music and Bain set venture, seek Red Hot Chili Peppers songs
WARNER Music Group Corp. announced a $300 million cost-savings drive, part of an effort to free up funds for growth initiatives, including a just-announced joint venture to acquire music catalogs. The plan will result in an unspecified number of job cuts, according to a regulatory filing Tuesday. Almost two-thirds of the savings will be achieved through job cuts, with the rest coming from organizational changes and overhead savings, the company said. Warner Music employed about 5,800 people at the end of its latest fiscal year. The company expects to realize the full benefit of the savings by the end of fiscal 2027. 'These decisions are not being made lightly,' Chief Executive Officer Robert Kyncl said in a note to employees. 'It will be difficult to say goodbye to talented people, and we're committed to acting with empathy and integrity.' The filing coincided with the company's announcement Tuesday of a joint venture with the private equity firm Bain Capital to invest as much as $1.2 billion in iconic music catalogs. The venture 'will provide artists and songwriters with opportunities to preserve and expand the reach of their catalogs, ensuring their legacies are well cared for,' the companies said in a statement on Tuesday. The two will acquire catalogs together, while Warner Music will manage marketing, distribution and administration. As part of the partnership, Warner Music is in talks to acquire the catalog of the Red Hot Chili Peppers for more than $300 million, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Hits by the rock group, which is already part of Warner Music, include songs such as Under the Bridge. There's no guarantee a deal will be reached, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private negotiations. The Financial Times reported on the talks earlier Tuesday. Music has become an attractive asset in recent years as streaming broadened the industry's reach and emerging technologies introduced classic songs to new audiences. Investment firms including Blackstone Inc., Apollo Global Management Inc. and KKR & Co. have spent billions of dollars acquiring catalogs while major record labels are racing to control more intellectual property. Sony Group Corp. and Universal Music Group NV have also pursued a similar strategy of acquiring catalogs. Warner Music, whose artists include Charli XCX, Fleetwood Mac and Bruno Mars, has acquired song catalogs in recent years such as those of David Bowie and the entire recordings catalog of producer David Guetta. Earlier this year, Warner bought a controlling stake in Tempo Music, which owns a catalog of song rights spanning recordings from Adele to Wiz Khalifa, in a deal valued at $450 million. Warner Music is controlled by billionaire Len Blavatnik. –BLOOMBERG
Daily Record
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Crime thriller fan shares seven TV series people 'need' to watch now
One streaming fan has shared seven gripping TV crime thrillers that are a must watch for all fans of the genre - and they are all on Netflix and Disney Plus Fed up with endlessly scrolling through Netflix and Disney Plus only to find yourself indecisive about what to watch next? It can become a tedious task to choose your next binge-worthy series, but it helps when other people share their recommendations. Should you be on the prowl for some riveting new crime thrillers for your watchlist, you're in luck. A TV fan has uncovered seven series they think fellow crime thriller fans 'need to watch'. And some of them are the 'best' people have seen. Fi, a content creator from Manchester, through her @apartmentintheclouds TikTok account, has shared her top seven recommendations. She started with The Lincoln Lawyer from Netflix, an outstanding US legal drama adapted from Michael Connelly's books. The plot weaves around defence solicitor Mickey Haller, essayed by Manuel Garca-Rulfo, who operates his practice from the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car covering Los Angeles. Fi gushed: "Absolutely loved this show! Great cast and good story lines." Fi also suggested trying Under the Bridge, a hard-hitting crime drama inspired by Rebecca Godfrey's 2005 book on a harrowing true story. The series tackles the mystery of 14-year-old Reena Virk who disappeared post attending a party in 1997. The show, which is streaming on Disney Plus, delves into the secret world of the young girls who were accused of the murder. Fi said: "Based on a true event, acting 10/10, quite serious." Castle, available to stream on Disney Plus, is a crime series about charismatic novelist Rick Castle (played by Nathan Fillion) who joins forces with NYPD detective Kate Beckett (portrayed by Stana Katic) to crack murder cases. Together, they navigate a realm of homicide with growing camaraderie. Fi enthused: "Such a good show, loads of seasons, light-hearted at times, if you like police mystery drama you'll love this!". Scandal, which is available on Disney Plus, follows Olivia Pope, a former media consultant to the president. She opens her own crisis-management firm after leaving the White House. On her first day she has to deal with an accusation against the president. Fi said: "I am OBSESSED with this show, seen it so many times. If you like political drama murder mystery, definitely watch this!" The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime story revolves around the OJ Simpson murder trial, including the legal teams' battle to convict or acquit the American football legend. The drama series is based on the book The Run Of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin, which looks at the behind-the-scenes dealings of both sides of the case, which he was found not guilty of in 1995. It stars Cuba Gooding Jr as OJ Simpson, John Travolta as defence attorney Robert Shapiro, David Schwimmer as defence attorney Robert Kardashian, Sarah Paulson as prosecutor Marcia Clark and Courtney B Vance as Johnnie Cochran. Fi said: "Based on true events, really enjoyed this!" How to Get Away with Murder on Disney Plus stars Viola Davis as Professor Annalise Keating, who gets entangled with four law students from her class. They get involved in a complex murder plot. Fi said: "LOVE this show. Viola Davis is incredible, great murder mystery, have watched this so many times!" Lastly, Fi recommended Dexter, which follows Dexter Morgan, a forensics expert who leads a secret life as a serial killer who only targets murderers. About the show, which is streaming on Netflix, Fi said: "A classic, creepy, weird, lots of drama. Always a 10/10 for me."
