Poisoned by their Pens

Pluto = Death and Sagittarius = Journalism. During Pluto's travels through Sagittarius it seems that more than the average amount of Journalists have died for exposing their Stories. Either they've been murdered in record numbers pursuing stories in the Middle East conflicts, or they suffered so much from the Controversy their stories created that they committed Suicide. I suppose this has always been the case, Journalists are an exciting group of people who want to expose the unknown. I happened to read the story about Gary Webb in the free weekly paper in Santa Cruz and wanted to see what I could find in his, and a few others' charts. It seems doubly tragic to lose a person because he pursued the Truth.

Pluto moved into Sagittarius in 1995. Saturn moved into Pisces at around the same time and squared Pluto. Saturn and Pluto are tough planets when working together. They are ruthless, ambitious, unrelenting and very realistic. Sagittarius and Pisces have Idealistic, maybe Unrealistic, Philosophical and Spiritual interests. I think the combination of the incompatible energies both accomplished great feats for the good of the many while unfortunately destroying the Individuals who accomplished them. By coincidence, all three of the reporters I'm looking at were killed while investigating Drug related stories. They involve the CIA and the Nicaraguan Contras, the neighborhoods of Dublin, or the past dalliances of the President of the U.S. Everybody's doin it. After the Saturn-Pluto opposition in Gemini (Twin-towers) and Sagittarius (Airplanes, Travel) in 2001 the Wars have taken our reporters' lives. Here's some casualties from the earlier part.

Gary Webb
b. August 31, 1955 Corona, CA.
Died of self-inflicted gunshot wound on Dec. 10, 2004.

Wrote a 3-part series for the San Jose Mercury News about how the CIA was involved with trafficking and distributing Nicaraguan Cocaine into Los Angeles. Was denounced by all the major Government and East Coast Newspapers and not backed by the Mercury News. Became unemployable at any major Newspaper. Published book, Dark Alliance.

Sun at 7 Virgo conjunct Venus and Mars in Virgo and Pluto in Leo. These planets were squared by Pluto during the entire mid-90's when his story came out.

Moon is probably in Aquarius, maybe squaring Saturn in Scorpio which is a strong indicator for depression, no resilience from rejection, but also an emotional drive and ambition for success. Saturn is squaring Jupiter in Leo.

North Node is at 24 Sagittarius (Journalism, International affairs, publishing) trined by natal Pluto (covert, powerful operations) at 27 Leo.

He also has a highly Idealistic, Humanitarian t-square of Uranus in Leo opposite Chiron in Aquarius squaring Neptune in Libra.

In 1995 when he probably began to work on his biggest story he was going through a Saturn Trine, the Uranus Opposition (which was conjunct Chiron), and then shortly after by the Neptune square when the story fell down the tubes. Progressed Venus was conjunct n. Neptune, t. Jupiter conjunct North Node, prog. Mars conjunct n. Mercury. He may have become overly enthusiastic and blown the story out of proportion with these aspects but his findings did lead to later truths about the CIA's involvements. He diligently accounted for all his Sources. I wonder if as a strong Virgo personality he didn't engage his editors enough in the publishing process. They are said to be mostly at fault for the arguments in the piece. Most of his planets were lined up in Leo and Virgo and the square from Pluto seems to have been his downfall.

On Dec. 10, 2004 Webb committed suicide. The transiting North Node was filling out the empty leg of his Idealistic t-square. His progressed Sun was conjunct Neptune and t.Pluto was conjunction his natal North Node, possibly even compounded by progressed Moon. Classic Noel Tyl wipeout. You want Saturn to be firmly placed during these times and Webb was not so lucky. T. Saturn was conjunct volatile Uranus in his natal chart.

Veronica Guerin
b. July 5, 1958 Dublin, IRE
Shot while driving in her car by Drug Dealers on June 26, 1996.

Cate Blanchett starred in a Movie about the life of this woman. Nurturing Cancer, realized that the Drug Dealers in certain neighborhoods were destroying the Children and began to report on them.

Sun 13 Cancer square Mars at 20 Aries. This is the only aspect to Guerin's Sun and Mars is strong in its own sign.

Moon in either Aquarius or Pisces perhaps conjunct Chiron in Aquarius and maybe opposite Pluto.

North Node at 29 Libra showing a strong concern for Justice. NN is conjunct Jupiter in Libra (Journalism and Neptune (Drugs) in Scorpio (Dark Side of Society)). NN is also squaring Mercury in Leo. Uranus is about 10 degrees away from Mercury in Leo also. Strong concern of life path for Justice, Ideals, setting things right, especially through writing and communication.

When she was shot, Pluto had just entered Sagittarius and was trining Guerin's Mercury. She had many trines actually (p.Sun to n. Saturn; t.Chiron to n.Venus; t. Moon conjunct n.Jupiter-NN-Neptune, plus she was having a Venus Return) indicating a positive time in her life.

However, Neptune was squaring her Nodes and it was also her Neptune square. Of great volatility, T. Jupiter was opposing her n.Sun and squaring her n. Mars. This had been set off by the Partial Solar Eclipse that happened on April 17. The eclipse happened on her natal Mars while she was having a Mars Return. This could be a strong danger signal for her, especially to be careful while driving a car.

James Hatfield
b. Jan. 7, 1958
d. July 18, 2001 from Prescription Drug Overdose

James Hatfield is a more complex character than Webb or Guerin. He was a Hack writer who wrote a highly controversial biography of George W. Bush during the 1999 campaign in which he exposed how Bush's achievements were completely due to family connections and not due to his own credit. Of most interest was his exposure of Bush's cocaine possession charges on 1972. It's interesting to note that his Sun opposes Bush's Sun. The Bush Campaign made mincemeat of him which wasn't difficult to do as he had been convicted twice, once in 1988 for paying a hit man to kill his boss and the 2d time for embezzlement. His Publisher recalled his book, Fortunate Son, in October, 1999 due to his criminal past. It was republished by a Punk Publisher and there's a great Documentary out about this whole process called Horns & Halos.

While reading about him I found that there were a previous James Hadfield who lived in England and became famous for attempting to assassinate King George III on May 15, 1900, and was acquitted by reason of insanity. He was born in either 1771 or 1772 which means that he was probably going through his Saturn Return. The Modern Hatfield apparently was going through his Saturn Return when he tried to pay the hit man to kill his boss. Wow. Reincarnation? I think so.

Hatfield's chart is noticeable first for his Sun which is unaspected in Capricorn except for a Quintile to Pluto. He was probably uncompromisingly ambitious. The Second noticeable part of his chart is its bowl shape bounded by Venus-Chiron in Aquarius opposite Uranus in Leo maybe conjunct Moon in Leo. I guess this would be almost an addiction to excitement. One can see how he would be much more likely to fall into sensationalistic story telling. He had the same North Node-Neptune-Jupiter conjunction as Guerin because they were born in the same year but his North Node was in Scorpio rather than Libra.

When Hatfield's book was recalled in Oct. 1999 his progressed Mercury had just passed his natal Venus-Chiron. Transiting Pluto was conjunct his natal Mars. Interesting that progressed Venus had just come out of retrograde and was conjunct transiting Neptune and aspecting n. Pluto, Jupiter, Neptune. I suppose one could read this as a Glamour Trip to Hell. He was also going through his Neptune Square transit. The transiting Nodal Axis was hitting the opposition of his bowl shape as well.

The pressures that he had accumulated are very well documented in Horns & Halos. The Book wasn't selling well, he was publicly humiliated beyond compare, he had money problems and a drinking problem. He overdosed on Alcohol, Celexa and Lorazepam in a Motel Room. Transiting Chiron had joined transiting Pluto on his natal Mars. His progressed Sun had just switched signs and was at 2 Pisces and opposite his natal Pluto. The transiting South Node had just passed his n. Sun and progressed Mars was within conjunction by 5 degrees.

Russian Journalists have been getting knocked off left and right. Around 15 or 16 have perished due to "Medical Mysteries" since 2000. Anna Politkovskaya (Aug. 30, 1958, NYC, NY) was shot in the elevator of her apartment and Alexander Litvinenko (Dec. 4, 1962) was poisoned with the nuclear substance Polonium 210.

Whew! I need a live reporter. Anderson Cooper, keep that bullet proof vest on!