KXAN
By Chris Sadeghi
November 17, 2014
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On the silver screen, Bernie Tiede was a lovable character played by Jack Black in the 2011 movie “Bernie.” But Shanna Nugent watched the movie having already experienced it in real life.
Many laughed at the comedy, but Shanna was not amused.
“The movie makes a joke out of my grandmother’s murder and I find that very distasteful,” said Shanna.
Shanna’s grandmother, Marjorie Nugent, was shot and killed by Tiede on November 19th, 1996 in Carthage, Texas. He was sentenced to life in prison, but the movie spurred a chain of events which revealed new evidence that Tiede had been the victim of sexual abuse and possibly suffered abuse at the hands of Marjorie Nugent. As a result, Tiede was released early from prison in May under specific bond terms which included living at the home of “Bernie” filmmaker Richard Linklater.
“Not a psychiatrist or a halfway house, but a movie producer,” lamented Shanna.
An appeals court will rule in coming weeks whether Tiede will remain free or overturn his early release and send him back to prison. Anything other than a return to jail will be another chapter in a horror story for the Nugent family.
“We are going to set this guy free on the streets of Austin? I think that is terrifying.”
In an interview with KXAN in May, Ricahrd Linklater said Bernie was adjusting to his new life after 17 years of imprisonment.
“It is a new world he is stepping into so it is a slow process, but he has such a positive attitude,” said Linklater who opened his doors to Bernie because he saw how the convicted killer related to everybody. “He is a much beloved guy.”
Shanna could not disagree more.
“He is a cold-blooded murderer, a thief and a con man.”
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