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Keith Morrison: Creepier Than The Crimes

Celina

By Celina
in Dateline

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car54

car54

Oh, I love Keith.    He does that thing with his voice  where it goes UP at the end of the sentence when he's telling the crime story.

And that wonderful 80's hair!

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Intocats

Intocats

I love Keith's voice. He should narrate horror and suspense books for Audible. But I don't love Keith as an interviewer. He interrupts the interviewees and finishes their sentences with what HE wants them to say.

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zxy556575

zxy556575

(edited)

I'm neutral about his voice or appearance, but his florid prose annoys me (I assume he writes his own copy). If the story is set in Nebraska, his narration would be something like:

 

"As the amber waves of grain grow peacefully in the fields, a dark smudge inks its way onto Oak Lane..."

 

And his constant rhetorical questions:

 

"Was that the truth? Was it a lie? There's no way to know now."

 

He seems to think he's Aesop, writing a morality tale for the ages and that every story needs his personal, philosophical summary.

Edited by lordonia
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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

In my book, other than a book, there is nothing better than a story told well, with full inflection, nuance, and rhetoric.  Guess I'm just old fashioned that way - I like "the radio" (NPR), too!  Joe Kenda, for instance, is another good storyteller - I never tire of his quaint colloquialisms either.   "Well, my, my, my ...".

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GoRunner

GoRunner

I must admit that unlike Lt. Kenda, whom I adore, I do think Kieth is quite creepy. In fact, Around our house he is known (by me) as "Creepy Keith" Morrison,and by Mr. Runner as "The Creepy Grandma and Plastic Man" (Lester Holt being Plastic Man) But the weird little duo works, because we've certainly watched our fair share of these shows. 

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ChristmasJones

ChristmasJones

I will tolerate Keith's narration simply because I like Dateline, but to me, he sounds like he should be reading children's fairy tales, not a program for adults. I find his narration distracting.

 

Joe Kenda, however, I really enjoy. He comes across as much more serious to me, which I prefer, and I also like his dry sense of humour.


I will tolerate Keith's narration simply because I like Dateline, but to me, he sounds like he should be reading children's fairy tales, not a program for adults. I find his narration distracting.

 

Joe Kenda, however, I really enjoy. He comes across as much more serious to me, which I prefer, and I also like his dry sense of humour.

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Lovecat

Lovecat

I will tolerate Keith's narration simply because I like Dateline, but to me, he sounds like he should be reading children's fairy tales, not a program for adults.

Well sure, if you mean the original Grimm's fairy tales, which are soooooo much more grisly and disturbing than the versions churned out by Disney!

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car54

car54

Keith did a filmed piece on Late Night with Seth Meyers last night ---they have this thing where they say NBC is forcing different NBC performers to be friends outside their shows.....the first one was Seth and Lester Holt, and this one was Keith and Seth---Keith did a wonderful parody of the creepy sing song voice he does when he narrates his Dateline stories--and that creepy look directly into the camera.

 

His face really doesn't move much when he talks.

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JudyObscure

JudyObscure

I think he's creepy and I love him for it. For me, his spooky voice and gaunt appearance just add to the horror of some of the crimes.

Last night was the Idaho woman car-jacked, throat cut, stabbed 17 times, and left for dead by four young people. I felt sorry for her but even sorrier for Sarah who I'm sure didn't do it.

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ElleBee

ElleBee

Last night was the Idaho woman car-jacked, throat cut, stabbed 17 times, and left for dead by four young people. I felt sorry for her but even sorrier for Sarah who I'm sure didn't do it.

 

I'd have to say of all the Datelines I've watched over the years, I've never been so convinced that the person didn't do it as last night. How she ever got convicted--not looking like the person, wrong height, wrong ethnicity, doesn't speak Spanish, etc., etc.--is amazing (and frightening). Clearly the victim still thinks she did it, but I'm not sure whether that's mistaken memory or stubbornness. (They did say that she'd misidentified the culprit in two other lineups, so clearly she was having memory issues right from the start.) I don't fault her for it, but I think if you've sustained life-threatening injuries to your head, inconceivable psychological trauma, and are going through PTSD then you might have to concede that all the other witnesses may be better sources for identification than you are.

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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

"Eyewitness identifications" are notoriously unreliable, as I've learned from watching many science shows about the brain and memory.  How can the victim be sure of a pretty Latina shorter than she, and still swear it was the 5'6" convict? 

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JudyObscure

JudyObscure

The most telling thing to me was the little old man who had seen the four killers outside a store. He said he had picked Sarah in the line-up but realized later it was because, just before the curtain opened to show the line-up, they had flashed a big picture of Sarah. I think it might have been a trick to overlay a false memory of that face on top of the real face of the real perpetrator. That would explain Linda saying that she saw the face so close and will never forget it, blah, blah. There really should be an investigation of Canyon, Idaho's courthouse.

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callmebetty

callmebetty

I missed the first 35 minutes. Did the four killers use masks or anything? Or was the victim able to fully see them? I ask cause that is a big difference between Sarah and the Hispanic girl whom I assume was supposed to be the real criminal.

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Ohmo

Ohmo

(edited)
I missed the first 35 minutes. Did the four killers use masks or anything? Or was the victim able to fully see them? I ask cause that is a big difference between Sarah and the Hispanic girl whom I assume was supposed to be the real criminal.

 

No, Linda LeBrane described the woman as pretty.  She could see her face.  No masks were involved.  I sympathize with Mrs. LeBrane, but I think it's rather clear that she's incorrect.  None of the details beyond gender fit Sarah, and I think it's much more likely that Erica is the responsible party.

 

In terms of Linda, I think that a host of factors are at play.  Stubbornness is one.  Impairment is another.  Time and suggestibility are three and four.  I agree that authorities tried to "suggest" to that one witness by flashing Sarah's picture.  Therefore, it's reasonable to assume the authorities did the same to Linda, and the trauma of the incident probably left her in a state that was receptive to suggestion.  It's also been 14 years.  Over time, the mind can play tricks, and it's easy to think that something happened one way when in fact it did not.  Mrs. LeBrane may also be unwilling to admit her mistake because that would mean a whole new trial for Erica in which Linda would have to participate.  Maybe Linda's hoping that if the young lady from the Innocence Project looks for the evidence to connect Erica and exonerate Sarah, she'll find something so that Linda won't have to participate.

 

It's a complicated situation.  I definitely think Linda is wrong, yet I have sympathy for her.  I also have sympathy for Sarah.

 

I'd have to say of all the Datelines I've watched over the years, I've never been so convinced that the person didn't do it as last night

 

The Barry Beach case (also reported on by Keith) infuriates me more.  That took place in Montana.  I think Barry and Sarah are bith innocent, and I find it very "interesting" that two Western states appear to have real issues with admitting mistakes, errors, or potential misconduct.  In Sarah's case, I didn't believe that female former prosecutor at all.  I thought she was lying through her teeth and coerced witnesses.  Barry Beach's case has become such a mess that I'm convinced there's a sinister motive behind what happened to him...something having to do with politics, money, blackmail, etc.

Edited by Ohmo
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candall

candall

I like the Dateline narration.  I'd watch "Snapped" if the narrator didn't sound like Stephen Hawking's voice simulator.  I get distracted while I mentally beg her to JUST END ONE SENTENCE ON A DIFFERENT NOTE. 

 

Last night's Linda LeBrane story was tragic.  The repercussions from the attack just never seemed to end.  Testifying at the trials year after year, permanent paralyzing fear.  Her house got foreclosed!  They didn't say what kind of toll it took on her family, but I'm sure it was enormous.  It's understandable that she simply cannot contemplate the possibility that an innocent woman was imprisoned for years--it's just one horrific thing too many to bear.

 

I wonder if anyone in the Idaho justice system feels a sense of shame when this episode is played. 

 

Ginny Hatch, the criminal justice grad student, was amazing.  How many years did she devote to this case?  It's seems likely that somewhere along the line she would have graduated, accepted a job in another state, moved on with her life.  She's a hero.  That woman has some serious goes-around-comes-around karma headed her way.  

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torqy

torqy

(edited)

I was interested to note that they only freed Sarah if she would plead (don't remember exactly) no contest or some such and pay restitution. The same thing was done to William Macumber here in  Arizona. His case has been on some of these shows. As Ohmo said above, there must be some political undertones to Sarah's and Barry Beach's cases. Strange in Barry's case, since both he and the murder victim are native American. The women who some suspect to be the real killers are also native American. (Mrs. Torqy is part Blackfeet, and we looked at each other when Poplar, MT was shown and said "That's a reservation town for sure".)

If I'm ever in jail for something bogus, I want Ms. Hatch on my team.

The female former prosecutor is a dead ringer for my neighbor, if she got drunk and applied way too much eye makeup!

Edited by torqy
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LakeGal

LakeGal

I do not trust that female prosecutor.  She would not admit she was wrong.  She pretty much framed Sarah so she could have the conviction.  No sympathy for her at all.  I do have sympathy for Linda.  I believe she really has convinced herself that Sarah did it.  Linda probably can't face the fact that she accused the wrong person.  Over time she has made it the truth in her mind.  Also the probable guilty one passed the polygraph.  But they can be beat and I am surprised they just dropped her as a suspect after that.  She fit the description perfectly.  Odd that none of the 3 guys would rat her out. 

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WendyCR72

WendyCR72

(edited)
I'd watch "Snapped" if the narrator didn't sound like Stephen Hawking's voice simulator.  I get distracted while I mentally beg her to JUST END ONE SENTENCE ON A DIFFERENT NOTE.

 

Apparently, Snapped is shown abroad on some British crime channel because there are some episodes of Snapped on YT with a British woman narrating instead...and she emotes! So you may want to check it out.  :-)

 

Here's one such episode, if you want to see if you can understand/like the other narrator!

 

And here is one more.

Edited by WendyR72
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torqy

torqy

<Forehead Slap!> I didn't think of "East of Eden" at the time, but it's a good fit. I don't think the one-hour format would have been enough for this one.

Walnutqueen, one would think that with all the murders in this country, they could find a few new cases, but maybe ID has hogged all of 'em.

Mrs. Torqy looks at the show descriptions and says "hey, this one's from 2014", and I usually say "we saw this on 48hrs and Dateline both."

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piewarmer

piewarmer

(edited)

The Colusa story was really compelling. The investigators' frustration was so palpable when they just couldn't get anywhere until they found that blank sheet of paper.

 

Pete Moore is a FOAF who used to live in the area. I have heard how hard this has been for him and I'm glad to see that the show came down on the "let it go, people - he didn't do it" side of things.

Edited by piewarmer
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ButterQueen

ButterQueen

The Colusa story was really compelling. The investigators' frustration was so palpable when they just couldn't get anywhere until they found that blank sheet of paper.

 

Pete Moore is a FOAF who used to live in the area. I have heard how hard this has been for him and I'm glad to see that the show came down on the "let it go, people - he didn't do it" side of things.

FOAF --- ????

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LakeGal

LakeGal

I had not heard of this most recent case with the twins killing their mother.  But I guessed that was where they were going when they started out talking about how angelic the girls were.  I always enjoy a new case with Keith narrating.  The one hour format also doesn't get quite as repetitive as some of the dragged out 2 hour ones.  The girls showing up wearing long sleeves and killer gloves should have been the first clue to the cops.  I also wanted them to check if anyone could prove that either of the twins was in the habit of biting herself.  That did seem to be an excuse for the bite mark by her mother. 

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walnutqueen

walnutqueen

My instincts are being honed by all the true crime I watch (or, I could just be jaded!), because the SECOND I saw those twins, I knew they had murdered their mother.  I hope someone takes the time to attend their future parole hearings to remind everyone what treacherous monsters they really are. 

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JudyObscure

JudyObscure

I didn't trust those little angels either.  It's not natural for fourteen year old girls to be that perfect.

 

I'm getting more suspicious, too.  I know I'm more diligent about keeping my doors locked in the daytime ever since the show about some loser who knew he was going to jail for child molestation, so he randomly killed a woman who happened to be home because, "Murderers have an easier time in prison than child molesters."  Up until then I had thought I was fairly safe because; I wasn't young and beautiful, I didn't have any life insurance, I wasn't rich, I wasn't having an affair, I wasn't involved with a wild crowd, and I wasn't a sex worker.

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RedKoolAide

RedKoolAide

Those twins were evil and completely lacked remorse. When so many people said they looked "angelic" and "beautiful", I didn't see it. They gave a bad vibe in the pics when they were younger and they weren't cute, either. I feel for the twins' grandmother. She lost the most.

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A.Ham

A.Ham

(edited)

The show laid it on thick with pointing out how much the victim just loved her sweet angelic daughters. That's how I knew they killed their mother within the first few minutes of the show. The grandma was very young looking, if I were her I'd be concerned about any possible early release.

Edited by Usernamefatigued
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iMonrey

iMonrey

 

I will tolerate Keith's narration simply because I like Dateline, but to me, he sounds like he should be reading children's fairy tales, not a program for adults. I find his narration distracting.

 

That's pretty much the way I feel about him too. His narration is too often overly flowery. And he tends to ask a lot of leading questions in his interviews.

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iscoffy

iscoffy

Keith Morrison is called "Skeletor" in my household.  He's like the creepy Dr. Seuss of real crime, as someone once said on TWOP.    I always end up laughing at least once at some inappropriate moment during the shows he narrates due to the ridiculous way he states something.

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Lura

Lura

(edited)

Oh, Keith!!!

 

His deep, rich, sonorous voice compels me, after he utters only one or two words, to become immersed in whatever he's saying.  He could read the contents of my recipe box and make them sound interesting.  I drift off to sleep at night imagining how sexy he would sound reading "one teaspoon of baking powder."  I dream that we face each other with knives in our hands and cut brownies into squares and feed each other, all the while he is moaning from the depths of his vocal chords, "Mmmmmmm, I adore chocolate."  Of course, this is all in jest, but Keith can translate words into emotions with amazing skill.
 

Keith's voice has been the key to his success for decades.  When he says the words "murder," "fire,"  "missing," or poses questions like "Is this the spot where she met her end?" Keith Morrison can strike fear in the human heart better than any other living narrator.

Edited by BizBuzz
Fixed white space issue.
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Miss Chevious

Miss Chevious

(edited)

I like Keith too. I think his voice is suited for narrating this type of TV show. A little creepy, but that's an asset for this show.  And he does a good interview, he's experienced enough to ask the right questions.

Edited by Miss Chevious
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editorgrrl

editorgrrl

In my book, other than a book, there is nothing better than a story told well, with full inflection, nuance, and rhetoric.  Guess I'm just old fashioned that way - I like "the radio" (NPR), too!  Joe Kenda, for instance, is another good storyteller - I never tire of his quaint colloquialisms either.   "Well, my, my, my ...".

 

 

I'm neutral about his voice or appearance, but his florid prose annoys me (I assume he writes his own copy). If the story is set in Nebraska, his narration would be something like:

 

"As the amber waves of grain grow peacefully in the fields, a dark smudge inks its way onto Oak Lane..."

 

And his constant rhetorical questions:

 

"Was that the truth? Was it a lie? There's no way to know now."

 

He seems to think he's Aesop, writing a morality tale for the ages and that every story needs his personal, philosophical summary.

 

I love Lt. Joe Kenda, homicide hunter. Like Keith Morrison, he has a great voice & fun hair. But Joe Kenda is a blunt, tell-it-like-it-is kinda guy—whilst Keith is so melodramatic! To quote Buzzfeed:

His voice has the lilting tone of a beloved grandpa telling a fascinating story by the campfire. But it’s also full of dread and foreboding, as if Keith were secretly the long lost son of Vincent Price. And, if we’re being totally honest, there’s something to his delivery that makes you suspect he might have a few bodies buried somewhere himself.

 

That Buzzfeed listicle includes this, Keith Morrison reading "The Night Before Christmas":

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