Popcorn Sutton: Difference between revisions
Corrected release date of "The Last One" and added IMDB link to the movie. |
|||
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
{{US-crime-bio-stub}} |
{{US-crime-bio-stub}} |
||
Bo does Moonshine he makes it |
|||
Revision as of 15:53, 27 January 2010
Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton (October 5, 1946 – March 16, 2009) was an Appalachian maker of moonshine originally from Maggie Valley, North Carolina.[1][2][3]
Sutton's career in bootlegging—and getting caught for it—extended back to the 1970s.[2] In 1999, Sutton published Me and My Likker, an autobiography and guide to moonshine production.[4] He was featured in a 2007 documentary Hillbilly: The Real Story, on The History Channel.[1] In 2008, he was featured in the documentary The Last One, filmed by Neal Hutchenson.[5][6]
Sutton considered moonshine production a legitimate part of his heritage, being as he was Scots-Irish and descended from a long line of moonshiners. [2] In January 2009, Sutton was sentenced to eighteen months in a federal prison for illegally brewing spirits and possession of a firearm as a felon.[7] Sutton, 62 and recently diagnosed with cancer, pleaded with the judge to let him serve his sentence under house arrest. Several petitions were made in attempts to reduce or commute Sutton's sentence, to no avail. In sentencing, the judge specifically referred to the documentary about him.[1]
Death
Sutton committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning on March 16, 2009, apparently to avoid a federal prison term due to begin a few days later. On October 24, 2009, Sutton's body was relocated from his original grave site in Mt. Sterling, NC, to his home in Parrotsville, TN, providing an opportunity for the first public memorial service to be held. The controversial figure's memorial grew in spectacle as legendary country music singer Hank Williams, Jr. flew in to pay his respects to Sutton.[8]
Nickname
In the 1960s or 70s, Sutton was given the nickname of "Popcorn" Sutton after damaging a bar's faulty popcorn vending machine with a pool cue.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Mansfield, Duncan (March 19, 2009). "Widow: Moonshiner took his life to avoid prison". San Francisco Chronicle. The Associated Press. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
- ^ a b c Miller, Stephen (March 20, 2009). "Legendary Tennessee Moonshiner Plied His Trade to the End". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
- ^ Stroud, Emily (March 17, 2009). "Family of legendary moonshiner hoped his sentence would be reduced". WBIR-TV. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
- ^ "Me and My Likker at amazon.com". Retrieved March 22, 2009.
- ^ http://www.suckerpunchpictures.com/last_one_popcorn_sutton.html
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334253/
- ^ "Famed moonshiner gets 18 months". Times-News. Associated Press. January 26, 2009.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|accsessdate=ignored (help) - ^ http://www.wbir.com/news/watercooler/story.aspx?storyid=102677&catid=141
External links
- Don Dudenbostel's images of Popcorn Sutton — Knoxville New-Sentinel gallery
 | This United States biographical article related to crime is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Bo does Moonshine he makes it