HMM: Police appear to be closing in on name of gunman who shot CEO. “Bullet casings found at the scene had the words ‘deny,’ ‘defend’ and ‘depose’ written on them, police sources said.”
I asked GrokAI if those words had significance, and it reported:
The phrase “deny, defend, depose” refers to a political or legal strategy sometimes observed in response to allegations or scandals, particularly against public officials or prominent figures. Here’s what each component typically means:
Deny – Initially, the accused or their representatives outright deny any wrongdoing or involvement in the alleged activities. This step is often about damage control, where the denial aims to cast doubt on the accusations themselves.
Defend – After the initial denial, if evidence starts to mount or public pressure increases, the strategy shifts to defending the actions. This might involve explaining away the behavior, claiming it was within the law or ethical bounds, or arguing that there was a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the facts.
Depose – If the situation escalates to the point where the accusations can no longer be effectively denied or defended, this could lead to the person being deposed from their position. This might happen through resignation, impeachment, or being voted out. “Depose” here implies a removal from office or position of power.
This sequence outlines a common progression in how entities or individuals might respond to scandals or allegations:
First, they deny the accusations to maintain innocence and control narrative damage.
Then, they might transition into defending their actions if denial becomes untenable, trying to justify or minimize the impact.
Finally, if the situation worsens, the individual might be forced out or choose to step down to prevent further damage to themselves or their associated organizations.
This pattern isn’t universal and doesn’t apply to all cases, but it has been observed enough times in political, corporate, and other high-profile scenarios to give it a sort of colloquial recognition in discussing crisis management or political maneuvering.
Claude responded something similar, except that it said “Depose: This refers to the process of taking sworn testimony from a witness or party to a lawsuit before the actual trial. During a deposition, the person being deposed (the deponent) answers questions under oath, and their testimony can be used later in court proceedings. This phrase is commonly used in legal contexts to describe the typical response of a defendant when facing a lawsuit or legal challenge. It outlines the standard progression of how a defendant might respond to legal accusations: first denying the claims, then mounting a legal defense, and potentially providing sworn testimony during the legal process.”
Obviously the shooter meant for the bullets to be found. Sounds like he might be a disappointed litigant.
When I gave Grok more context, including a link to the story above, I got this answer:
Yes, in the context where “deny, defend, depose” are found written on unfired bullets at the scene of Brian Thompson’s shooting, the meaning could shift to take on a more symbolic or message-driven interpretation:
Deny: Here, “deny” might reflect a critique or accusation of denial of insurance claims or services, which is a common grievance against insurance companies. It could be suggesting that the CEO or the company he led was involved in denying rightful claims to individuals.
Defend: This could imply the defense of the company’s practices or policies, possibly seen as aggressive or unethical by critics. It might be a commentary on how insurance companies defend their decisions against claimants or in legal battles.
Depose: In this context, “depose” might not just refer to removal from office but could also symbolize being brought down or metaphorically assassinated for one’s actions or policies. It might imply that the act of killing was a form of ultimate retribution or judgment against the CEO for the broader implications of his role or the decisions made by his company.
The presence of these words on bullets at the scene of a targeted assassination could be interpreted as a deliberate message from the shooter, suggesting a motive linked to dissatisfaction or grievances against the insurance industry or specifically against UnitedHealthcare’s practices. This act could be seen as an extreme form of protest or revenge, where the shooter is symbolically or literally ‘deposing’ the CEO through murder, with the words serving as a chilling manifesto or commentary on corporate malfeasance.
The choice of unfired bullets might also add another layer of symbolism, perhaps indicating that the message itself was the intent, rather than the bullets being used in the act, or it could be seen as bullets left for others to ‘pick up’ the fight against the perceived injustices.
Nothing here that many of us couldn’t have come up with on our own, but interesting.
