Real Crime/Paranormal/Conspiracy Theories Book III

Amy Fisher

Amy Elizabeth Fisher (bornAugust 21, 1974) is an American woman who became known in the mediaas "the Long Island Lolita" in 1992, when, at theage of 17, she shot and severely wounded Mary Jo Buttafuoco, the wifeof her illicit lover, Joey Buttafuoco. Initially charged withfirst-degree attempted murder, she eventually pleaded guilty tofirst-degree aggravated assault and served seven years in prison.Paroled in 1999, Fisher became a writer, a webcam model, and apornographic actress.

Early life

Fisher was born in Merrick, New York,on Long Island, to Elliot and Roseann Fisher; her father was Jewishwhile her mother's family, Fisher has said, was "a mixture ofa lot of different things, including English". As a16-year-old student at Kennedy High School in Bellmore, New York,Fisher allegedly met 35-year-old Joey Buttafuoco in 1990, when shewas 16 and her father took his car for repairs to Buttafuoco's autobody shop; Fisher later said she had damaged her own car severaltimes as a pretext to see him, and later admitted that they had anaffair when she was still underage.

Crime and prison

Fisher became increasingly jealous ofButtafuoco's wife, Mary Jo Buttafuoco. She obtained a .25-caliberhandgun with the assistance of Peter Guagenti, a Brooklyn auto supplysalesman who acted as her getaway driver. When Mary Jo Buttafuocoanswered the door, Fisher told her that Joey Buttafuoco was having anaffair with Fisher's (imaginary) younger sister, providing a T-shirtadvertising Buttafuoco's auto body shop as "proof".The conversation lasted about 15 minutes, during which Buttafuocobecame increasingly angry. She finally told Fisher to leave and thenturned her back to return to the house. Fisher took out the gun,struck Buttafuoco twice with it, then shot her in the head; she latersaid the severely wounded Buttafuoco fell on her. Fisher droppedboth the shirt and the gun and ran towards the car, but then returnedfor them and Guagenti drove off. Neighbors called 911; Buttafuoco wasoperated on all night, and although they could not remove the bullet,doctors were able to save her life.

When interviewed by police, JoeyButtafuoco told them that Fisher could be the shooter. When Mary JoButtafuoco regained consciousness the next day, she recognized Fisherfrom a photo. Fisher was arrested and charged with attempted murder,and on September 23, 1992, after accepting a plea bargain, shepleaded guilty to first-degree assault.

Paul Makely tape

In September 1992, the tabloidtelevision show Hard Copy broadcast a videotaped conversation betweenFisher and Paul Makely, the owner of a gym in Massapequa. In thetape, recorded hours before she agreed to the plea in court, Fishercould be seen talking about her future, saying that she wanted tomarry Makely so he could visit her in prison. Fisher explained thather lawyer believed requiring people to be married for such visitswas unconstitutional and that she intended to challenge the law onthis matter. Fisher could be seen on the tape saying: "Thatwill keep my name in the press. I want my name in the press. Why?Because I can make a lot of money. I figure if I'm going through allthis pain and suffering, I'm getting a Ferrari."

Imprisonment

On December 2, 1992, Fisher wassentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison. She served seven years and wasgranted parole in May 1999 after Nassau County Court Judge Ira Wexnershortened her maximum sentence to 10 years, which made herimmediately eligible for parole. The judge acted after having foundthat she had not been appropriately represented by her lawyer at thetime of her 1992 guilty plea.