A CID laboratory would later determine the section of lumber had been sawn from one end of a piece of wood used to make a mattress slat on Kimberley's bed. ", Alfred Kassab, commenting on the inconsistencies in MacDonald's accounts of his actions and wounds sustained on the night of the murders, as contained in the transcript of the Article 32 hearing. He was first offered the chance to recount his version of events, and recounted his claims of being attacked by four intruders, with whom he grappled before falling to the ground, observing "the top of some boots" and being rendered unconscious before regaining consciousness, experiencing symptoms of pneumothorax, in the hallway after the intruders had left. [101], MacDonald's testimony was followed by that of a clinical psychologist, who testified as to conclusions of a series of tests he had conducted on MacDonald. [198], The book McGinniss authored relating to the murders, Fatal Vision, portrays MacDonald as "a narcissistic sociopath" who was guilty of murdering his family and who believed in his ongoing capabilities to deceive both legal personnel and personal acquaintances. [12][13], Upon completion of his undergraduate degree at Princeton, MacDonald briefly worked as a construction supervisor before he moved with his wife and child to Chicago in the summer of 1965, where he had been accepted at Northwestern University Medical School. He also claimed their time at Fort Bragg had been the most content of their married life. James Blackburn argued first, beginning by contrasting the injuries inflicted upon Colette, Kimberley, and Kristen with those suffered by MacDonald. You saw them eye to eye. Believing Colette dead, MacDonald carried the mortally wounded Kimberley back to her bedroom. [31], Stoeckley had submitted to a polygraph test in April 1971, with the military examiner stating: "It is concluded that Miss Stoeckley is convinced in her mind that she knows the identity of those person(s) who killed Colette, Kimberley, and Christine MacDonald. WebCase Name: Green Beret Murders Date crime occurred: August 29, 1979 Persons of Interest named in the investigation and relationship to the victim (s): Jeffery Macdonald- criminal The MacDonalds occupied one of four units in a brick building. His daughters chose to name the pony "Trooper". he lured a young man named steven hicks into his empty home with the idea of the pair drinking alcohol. [36] A bloodied and torn pajama top was draped upon her chest, and a paring knife lay beside her body. He also refused to discuss the results of a private polygraph test to which he had consented in 1970, the results of which had been given to Bernard Segal, indicating he would have to speak with his attorney on this matter before consenting to this line of inquiry. He is still in jail serving his time. MacDonald was defended by Bernard Segal and Wade Smith; James Blackburn and Brian Murtagh prosecuted the case. Their first daughter, Kimberley Kathryn, was born on April 18, 1964. [153], When questioning MacDonald with regards to various discrepancies in his accounts of his movements, the injuries he sustained, and the positioning of his pajama jacket upon his body throughout the night of the murders with regards to the tearing and fiber evidence sourcing from the garment, Blackburn succeeded in highlighting several discrepancies in MacDonald's accounts by comparison to previous interview transcripts and his current claims, and the contradictions of this testimony with the forensic evidence. Asked if MacDonald would be a good candidate for the organization, Cooney tells A&E True Crime, Im just not sure he would. The evening prior to MacDonald's testimony, Segal had warned his client of his intentions to ask him questions which were intended to "go straight for [his] emotions" in order that he would leave the witness stand "with the jury in the palm of [his] hand". The grisly nature of the case and Manson-like details, as well as the length of litigation surrounding it, seem to have generated an almost mythical status around the case, says Dixon, a University of North Carolina School of Government defender educator, who has blogged about the murders. [n 30], Reportedly, MacDonald had expected McGinniss's book to profess his innocence and the ongoing miscarriage of justice to which he had been subjected. The MacDonald murder case remains one of the most litigated murder cases in American criminal history. He claims to have been attacked in the living room. [220], Helena Stoeckley died at the age of 30 in January 1983. He butchered her, Stevenson said following a 2012 court hearing. as he was carried out of his home on a stretcher. [82] Further evidence he contends has been withheld include two unidentified 22inch (56cm) long synthetic hairs found in a hairbrush, but which were not made available to his defense at trial, and a minute spot of blood of either type O or type B origin (either his blood type or that of his younger daughter, Kristen) that was uncovered in the hallway. Case D-2431", "United States of America, Plaintiff, v. Jeffrey R. MacDonald, Defendant (03/01/85)", "United States of America, Plaintiff, v. Jeffrey R. MacDonald, Defendant. Her body was punctured multiple times with an ice pick and knife. A doctor removed MacDonalds bloody pajama top from its place on Colettes body, court records show. This appeal also alleged that the trial statements of prosecutor James Blackburn should be considered unreliable as he had been convicted of fraud, forgery, and embezzlement, and subsequently disbarred in 1993. Segal focused much of his closing argument upon the "campaign of persecution" his client had been subjected to by the legal system for almost a decade in an attempt to frame him for the murder of his family, describing the prosecution's case as a "house built on sand". [195], An evidentiary hearing relating to the claims within the Britt affidavit, the hair and fiber evidence, and further testimony pertaining to Stoeckley's verbal confessions, was held in September 2012. Furthermore, Stoeckley had only made this admission in response to a promise of financial and emotional assistance. [n 10] Putting on surgical gloves from a medical supply in the kitchen closet,[73] he went to the master bedroom, where he used Colette's blood to write the word "PIG" on the headboard. Furthermore, Stombaugh demonstrated that by folding the garment in the manner depicted in the crime scene photographs, all 48 holes could have been made by 21 thrusts of the ice pick through the garment, and in an identical pattern, implying Colette had been repeatedly stabbed through the pajama top while the garment was lying on her body. The sole weapon not recovered outside the family home was a paring knife MacDonald claimed to have removed from his wife's chest. The two had first met in Baltimore decades previously, but became reacquainted in 1997 after Kurichh wrote MacDonald a letter offering to assist with his legal case. by John Black Jan 25, 2021 SSG Logan Melgar was killed in 2017. In 2011, the Court of Appeals reversed this decision, remanding MacDonald's claims back to the district court for further consideration. [n 29] MacDonald requested to expand his then-outstanding appeal to include this affidavit alongside all the evidence amassed at trial, the developments which he claimed had been subsequently discovered (including the 2006 results of DNA testing), and the statements of individuals to whom Stoeckley had made these confessions. The savage act calls out for closure but people are still debating the merits of his case today, criminal defense attorney Phil R. Dixon tells A&E True Crime. [n 28], According to Stoeckley, she had telephoned the MacDonald residence late in the evening of February 16 to determine all members of the family were present in the house. WebGreen Beret Unit Case Study Green Beret Unit Case Study 807 Words4 Pages trained killer from a Green Beret Unit. Weighing heavily in the equation is the government's calloused and lackadaisical attitude which was solely responsible for at least the last two years of delay. [157] Segal spoke for over three hours, using virtually all of the defense's allotted time. [140] Four jurors wept as they announced their verdicts, and MacDonald's mother rushed out of the courtroom. "Jeffrey MacDonald" redirects here. All Rights Reserved. She had this sort of very lovely appearance, quiet beauty and a sort of vulnerable look, MacDonald is quoted as saying in the book, Fatal Vision. We shared our life experiences." [10], With the consent of Colette's family, the two married on September 14 in New York City. [74], On April 6, 1970, Army investigators formally cautioned, then interrogated MacDonald. By the second year of his studies, MacDonald and Wells had separated. [77], "This weapon was used on Colette and Kim. In response, Segal repeatedly raised objections to this line of questioning, claiming the discrepancies were misleading. A military police officer glimpsed a woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat while driving to the MacDonalds home at 544 Castle Drive, but that information wasnt acted on promptly, Morris noted. Mom, Inside the 'Mountain of Evidence' that Police Say Proves Alex Murdaugh Killed His Wife & Son, Jeffrey MacDonalds wife and two daughters. Stoeckley also told a Nashville police officer she thought she witnessed the MacDonald killings. He then read his own statement to the jury, claiming "five long years" had passed since the murder of his family and his efforts to start life afresh, and that the questions posed by the prosecution were ones he had had to "live with for five years". A fourth intruder he described as a white female with long blonde hair (possibly a wig)[48] and wearing high heeled, knee-high boots and a white floppy hat partially covering her face. He was tried in Raleigh, North Carolina, before Judge Dupree, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. But five months later, investigators dropped all the charges and honorably discharged him from the Army. [138], Although MacDonald's lawyers had been confident of an acquittal, there were successive rulings against the defense. Prosecutor Cited Total Lack of Evidence on Motive. He was rearrested and returned to federal prison and his original sentence of three consecutive life terms reinstated. Five forty-four Castle Drive! He claims to have sustained ten ice pick wounds. We couldn't have done it without your help! WebGreen Beret Murder Case; Spock Case; Ann Arbor Murders; Kiesinger Visit; Berlin Situation; Cigarette Report; Firemen's Strike; Stock Market Report (Studio) Moon Mice; Good Night; August 8, 1969. [211] In 2017 MacDonald stated: "I am not going to get out saying a falsehood to the parole commission in order for them to give me a break. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed that decision in 1982. Seventy-five witnesses were called to testify. Chuyen was reportedly summarily executed for being a double agent who had compromised a secret mission. Approximately two weeks later, they began talking and formed a friendship, with MacDonald soon "asking her out to the movies". [1][151], Under oath, Stoeckley denied any culpability in murders, and any knowledge of who may have committed the acts. In response to this decision, Alfred Kassab informed the press he and his wife welcomed the developments, stating: "It has been [a] tremendous personal pressure to have someone running around that you are convinced killed your daughter and grandchildren. In 2012, defense lawyers tried to introduce new DNA analysiswhich wasnt available during MacDonaldss original trialof three human hairs found at 544 Castle Drive. This hearing lasted until September. An examination of hospital records confirmed MacDonald had received no such wounds. Hes less wounded [than his wife and daughters], even though hes in more of a struggle. A further appeal was argued before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in February 1992. On July 29, 1980, a panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed MacDonald's conviction, ruling via a 21 margin that the nine-year delay in bringing him to trial violated his Sixth Amendment rights to a speedy trial. Inside the Case of Green Beret Surgeon Convicted of Killing His Wife and Daughters. [9] The two regularly exchanged letters, and he would frequently hitchhike to Skidmore College to be in her company at weekends. In response, Grebner stated: "We have all this business here that would tend to indicate that you were involved in this rather than people who came in from the outside and picked 544 Castle Drive and went up there and were lucky enough to find your door open. Beginning in October 1970, Kassab secretly recorded all telephone conversations between himself and MacDonald relating to the murders, his efforts to obtain a copy of the transcript, and the ensuing litigations. He had no history of violence or domestic abuse against his wife or children. Stoeckley repeatedly informed Segal she was unable to help him. [147], MacDonald's defense attorneys also called several favorable character witnesses, plus a forensic expert named James Thornton, to the stand. (07/08/91)", "The Jeffrey MacDonald Information Site: October 3, 1991: Appellant's Brief on Appeal for a Writ of Habeas Corpus from the Eastern District of North Carolina", "United States of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Jeffrey R. MacDonald, Defendant-Appellant (06/02/92)", "Response of the United States to Defense Contentions on Hairs to be Subjected to DNA Testing Contained in the Affidavit of Philip G. Cormier", "July 24, 2014 US District Court Decision", "Federal Judge Upholds Jeffrey MacDonald Murder Conviction; His Attorney Talks About Appeal", "The Jeffrey MacDonald Information Site: Court Records 2006 Through Present", "Jeffrey MacDonald Again Seeks Release from Prison. It's a brutal weapon. Blackburn closed his rebuttal argument by stating that, although the prosecution was convinced that MacDonald was guilty, they only wished he was not, given the final moments of the victims and "who it was that was going to make them die", adding that the defendant would never have peace. She owned a large hat and blonde wig but disposed of both after learning about the tragedy, according to court records. The couple moved into a small one-bedroom apartment, with Colette committed to maintaining the household and raising their daughter as MacDonald focused on his studies, while also working a series of part-time jobs to assist with family finances. [123] The following month, Justice Department attorney Victor Woerheide ruled the case worthy of prosecution. Why are they killing the baby [Kristen]? Cooney asks. The Green Beret captain recalled a woman chanting acid is groovy kill the pigs, and fighting three male assailants before losing consciousness. Kimberley was tucked into bed, her head battered and neck slashed. [217] At the urging of MacDonald's second wife and his attorneys, MacDonald applied for a May 2005 parole hearing. He also claimed the reason he had never remarried was the fact he was unable to forget his wife and children, whom he thought about daily. Silverman further states MacDonald had avoided and resented his commitments as a husband and father and that, given his ongoing "denial of truth", he would continually seek both attention and approval. MacDonald denied any of the murder weapons had originated from his household, despite the fact the section of lumber matched wood from Kimberley's closet. [216], MacDonald became eligible for parole in March 1991, but he did not apply for parole at that time. [184], In April 2021, MacDonald was denied a request for compassionate release upon the grounds of his ailing health,[185] with Judge Terrence Boyle citing the compassionate release law applies only to individuals whose crimes occurred on or after November 1, 1987. Stoeckley alleged she then ran into the master bedroom to "find 'Death to All Pigs' or something like that" scrawled on the headboard and two of her friends bludgeoning Colette on the bed as her child lay asleep next to her. 1976.[97]. He had also received a single stab wound between two ribs on his right torso. MacDonald was also found to have a mild concussion. "[136][n 21] On October 22, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected MacDonald's double jeopardy arguments. The jury convicted MacDonald August 29, 1979 on three counts of murder. Thornton attempted to rebut Stombaugh's contention that the pajama top was stationary on Colette's chest, rather than wrapped around MacDonald's wrists as he warded off blows, stating that he had attempted to stab a pajama top wrapped around a ham with an ice pick as an assistant moved the item back and forth, resulting in perfectly cylindrical holes with no tearing around the edges of the garment. He repeatedly studied the document, realizing MacDonald's claims were inconsistent with the physical facts and concluding his account was nothing more than a "tissue of lies" that repeatedly contradicted the known facts of the case. Stabbing! [154][n 24], The following day, James Blackburn cross-examined MacDonald. MacDonalds Pajama Bottoms Were Thrown Away at the Hospital. He would later recollect he had first observed Colette "walking down the hallway (of Patchogue High School) with her best friend" and that, although he was attracted to both girls, he found Colette more attractive. The white female was Colette and the white male was her husband. Initially, MacDonald attempted to allay the Kassab's suspicions regarding his guilt, and to dissuade their efforts to pursue their investigationmaking his own inquiries as to the progress of their legal efforts. Reader discretion is advised. Furthermore, Murtagh received a small wound on his right arm. Two knife wounds had penetrated her heart, and the ice pick wounds were noted to be shallow. After all, it was our daughter and two grandchildren who were butchered. [152] Following this testimony, Murtagh and Segal alternately argued before Judge Dupree for the dismissal, or introduction of, testimony from several witnesses to whom Stoeckley had earlier allegedly confessed. He would later reminisce that whenever he or Colette heard the song "Theme from A Summer Place" across the airwaves, "either of us would turn up the radio". Did Jeffrey MacDonald Kill His Family or Was He the Victim MacDonald had received no defensive wounds on his arms or hands consistent with a struggle. [128] This testimony was followed by a Philadelphia-based psychologist who conceded that, had MacDonald committed such an act of violence, he would successfully "completely block" the episode from his mind. An FBI analysis of this urine stain would later determine the. A further individual is known to have been in jail from January 28 to March 10, 1970. Her answers were vague and self-contradictory. MacDonald did frequently attempt to rebuff this line of questioning, but was typically unable to offer any explanation for this evidence. This individual stood nearby holding a lighted candle, chanting, "Acid is groovy, kill the pigs! But Army investigators found the doctors story and Manson connection dubious. Intent on extracting a confession from her that she had been one of the intruders MacDonald claimed had entered his house, murdered his family and attacked him,[150][n 23] Segal talked to Stoeckley in private for over two hours, attempting to persuade her to confess to end MacDonald's years of "suffering unjustly"also promising her immunity from prosecution due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. [29] The same month, Colette is known to have penned a letter to college acquaintances in which she described her life as "never [being] so normal or happy", adding she and her husband were content, that their baby son was due to be born in July, and her family would be complete. MacDonald was brought to trial on July 16, 1979, charged with three counts of murder. MacDonalds story continues to be paradoxical, Cooney notes. [19], In late August,[20][11] MacDonald reported to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to serve as the group's surgeon. Four strangers coming in doesnt make a lot of sense. He then appealed the denial of this motion to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Pentagon has identified an Army Green Beret killed in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, on Sunday. McGinniss quotes a 1979 report compiled by a psychologist named Hirsch Lazzaar Silverman, who stated MacDonald "handled his conflicts by denying that they even exist", adding that MacDonald lacked any sense of guilt, had been capable of committing "asocial acts with impunity", and had been "incapable of [forming] emotionally close" relationships with females of any age. A pregnant Colette MacDonald, 26, and her children Kimberley, 5, and Kristen, 2, were brutally attacked early February 17, 1970, at their home in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. At the recommendation of his mother, on April 10, he instead hired a flamboyant civilian defense attorney, Bernard Segal, to defend him. Her autopsy indicates she died of acute pneumonia and cirrhosis. [182], In June 1979, MacDonald invited author Joe McGinniss to write a book about his case. "[35], Colette MacDonald was discovered sprawled on the floor of the master bedroom. Prosecutors and appellate courts have pointed to strong physical evidence attesting to his guilt. He soon resumed his romantic relationship with Colette[8] then a freshman at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. At about 3:30 p.m. on February 17, 1970, a distraught MacDonald called the police and told them to send an ambulance. The Army special agent who led the investigation of a Green Beret charged with the murder of an alleged Afghan bomb-maker now faces charges of stolen valor. Three hairs, one from the bed sheet, one found in Colette's body outline in the area of her legs, and a single hair measuring one-fifth of an inch found beneath Kristen's fingernail did not match the DNA profile of any MacDonald family member or known suspect. [165], On July 29, 1980, a panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed MacDonald's conviction, ruling via a 21 margin that the nine-year delay in bringing him to trial violated his Sixth Amendment rights to a speedy trial. ET on Investigation Discovery. [8] Kassab's suspicion greatly increased following MacDonald's casual and dismissive demeanor on The Dick Cavett Showjust days after he had himself hand-delivered 500 copies of an eleven-page letter to members of Congress requesting a congressionally mandated re-investigation of the murdersand he and his wife publicly turned against MacDonald. [90], The first witness to testify in MacDonald's defense, responding military policeman Kenneth Mica, testified that on the way to answering MacDonald's emergency call on the night of the murders, he had observed a blonde woman with a wide-brimmed hat standing on a street corner approximately half a mile from the MacDonald home. However, fibers from the pajama top were found beneath Colette's body and in the bedrooms of both of his daughters, and one fiber from this garment was also found under Kristen's fingernail. Military Police Did Not Photograph MacDonalds Injuries. Later the same month, all charges were formally dismissed, although a new CID investigation tasked with finding the murderer(s) was assembled in February 1971, with MacDonald still considered a suspect. These instruments were an Old Hickory kitchen knife, an ice pick, and a 31-inch long piece of lumber with two blue threads attached with blood; all three were quickly determined to have come from the MacDonald house, and all had been wiped clean of fingerprints. "[35], Five-year-old Kimberley was found in her bed, having been repeatedly bludgeoned about the head and body and stabbed in the neck with a knife between eight and ten times. All Rights Reserved. [183] On December 21, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's ruling. [7], MacDonald's high school grades were sufficient for him to earn a three-year scholarship at Princeton University, where he enrolled as a premedical student in 1962. They don't know that you wouldn't be able to identify them at a later date. The court-martial of Marine Gunnery Sgt. After stabbing her, MacDonald then proceeded to Kristen's room, carrying the club he had used to bludgeon Kimberley, intent on disposing of the last remaining potential witness. [161], Shortly after 4:00p.m. on August 29, 1979, the jury, having deliberated for six-and-a-half hours,[1] announced they had reached their verdict. MacDonald realized he was at a point of no return and needed to eliminate any witnesses, attorneys said. The U.S. Army announces that Colonel Robert B. Rheault, Commander of the Fifth Special Forces Group in Vietnam, and seven other Green Berets have been charged Kassab thanked the lawyer for his exhaustive efforts over the years, stating: "Hi, Dick, I just got what I wanted. [160], In a final address to the jury, Judge Dupree informed the panel they had three choices to choose from: To find MacDonald not guilty; to find him guilty of first-degree murder; or guilty of second-degree murder in each case. "[37] With his own health in decline, in 1989 Kassab recorded a message on a tape recorder, stating he wished the recording to be played at any future parole hearings. MacDonald had claimed it had been ripped off while struggling with the intruders and he used it to ward off blows. Help! WATCH: Exclusive clip from People Magazine Investigates: The Accused, U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce declined to comment on the specifics of the case, saying in a statement to PEOPLE: When cases are pending court proceedings, it is the practice of our office to litigate the case in court through evidence and argument in hearings and in written filings with the court rather than through the news media.. Why are they doing this to me? Repeatedly emphasizing the case had occurred over nine years ago, and that, in the intervening years, "Jeff" had done his utmost to rebuild his life while "others" would not allow him to forget his painful past, their client had now been brought to trial to face the charges of murdering his wife and children, Smith emphasized to the jurors their ability to relieve their client of his ongoing ordeal by acquitting him of all charges. [213] All efforts have proved unsuccessful, as successive courts have ruled that these uncovered and stipulated items do not establish any proof of innocence and thus would not have influenced the verdict of the jury. He also sought to include evidence from a U.S. Deputy Marshal who claimed Stoeckley told him in 1979 that a prosecutor threatened her with a murder indictment if she testified that she was in the MacDonald home the night of the murders. CID was fine observing and identify Greeley as AWOL (Away Never miss a story by signing up for the newsletter now. He would later recollect Colette had grown into a shy young woman with a "slight fear of the world in general" who would rely on his own self-confidence. However, Dupree also refused the prosecution's request to allow any sections of the earlier Article 32 transcripts from MacDonald's 1970 Army hearing to be produced as evidence, ruling that as the current trial was a civilian trial and the Article 32 military hearing held several reports from the military investigators, which had suggested that MacDonald had murdered his family in a drug-induced rage, this evidence was also opinionated. This wound was described by a staff surgeon as a "clean, small, sharp" incision measuring five-eighths of an inch in depth, and had caused his lung to partially collapse. One key piece of evidence during the trial was MacDonalds pajama top, found riddled with 48 punctures12 times the number of wounds in his body but matching the number of wounds on Colettes chest. This expert testified that the tests revealed an extraordinary absence of anxiety, depression, and anger in MacDonald with regard to the loss of his family, and that his report concluded he was "able to muster massive denial or repression" to such a degree that the "impact of the recent events in his life has been blunted". [129], The chief of the FBI's crime laboratory chemistry section, Paul Stombaugh, then testified the pajama top placed over Colette's body had been heavily bloodstained before the garment was torn, and thatcontrary to MacDonald's claimsa lack of tearing at the edges of these holes proved that all 48 holes within this item of clothing had been inflicted while the garment was stationary, rather than in motion. [110], Within days of the dismissal, MacDonald began granting press interviews and media appearances, most notably on the December 15, 1970, episode of The Dick Cavett Show, during which he appeared flippant as he complained about the Army investigation and their focus on him as a suspect. Applied for a May 2005 parole hearing was punctured multiple times with ice... Before losing consciousness hitchhike to Skidmore College to be in her company at weekends he lured a young man steven. Consecutive life terms reinstated Fort Bragg had been ripped off while struggling with idea. Stab wound between two ribs on his right arm September 14 in New York City eligible for parole March! From his wife and his attorneys, MacDonald became eligible for parole that... Even though hes in more of a struggle decision, remanding MacDonald 's lawyers had been the most content their. Female was Colette and the ice pick wounds jury Convicted MacDonald August 29, 1979, charged with counts. 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But disposed of both after learning about the tragedy, according to Court records known!, Murtagh received a single stab wound between two ribs on his right torso in February 1992 chanting, acid!
[n 30], Reportedly, MacDonald had expected McGinniss's book to profess his innocence and the ongoing miscarriage of justice to which he had been subjected. The MacDonald murder case remains one of the most litigated murder cases in American criminal history. He claims to have been attacked in the living room. [220], Helena Stoeckley died at the age of 30 in January 1983. He butchered her, Stevenson said following a 2012 court hearing. as he was carried out of his home on a stretcher. [82] Further evidence he contends has been withheld include two unidentified 22inch (56cm) long synthetic hairs found in a hairbrush, but which were not made available to his defense at trial, and a minute spot of blood of either type O or type B origin (either his blood type or that of his younger daughter, Kristen) that was uncovered in the hallway. Case D-2431", "United States of America, Plaintiff, v. Jeffrey R. MacDonald, Defendant (03/01/85)", "United States of America, Plaintiff, v. Jeffrey R. MacDonald, Defendant. Her body was punctured multiple times with an ice pick and knife. A doctor removed MacDonalds bloody pajama top from its place on Colettes body, court records show. This appeal also alleged that the trial statements of prosecutor James Blackburn should be considered unreliable as he had been convicted of fraud, forgery, and embezzlement, and subsequently disbarred in 1993. Segal focused much of his closing argument upon the "campaign of persecution" his client had been subjected to by the legal system for almost a decade in an attempt to frame him for the murder of his family, describing the prosecution's case as a "house built on sand". [195], An evidentiary hearing relating to the claims within the Britt affidavit, the hair and fiber evidence, and further testimony pertaining to Stoeckley's verbal confessions, was held in September 2012. 
Furthermore, Stoeckley had only made this admission in response to a promise of financial and emotional assistance. [n 10] Putting on surgical gloves from a medical supply in the kitchen closet,[73] he went to the master bedroom, where he used Colette's blood to write the word "PIG" on the headboard. Furthermore, Stombaugh demonstrated that by folding the garment in the manner depicted in the crime scene photographs, all 48 holes could have been made by 21 thrusts of the ice pick through the garment, and in an identical pattern, implying Colette had been repeatedly stabbed through the pajama top while the garment was lying on her body. The sole weapon not recovered outside the family home was a paring knife MacDonald claimed to have removed from his wife's chest. The two had first met in Baltimore decades previously, but became reacquainted in 1997 after Kurichh wrote MacDonald a letter offering to assist with his legal case. by John Black Jan 25, 2021 SSG Logan Melgar was killed in 2017. In 2011, the Court of Appeals reversed this decision, remanding MacDonald's claims back to the district court for further consideration. [n 29] MacDonald requested to expand his then-outstanding appeal to include this affidavit alongside all the evidence amassed at trial, the developments which he claimed had been subsequently discovered (including the 2006 results of DNA testing), and the statements of individuals to whom Stoeckley had made these confessions. The savage act calls out for closure but people are still debating the merits of his case today, criminal defense attorney Phil R. Dixon tells A&E True Crime. [n 28], According to Stoeckley, she had telephoned the MacDonald residence late in the evening of February 16 to determine all members of the family were present in the house. WebGreen Beret Unit Case Study Green Beret Unit Case Study 807 Words4 Pages trained killer from a Green Beret Unit. Weighing heavily in the equation is the government's calloused and lackadaisical attitude which was solely responsible for at least the last two years of delay. [157] Segal spoke for over three hours, using virtually all of the defense's allotted time. [140] Four jurors wept as they announced their verdicts, and MacDonald's mother rushed out of the courtroom. "Jeffrey MacDonald" redirects here. All Rights Reserved. She had this sort of very lovely appearance, quiet beauty and a sort of vulnerable look, MacDonald is quoted as saying in the book, Fatal Vision. We shared our life experiences." [10], With the consent of Colette's family, the two married on September 14 in New York City. [74], On April 6, 1970, Army investigators formally cautioned, then interrogated MacDonald. 
By the second year of his studies, MacDonald and Wells had separated. [77], "This weapon was used on Colette and Kim. In response, Segal repeatedly raised objections to this line of questioning, claiming the discrepancies were misleading. A military police officer glimpsed a woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat while driving to the MacDonalds home at 544 Castle Drive, but that information wasnt acted on promptly, Morris noted. Mom, Inside the 'Mountain of Evidence' that Police Say Proves Alex Murdaugh Killed His Wife & Son, Jeffrey MacDonalds wife and two daughters. Stoeckley also told a Nashville police officer she thought she witnessed the MacDonald killings. He then read his own statement to the jury, claiming "five long years" had passed since the murder of his family and his efforts to start life afresh, and that the questions posed by the prosecution were ones he had had to "live with for five years". A fourth intruder he described as a white female with long blonde hair (possibly a wig)[48] and wearing high heeled, knee-high boots and a white floppy hat partially covering her face. He was tried in Raleigh, North Carolina, before Judge Dupree, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. But five months later, investigators dropped all the charges and honorably discharged him from the Army. [138], Although MacDonald's lawyers had been confident of an acquittal, there were successive rulings against the defense. Prosecutor Cited Total Lack of Evidence on Motive. He was rearrested and returned to federal prison and his original sentence of three consecutive life terms reinstated. Five forty-four Castle Drive! He claims to have sustained ten ice pick wounds. We couldn't have done it without your help! WebGreen Beret Murder Case; Spock Case; Ann Arbor Murders; Kiesinger Visit; Berlin Situation; Cigarette Report; Firemen's Strike; Stock Market Report (Studio) Moon Mice; Good Night; August 8, 1969. [211] In 2017 MacDonald stated: "I am not going to get out saying a falsehood to the parole commission in order for them to give me a break. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed that decision in 1982. Seventy-five witnesses were called to testify. Chuyen was reportedly summarily executed for being a double agent who had compromised a secret mission. Approximately two weeks later, they began talking and formed a friendship, with MacDonald soon "asking her out to the movies". [1][151], Under oath, Stoeckley denied any culpability in murders, and any knowledge of who may have committed the acts. In response to this decision, Alfred Kassab informed the press he and his wife welcomed the developments, stating: "It has been [a] tremendous personal pressure to have someone running around that you are convinced killed your daughter and grandchildren. In 2012, defense lawyers tried to introduce new DNA analysiswhich wasnt available during MacDonaldss original trialof three human hairs found at 544 Castle Drive. This hearing lasted until September. An examination of hospital records confirmed MacDonald had received no such wounds. Hes less wounded [than his wife and daughters], even though hes in more of a struggle. A further appeal was argued before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in February 1992. On July 29, 1980, a panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed MacDonald's conviction, ruling via a 21 margin that the nine-year delay in bringing him to trial violated his Sixth Amendment rights to a speedy trial. Inside the Case of Green Beret Surgeon Convicted of Killing His Wife and Daughters. [9] The two regularly exchanged letters, and he would frequently hitchhike to Skidmore College to be in her company at weekends. In response, Grebner stated: "We have all this business here that would tend to indicate that you were involved in this rather than people who came in from the outside and picked 544 Castle Drive and went up there and were lucky enough to find your door open. Beginning in October 1970, Kassab secretly recorded all telephone conversations between himself and MacDonald relating to the murders, his efforts to obtain a copy of the transcript, and the ensuing litigations. He had no history of violence or domestic abuse against his wife or children. Stoeckley repeatedly informed Segal she was unable to help him. [147], MacDonald's defense attorneys also called several favorable character witnesses, plus a forensic expert named James Thornton, to the stand. (07/08/91)", "The Jeffrey MacDonald Information Site: October 3, 1991: Appellant's Brief on Appeal for a Writ of Habeas Corpus from the Eastern District of North Carolina", "United States of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Jeffrey R. MacDonald, Defendant-Appellant (06/02/92)", "Response of the United States to Defense Contentions on Hairs to be Subjected to DNA Testing Contained in the Affidavit of Philip G. Cormier", "July 24, 2014 US District Court Decision", "Federal Judge Upholds Jeffrey MacDonald Murder Conviction; His Attorney Talks About Appeal", "The Jeffrey MacDonald Information Site: Court Records 2006 Through Present", "Jeffrey MacDonald Again Seeks Release from Prison. It's a brutal weapon. Blackburn closed his rebuttal argument by stating that, although the prosecution was convinced that MacDonald was guilty, they only wished he was not, given the final moments of the victims and "who it was that was going to make them die", adding that the defendant would never have peace. She owned a large hat and blonde wig but disposed of both after learning about the tragedy, according to court records. The couple moved into a small one-bedroom apartment, with Colette committed to maintaining the household and raising their daughter as MacDonald focused on his studies, while also working a series of part-time jobs to assist with family finances. [123] The following month, Justice Department attorney Victor Woerheide ruled the case worthy of prosecution. Why are they killing the baby [Kristen]? Cooney asks. The Green Beret captain recalled a woman chanting acid is groovy kill the pigs, and fighting three male assailants before losing consciousness. Kimberley was tucked into bed, her head battered and neck slashed. [217] At the urging of MacDonald's second wife and his attorneys, MacDonald applied for a May 2005 parole hearing. He also claimed the reason he had never remarried was the fact he was unable to forget his wife and children, whom he thought about daily. Silverman further states MacDonald had avoided and resented his commitments as a husband and father and that, given his ongoing "denial of truth", he would continually seek both attention and approval. MacDonald denied any of the murder weapons had originated from his household, despite the fact the section of lumber matched wood from Kimberley's closet. [216], MacDonald became eligible for parole in March 1991, but he did not apply for parole at that time. [184], In April 2021, MacDonald was denied a request for compassionate release upon the grounds of his ailing health,[185] with Judge Terrence Boyle citing the compassionate release law applies only to individuals whose crimes occurred on or after November 1, 1987. Stoeckley alleged she then ran into the master bedroom to "find 'Death to All Pigs' or something like that" scrawled on the headboard and two of her friends bludgeoning Colette on the bed as her child lay asleep next to her. 1976.[97]. He had also received a single stab wound between two ribs on his right torso. MacDonald was also found to have a mild concussion. "[136][n 21] On October 22, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected MacDonald's double jeopardy arguments. The jury convicted MacDonald August 29, 1979 on three counts of murder. Thornton attempted to rebut Stombaugh's contention that the pajama top was stationary on Colette's chest, rather than wrapped around MacDonald's wrists as he warded off blows, stating that he had attempted to stab a pajama top wrapped around a ham with an ice pick as an assistant moved the item back and forth, resulting in perfectly cylindrical holes with no tearing around the edges of the garment. He repeatedly studied the document, realizing MacDonald's claims were inconsistent with the physical facts and concluding his account was nothing more than a "tissue of lies" that repeatedly contradicted the known facts of the case. Stabbing! [154][n 24], The following day, James Blackburn cross-examined MacDonald. MacDonalds Pajama Bottoms Were Thrown Away at the Hospital. He would later recollect he had first observed Colette "walking down the hallway (of Patchogue High School) with her best friend" and that, although he was attracted to both girls, he found Colette more attractive. The white female was Colette and the white male was her husband. Initially, MacDonald attempted to allay the Kassab's suspicions regarding his guilt, and to dissuade their efforts to pursue their investigationmaking his own inquiries as to the progress of their legal efforts. Reader discretion is advised. Furthermore, Murtagh received a small wound on his right arm. Two knife wounds had penetrated her heart, and the ice pick wounds were noted to be shallow. After all, it was our daughter and two grandchildren who were butchered. [152] Following this testimony, Murtagh and Segal alternately argued before Judge Dupree for the dismissal, or introduction of, testimony from several witnesses to whom Stoeckley had earlier allegedly confessed. He would later reminisce that whenever he or Colette heard the song "Theme from A Summer Place" across the airwaves, "either of us would turn up the radio". Did Jeffrey MacDonald Kill His Family or Was He the Victim MacDonald had received no defensive wounds on his arms or hands consistent with a struggle. [128] This testimony was followed by a Philadelphia-based psychologist who conceded that, had MacDonald committed such an act of violence, he would successfully "completely block" the episode from his mind. An FBI analysis of this urine stain would later determine the. A further individual is known to have been in jail from January 28 to March 10, 1970. Her answers were vague and self-contradictory. MacDonald did frequently attempt to rebuff this line of questioning, but was typically unable to offer any explanation for this evidence. This individual stood nearby holding a lighted candle, chanting, "Acid is groovy, kill the pigs! But Army investigators found the doctors story and Manson connection dubious. Intent on extracting a confession from her that she had been one of the intruders MacDonald claimed had entered his house, murdered his family and attacked him,[150][n 23] Segal talked to Stoeckley in private for over two hours, attempting to persuade her to confess to end MacDonald's years of "suffering unjustly"also promising her immunity from prosecution due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. [29] The same month, Colette is known to have penned a letter to college acquaintances in which she described her life as "never [being] so normal or happy", adding she and her husband were content, that their baby son was due to be born in July, and her family would be complete. MacDonald was brought to trial on July 16, 1979, charged with three counts of murder. MacDonalds story continues to be paradoxical, Cooney notes. [19], In late August,[20][11] MacDonald reported to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to serve as the group's surgeon. Four strangers coming in doesnt make a lot of sense. He then appealed the denial of this motion to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Pentagon has identified an Army Green Beret killed in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, on Sunday. McGinniss quotes a 1979 report compiled by a psychologist named Hirsch Lazzaar Silverman, who stated MacDonald "handled his conflicts by denying that they even exist", adding that MacDonald lacked any sense of guilt, had been capable of committing "asocial acts with impunity", and had been "incapable of [forming] emotionally close" relationships with females of any age. A pregnant Colette MacDonald, 26, and her children Kimberley, 5, and Kristen, 2, were brutally attacked early February 17, 1970, at their home in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. At the recommendation of his mother, on April 10, he instead hired a flamboyant civilian defense attorney, Bernard Segal, to defend him. Her autopsy indicates she died of acute pneumonia and cirrhosis. [182], In June 1979, MacDonald invited author Joe McGinniss to write a book about his case. "[35], Colette MacDonald was discovered sprawled on the floor of the master bedroom. Prosecutors and appellate courts have pointed to strong physical evidence attesting to his guilt. He soon resumed his romantic relationship with Colette[8] then a freshman at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. At about 3:30 p.m. on February 17, 1970, a distraught MacDonald called the police and told them to send an ambulance. The Army special agent who led the investigation of a Green Beret charged with the murder of an alleged Afghan bomb-maker now faces charges of stolen valor. Three hairs, one from the bed sheet, one found in Colette's body outline in the area of her legs, and a single hair measuring one-fifth of an inch found beneath Kristen's fingernail did not match the DNA profile of any MacDonald family member or known suspect. [165], On July 29, 1980, a panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed MacDonald's conviction, ruling via a 21 margin that the nine-year delay in bringing him to trial violated his Sixth Amendment rights to a speedy trial. ET on Investigation Discovery. [8] Kassab's suspicion greatly increased following MacDonald's casual and dismissive demeanor on The Dick Cavett Showjust days after he had himself hand-delivered 500 copies of an eleven-page letter to members of Congress requesting a congressionally mandated re-investigation of the murdersand he and his wife publicly turned against MacDonald. [90], The first witness to testify in MacDonald's defense, responding military policeman Kenneth Mica, testified that on the way to answering MacDonald's emergency call on the night of the murders, he had observed a blonde woman with a wide-brimmed hat standing on a street corner approximately half a mile from the MacDonald home. However, fibers from the pajama top were found beneath Colette's body and in the bedrooms of both of his daughters, and one fiber from this garment was also found under Kristen's fingernail. Military Police Did Not Photograph MacDonalds Injuries. Later the same month, all charges were formally dismissed, although a new CID investigation tasked with finding the murderer(s) was assembled in February 1971, with MacDonald still considered a suspect. These instruments were an Old Hickory kitchen knife, an ice pick, and a 31-inch long piece of lumber with two blue threads attached with blood; all three were quickly determined to have come from the MacDonald house, and all had been wiped clean of fingerprints. "[35], Five-year-old Kimberley was found in her bed, having been repeatedly bludgeoned about the head and body and stabbed in the neck with a knife between eight and ten times. All Rights Reserved. [183] On December 21, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's ruling. [7], MacDonald's high school grades were sufficient for him to earn a three-year scholarship at Princeton University, where he enrolled as a premedical student in 1962. They don't know that you wouldn't be able to identify them at a later date. The court-martial of Marine Gunnery Sgt. After stabbing her, MacDonald then proceeded to Kristen's room, carrying the club he had used to bludgeon Kimberley, intent on disposing of the last remaining potential witness. [161], Shortly after 4:00p.m. on August 29, 1979, the jury, having deliberated for six-and-a-half hours,[1] announced they had reached their verdict. MacDonald realized he was at a point of no return and needed to eliminate any witnesses, attorneys said. The U.S. Army announces that Colonel Robert B. Rheault, Commander of the Fifth Special Forces Group in Vietnam, and seven other Green Berets have been charged Kassab thanked the lawyer for his exhaustive efforts over the years, stating: "Hi, Dick, I just got what I wanted. [160], In a final address to the jury, Judge Dupree informed the panel they had three choices to choose from: To find MacDonald not guilty; to find him guilty of first-degree murder; or guilty of second-degree murder in each case. "[37] With his own health in decline, in 1989 Kassab recorded a message on a tape recorder, stating he wished the recording to be played at any future parole hearings. MacDonald had claimed it had been ripped off while struggling with the intruders and he used it to ward off blows. Help! WATCH: Exclusive clip from People Magazine Investigates: The Accused, U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce declined to comment on the specifics of the case, saying in a statement to PEOPLE: When cases are pending court proceedings, it is the practice of our office to litigate the case in court through evidence and argument in hearings and in written filings with the court rather than through the news media.. Why are they doing this to me? Repeatedly emphasizing the case had occurred over nine years ago, and that, in the intervening years, "Jeff" had done his utmost to rebuild his life while "others" would not allow him to forget his painful past, their client had now been brought to trial to face the charges of murdering his wife and children, Smith emphasized to the jurors their ability to relieve their client of his ongoing ordeal by acquitting him of all charges. [213] All efforts have proved unsuccessful, as successive courts have ruled that these uncovered and stipulated items do not establish any proof of innocence and thus would not have influenced the verdict of the jury. He also sought to include evidence from a U.S. Deputy Marshal who claimed Stoeckley told him in 1979 that a prosecutor threatened her with a murder indictment if she testified that she was in the MacDonald home the night of the murders. CID was fine observing and identify Greeley as AWOL (Away Never miss a story by signing up for the newsletter now. He would later recollect Colette had grown into a shy young woman with a "slight fear of the world in general" who would rely on his own self-confidence. However, Dupree also refused the prosecution's request to allow any sections of the earlier Article 32 transcripts from MacDonald's 1970 Army hearing to be produced as evidence, ruling that as the current trial was a civilian trial and the Article 32 military hearing held several reports from the military investigators, which had suggested that MacDonald had murdered his family in a drug-induced rage, this evidence was also opinionated. This wound was described by a staff surgeon as a "clean, small, sharp" incision measuring five-eighths of an inch in depth, and had caused his lung to partially collapse. One key piece of evidence during the trial was MacDonalds pajama top, found riddled with 48 punctures12 times the number of wounds in his body but matching the number of wounds on Colettes chest. This expert testified that the tests revealed an extraordinary absence of anxiety, depression, and anger in MacDonald with regard to the loss of his family, and that his report concluded he was "able to muster massive denial or repression" to such a degree that the "impact of the recent events in his life has been blunted". [129], The chief of the FBI's crime laboratory chemistry section, Paul Stombaugh, then testified the pajama top placed over Colette's body had been heavily bloodstained before the garment was torn, and thatcontrary to MacDonald's claimsa lack of tearing at the edges of these holes proved that all 48 holes within this item of clothing had been inflicted while the garment was stationary, rather than in motion. 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