Its been nearly 50 years since former Green Beret surgeon Jeffrey MacDonalds wife and two daughters were brutally murdered at their Fort Bragg, North Carolina, home. Former Green Beret Surgeon Jeffrey MacDonald Says There's Evidence He Didn't Kill His Family: 'I Am Innocent', Behind the Confession That 'Haunted' Jeffrey MacDonald's Murder Trial and Why the Jury Never Heard It, WATCH: Former Green Beret Surgeon Jeffrey MacDonald Talks About Murders of His Family Under Hypnosis, Former Green Beret Surgeon Jeffrey MacDonald Seeks to Overturn Three Murder Convictions in New Filing, Could Jeffrey MacDonald Be Exonerated After Conviction for Murdering Family? William Lavigne and Timothy Dumas were found dead at a training site on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. ", "Where Jeffrey MacDonald Is 50 Years After His Family's Gruesome Murder", "Jeffrey MacDonald Could Walk Free if He Admits Guilt, Wants to Be 'Vindicated', "Reflections on the Jeffrey MacDonald Case", "1998 Third Circuit US Court of Appeals Case Law", "Timeline of Events in the Jeffrey MacDonald Case", "Former Green Beret Surgeon Jeffrey MacDonald Seeks to Overturn Three Murder Convictions in New Filing", "January 1983: Death and Autopsy of Helena Stoeckley", "Presided Over High-profile Cases: Franklin Dupree, Longtime Federal Judge, Dead at 82", "Bernard Segal, Longtime Law School Professor, Dies", "Prosecutor in Famed Case Pleads Guilty to Charges", "Famed Prosecutor Turned Prison Inmate Shares His Story with Community Corrections Leaders", "Final Appeal: From the Files of Unsolved Mysteries", "FX Sets Premiere Date for "A Wilderness of Error", Details of MacDonald's 1998 appeal against his convictions, validity of MacDonald's murder convictions, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jeffrey_R._MacDonald&oldid=1145937262, American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, February 1970 events in the United States, People convicted of murder by the United States federal government, Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by the United States federal government, United States Army Medical Corps officers, Violence against women in the United States, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Pages using infobox criminal with motive parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The team behind the long-running television documentary series. Green Beret death raises questions Photo credit Nicole Rick By Jack Murphy December 9, 2020 10:57 am On Dec. 2, 2020, Master Sgt. In the sense that, with the Innocence Project, what youre really looking for is good, solid forensic evidence that will include or exclude somebody.. Kimberley was tucked into bed, her head battered and neck slashed. Three life sentences.

It is further concluded that Miss Stoeckley is convinced in her mind that she was physically present when the three members of the MacDonald family were killed. Inside the Case of Green Beret Surgeon Convicted of Killing His Wife and Daughters. He had pulled a small paring knife from Colette's chest which he then tossed onto the floor, attempted in vain to find her pulse, then draped his pajama jacket over her body. MacDonald later described his internship year as "a horrendous year" for both himself and Colette, adding he frequently worked 36 hours with only 12 hours at home.

[199], Fatal Vision also alleges a possible motive for the killings. When questioned as to whether MacDonald suffered from a mental disorder, Bailey testified he did not, although he could not discount the possibility of him murdering members of his family in a situation of extreme stress. The defense also argued the crime scene was hopelessly compromised during the investigation and potential evidence either was destroyed, was lost, or remained uncollected. [53], Within minutes of the discoveries at Castle Drive, military police were instructed to check the occupants of all vehicles in and around Fort Bragg, seeking two white men, one black man, and a white woman with blonde hair and a floppy hat in an effort to apprehend the four intruders MacDonald alleged had attacked him and his family. The two had sat on the couch watching television together before Colette decided to go to bed midway through The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. 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 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. Two two-story apartments occupied the middle section and two one-floor apartments were located at each end of the building, one of which the MacDonalds occupied. WebGreen Beret Unit Case Study Green Beret Unit Case Study 807 Words4 Pages trained killer from a Green Beret Unit. [24], As Army investigators studied the physical evidence, the Army CID quickly came to disbelieve MacDonald's account, as they found very little evidence to support his version of events. [201][202] In 1987, he sued McGinniss for fraud, claiming that the author had agreed to hear his innermost thoughts in order to write a positive account of his ongoing fight for justice for himself and his family,[203] but had actually falsely claimed to believe his claims of innocence after he had already reached a conclusion of his guilt, in order that he (MacDonald) continue cooperating with him on the project. All Rights Reserved. They arent stealing anything. "[47] As he rose from the couch to go to their aid, he was attacked by three male intruders, one black and two white. Dupree justified this refusal by stating that, as MacDonald's attorneys had not entered an insanity plea for their client, he did not wish for the trial to be hindered by opinionated and contradictory psychiatric testimony from prosecution and defense witnesses. James Blackburn argued first, beginning by contrasting the injuries inflicted upon Colette, Kimberley, and Kristen with those suffered by MacDonald. Within the hour, he was arrested in California. The U.S. attorney general declined to pursue criminal charges against MacDonald as late as Dec. 21, 1973. [208], MacDonald is currently serving his life sentence at a federal prison in Cumberland, Maryland, and continues to maintain his innocence. This hearing lasted until September. For example, he was unable to explain how the piece of lumber used as a weapon came from a mattress slat on Kimberley's bed, but claimed there "may have been" some wood in the utility room, later adding his insistence the club which had struck him across the head was "sort of smooth" and may have been a baseball bat as opposed to a wooden instrument. His wallet was also stolen as were two rings from his wifes jewelry box. [218], Gregory Mitchell, whom Helena Stoeckley accused of murdering Colette MacDonald, died of cirrhosis of the liver on June 2, 1982, at the age of 31. MacDonald was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 1975 for the three murders. Jeffrey and Colette dated in high school on Long Island, New York and married in 1963 when she was pregnant with Kimberley. Watch the People Magazine Investigates After Show, on the new People/Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN). 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. [8] One example was MacDonald's assertion that he had sustained life-threatening injuriesincluding ten ice pick woundsduring the alleged physical assault at the hands of his assailants; Kassab had met MacDonald in hospital less than 18 hours after the attack and had observed him sitting up in bed, eating a meal, with very little bandaging or other medical dressing on his body.

I mean, none of what he says he did. No blood or fingerprints were found on either telephone MacDonald claimed he had used to call for help after checking each member of his family and attempting to resuscitate them. Kristen also lay in bed. The 16-year-old daughter of these neighborswho occasionally babysat for the familyinformed investigators the two had seemed taciturn and indifferent to each other in the month prior to the murders. MacDonald claimed that on that 1970 night, four intruders killed his wife, Colette, 26, and daughters Kimberley, 5, and Kristen, 2. [30], By 1970, MacDonald had earned the rank of captain. [35] Kassab also discovered that, within weeks of the murders of his family, MacDonald had begun dating a young woman employed at Fort Bragg. After the Army charged MacDonald with the murders in May 1970, it held a six-week long Article 32 hearing (similar to a civilian preliminary hearing) with more than 70 witnesses. Chuyen was reportedly summarily executed for being a double agent who had compromised a secret mission. The Army charged MacDonald with murder in May 1970. Warning: The following contains disturbing descriptions of violence, including violence to children. [200] Furthermore, the book emphasizes the fact MacDonald worked extremely long hours in several medical employment roles in 1969 and 1970, and his extensive social and family commitments, resulted in his suffering from an increasing lack of sleep. Bailey also testified he found MacDonald to be a controlling individual who was "extremely dependent on what others thought of him" and that he would often launch into a verbal "tirade" to allow his deep-seated emotions to become expressed by other means. [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. [32], According to MacDonald, he then played "horsey": allowing his daughters to ride upon his back as if he was their Shetland pony for a short while before he had put Kristen to bed at approximately 7p.m. as Kimberley played a game on the coffee table. After the family ate supper, Colette left the household to attend an evening teaching class at Fort Bragg's North Carolina University extension. ET on Investigation Discovery. CID was fine observing and identify Greeley as AWOL (Away He outlined every piece of physical and circumstantial evidence recovered at the crime scene which contradicted MacDonald's own accounts of "the assailants" attacking him and murdering his family and instead indicated his own guilt. He would later announce his engagement to his fiance, Randi Dee Markwith, in March 1982.

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. [35] Beside her, Jeffrey MacDonald was found lying face-down, alive but wounded, with his head on Colette's chest and one arm around her neck. Michael Williamson/The Washington Post/Getty, Is He Innocent? Alfred Kassab had initially believed MacDonald's testimony and been a staunch and vocal supporter of his son-in-law, but he drastically changed his opinion and became one of MacDonald's fiercest adversaries. [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. Smith referenced the events of February 17, 1970, the Army investigation and subsequent dismissal of all charges. MacDonald realized he was at a point of no return and needed to eliminate any witnesses, attorneys said. She had been repeatedly clubbed about her body, with both her forearms later found to be broken. [132], Following a brief recess, MacDonald read a statement prepared by his attorneys denying the prosecution's request to discuss the results of his 1970 polygraph examination, contending Woerheide had violated attorney-client privilege.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Believing Colette dead, MacDonald carried the mortally wounded Kimberley back to her bedroom. [204] This lawsuit resulted in a mistrial on August 21, 1987. On July 29, Judge Dupree denied the double jeopardy and speedy trial arguments successively filed by his attorneys, and allowed the proposed trial date of August 18, 1975 to stand, although the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to stay the proceedings on August 15. "[49], MacDonald claimed the three males then attacked him with a club and ice pick, with the female intruder shouting "Hit 'em again! [67], Investigators also questioned why Colette's blood was found in Kristen's room, although all three victims were found in separate rooms, suggesting they had been attacked separately. Her boyfriend, Greg Mitchell, confessed repeatedly through the years as well. [125], Other witnesses to testify included surgeons on duty at Womack Hospital who had examined MacDonald and who testified that, aside from his punctured lung, MacDonald was "not in any great danger, medically", and that, save for a superficial stab wound to his upper left arm and abdomen, MacDonald had no other stab wounds to his body. Both daughters had developed distinctive personalities: Kimberley being markedly feminine, intelligent, and shy; Kristen a boisterous tomboy who would "run over and crack someone" if she observed her older sister being bullied by other children. [55][n 5] MacDonald later claimed to have never seen these items before. MPD Detective James Abbott discovered her body He is still in jail serving his time. Did Jeffrey MacDonald Kill His Family or Was He the Victim Her skull had been fractured from at least two blows to the right side of her head, and one wound to her face had caused her cheekbone to protrude through her skin. Wade Smith has stated his belief that had he been allowed more time to argue before the jury during his closing argument, their verdict would have been different. He then closed his initial argument by stating: "I can only tell you from the physical evidence that things do not lie. [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. Investigator Franz Grebner listed further physical discrepancies between MacDonald's account and the forensic evidence, repeatedly stating all the facts pointed to his having staged the crime scene. But I suggest that people can, and do. MacDonald, on the other hand, neither contributed to this delay nor acquiesced in it, so his conduct weighs heavily in his favor. In 2011, the Court of Appeals reversed this decision, remanding MacDonald's claims back to the district court for further consideration. Referencing the life-and-death struggle MacDonald claimed to have engaged in with the alleged intruders, Blackburn stated the evidence indicated a struggle had occurred in the MacDonald home, but this struggle was between "only one white male and one white female. [25], On December 10, the 3rd Special Forces Group was deactivated,[26] and MacDonald was transferred on base to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 6th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces,[16] to serve as a preventive medical officer. Stoeckley was adamant she had worn a beige, floppy hat on the evening in question. [143] Although Segal subjected Stombaugh to a harsh cross-examinationrepeatedly raising his voice as he challenged Stombaugh's credentials and forensic methodsStombaugh remained steadfast as to his conclusions. [80], Following a short break, questioning resumed the same afternoon. There was no forced entry into the home and MacDonalds injuries were far less substantial than that of his wife and daughters. Did Jeffrey MacDonald Kill His Family or Was He the Victim of Manson Copycats? He was released on August 22, having posted $100,000 bail, and subsequently returned to work as the Director of Emergency Medicine at St. Mary's Medical Center in Long Beach, California. Another blunder involved the woman with the floppy hat, author Errol Morris wrote in his book A Wilderness of Error, which contends MacDonald was railroaded and is innocent of the murders. The sole weapon not recovered outside the family home was a paring knife MacDonald claimed to have removed from his wife's chest. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [39] She had been stabbed 33 times across the chest, neck, hands, and back with a knife and 15 times with an ice pick. His remaining points of appealincluding his contention the evidence presented at trial did not justify the finding of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubtwere heard on June 9, 1982, although his conviction was unanimously affirmed on August 16. green beret murders case study. A single fragment of skin was recovered from beneath one of Colette's fingernails, although this evidence was later lost.

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