Posted on 01/18/2005 2:22:34 PM PST by Former Military Chick
RALEIGH, N.C. — Former Army doctor Jeffrey MacDonald, convicted 25 years ago of the stabbing deaths of his pregnant wife and two daughters, will seek parole but will continue to proclaim his innocence, one of his attorneys said Monday.
MacDonald, eligible for parole since 1991, has declined to seek his freedom because he said he would have to admit guilt for the slayings at the family's Fort Bragg apartment Feb. 17, 1970. MacDonald remarried a few years ago and has more reasons to want a life outside of prison, said his attorney, Tim Junkin of Potomac, Md.
"He doesn't have any kind of change of heart. He's going to try to vindicate himself," Junkin said in a phone interview. "He knows in his heart he's innocent and will always insist on that."
Junkin said he didn't know when the request was filed with the U.S. Parole Commission and said he wouldn't disclose when or where the hearing would be held.
Newsweek, which first reported the parole request in its issue this week, said the hearing would be held in February. That story quoted Christina Masewicz, a retired nurse who has written a book about the case and obtained a federal document confirming the hearing.
Raleigh attorney Wade Smith, who represented MacDonald at trial and is helping seek parole, said the hearing likely would be in late February in the Cumberland area, but not necessarily at the prison.
"Our point is that he has served 25 years with grace and dignity. He has an excellent prison record. It's time he be permitted to go on about whatever life he has left," Smith said.
MacDonald, 61, is being held at the federal prison in Cumberland, Md., where he is serving three life terms for the slayings of his wife, Colette, 26, and daughters Kimberley, 6, and Kristen, 2.
He married a longtime friend, Kathryn Kurichh, in 2002.
"He has a fairly new wife. He has a lot of reasons to live for if he could get out of prison," Junkin said. "We have urged him to consider all his options as long as they're not inconsistent with his quest to prove his innocence."
Junkin said he didn't believe MacDonald had to admit guilt to be paroled.
Colette MacDonald's brother, Bob Stevenson, said Monday he would attend the parole hearing to testify against MacDonald.
"I don't want Jeffrey MacDonald ever to walk the streets again," said Stevenson, 65, who lives outside New York City. "I hope to do everything I can for the remainder of my life to see that he does not get out."
MacDonald was assigned to Special Forces at the time his family was slain. He claimed the killers stabbed and clubbed his family to death while one chanted, "Acid is groovy. Kill the pigs." The highly publicized case was recounted in a best-selling book, "Fatal Vision," and television miniseries.
The Army said it didn't have enough evidence to try MacDonald, and he went free for years. A federal court jury in Raleigh convicted MacDonald of the killings in 1979 after the Justice Department reopened the case.
In 1997, a federal appeals court rejected MacDonald's effort to reopen his case on the basis of his claim that the FBI allegedly misled the courts about fiber evidence.
He has been offered the avenue of parole starting in 90. What does that say about him, not willing to leave until he can say I am innocent now you know I am innocent.
I will be interested to read other's remarks on this case.
read the book - he's a killer
you must have read, "Fatal Vision" when we were stationed at Ft. Bragg, I read "Fatal Justice" quite an eye opener. I'd suggest that book also, made quite a few interesting points.
Ditto Republicus 2001. The reason he didn't try for parole was because he knew too many people would remember the case such as me after only 15 yrs. Plus he has a new wife of 2 yrs. Just read the book before making your determination.
"He has a lot of reasons to live for if he could get out of prison," Junkin said."
Duh! I'll bet no other convicted killer thinks he has any "reasons to live for if he could get out of prison." That has to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard, even from a lawyer. All his other clients in jail say, "Nope, I don't have a single reason for living if I could get out of here!" Right...
He is an innocent man. The drug crazed hippies he spoke of ,one had a brother who lived in a town close to me. He once came to a hangout of mine, and told my friend, who ran the place, the whole story. My friend, and the perp, are both dead now, BTW. Point is, McDonald is an innocent man.
I was stationed at Ft.Bragg when this happened,a friend and I drove through officers housing to see the place,I believe it was within 2 days of the murder.There was the yellow crime tape up and a yard full of investigators.
I`ve followed this story a long time.He`s an evil man.
By the way,not long after that saw Hanoi Jane in a KFC with her entourage filling up for a FTA rally in Fayeteville the next day.
The military police screwed up the crime scene.
I would think with all the publicity at the time that your friend would have come forward to clear the good doc.
Did you tell Jane what she could do with her daisies?
And, of course, the "friend" is now dead. Convenient.
I read the book, and saw the movie as well. MacDonald is guilty as sin. I hope he rots in prison.
The writer forgot to mention that he also murdered his unborn son. Colette was pregnant with a boy when she was murdered.
He is not innocent. The physical evidence was overwhelming. While I can understand that he might have murdered his wife during the heat of an argument, the fact is that he murdered his children in very cold blood, indeed. He actually should have been executed for his crimes.
She was a little skinny thing with Levi`s with holes in the knees.
With those big goons around her I just got my bucket of chicken and headed back to the barracks.
No, he is not an innocent man. I don't care who told you what story. The physical evidence was overwhelming. Blood spatter, tears in Collette's clothing, the way the blood of the victims and MacDonald were mixed -- an overwhelming physical evidence case.
Uhhhhh . . . evidently not.
sorry, Jeffy, you cooked your goose .....
it may have very well been a accidentally killing at first, but the rest was pure human evil .......
I'd like him to get out of jail....maybe when he is 85.....
I'd love to know how this monster was allowed to marry.....I suppose he gets conjugal visits as well. If so, his stupid wife better watch her back.
Yah, after reading both books, I don't think I could have put him away. The odd thing is there is DNA out there that clearly could put the blond woman at the scene---yet the authorities refuse to test it. Last I heard, MacDonald's lawyer was jumping through all sorts of hoops just to get a DNA test done.
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