Posted on 05/10/2005 7:58:41 PM PDT by nuconvert
May 10, 2005
Panel Recommends No Parole for Green Beret Doctor Convicted of Murdering His Family The Associated Press
CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) - A federal panel recommended no parole Tuesday for former Green Beret doctor Jeffrey MacDonald, whose conviction in the 1970 murders of his pregnant wife and two daughters was dramatized in the best-selling book and TV miniseries "Fatal Vision." The U.S. Parole Commission panel also recommended no reconsideration of the matter for 15 years, said U.S. Attorney Frank Whitney of the Eastern District of North Carolina. The recommendation will now be sent to the full commission.
Whitney made a presentation against MacDonald during the two-hour closed hearing at the Federal Correctional Institution near Cumberland. He called the murders the most heinous crimes in state history.
"We were pleased with the outcome," Whitney said, adding that MacDonald has served less than a third of his sentence.
MacDonald, 61, has been eligible to apply for parole since 1991 but refused until this year, contending it would involve a tacit admission of guilt.
MacDonald received three consecutive life sentences for the murders of his 26-year-old wife, Colette, and their daughters, ages 2 and 5, at their apartment at Fort Bragg, N.C. He claimed he and his family were attacked by drug-crazed hippies.
One of his lawyers, Tim Junkin, has said MacDonald's change of mind about seeking parole partly reflects a desire to live with his new wife, Kathryn MacDonald, whom he married in prison in 2002.
Junkin and Kathryn MacDonald attended Tuesday's hearing. Junkin declined to comment when reached by phone afterward. Kathryn MacDonald drove away from the prison without speaking to reporters.
At the hearing, Bob Stevenson, the 65-year-old brother of MacDonald's slain wife, gave a very "impassioned statement describing the pain MacDonald had inflicted on his family," Whitney said.
Stevenson said after the hearing that he was "delighted" by the panel's decision, calling it "everything I wanted."
"One of his lawyers, Tim Junkin, has said MacDonald's change of mind about seeking parole partly reflects a desire to live with his new wife, Kathryn MacDonald, whom he married in prison in 2002."
Why should he be allowed to marry again?
his new wife must be a loonytoon......
No, really? =)
this is series........rme
Life ought to mean life.
Particularly in this case.
McDonald actually killed 4 people - his wife was 5 months pregnant with a son at the time of her death.
I really hope the Dr never sees a moment of freedom for the rest of his life.
Whatever became of that chick in the floppy hat?
Her story flopped
Seriously, this guy is the textbook definition of a sociopath. Life was way too easy in his case.
I think I read that she'd died, can't remember when or how.
Definitely a sociopath. What struck me about this is that his wife and two kids were pretty brutally murdered, and his "injuries" were relatively minor cuts.
The author who wrote "Fatal Vision" was at first supposed to write a book about him at fist thought he was innocent of the murders, but became convinced that he was guilty.
What was his motive? Of course I remember the hubub about this, but I've got no clue as to the actual facts.
And not that a nut need a big motive, if we wonder about that we need look no farther then Illinois today, I'm sorry to say.
I'm not really sure what the motive was, but had heard that their marriage was pretty rocky and that he had been unfaithful. I also believe he was due to leave for some reason and would be away for awhile, and she wasn't happy at all with that.
I think the authorities believed they'd gotten into some sort of fight that night and it had ended up in murder, and he murdered his kids, too.
IMO he should not be considered eligible for parole until some 20-25 years past his life expectancy.
The miniseries was one of the most disturbing things I had ever seen.
Yes, she is a loonytoon. Her first husband was Daffy Duck,
after an engagement to Yosemite Sam.
Maybe he found and married the candle-holding "acid is groovy" blonde chick.
I think the floppy-hatted woman's drug lifestyle eventually killed her.
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