We did have one murder from the UK on MD/FF have you seen the one about Graham Backhouse? :https://killerinstinct.supercast.tech/Get 10% Off by visitingBetterHelp.com/instinct!Go stamps.com, click the microphone at the top of the page, and enter code KILLER for a special offer that includes a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale. [citation needed][24] Whitaker withdrew his appeal pertaining to the purity of the drug used, pending at the Supreme Court of the United States, just before a decision by the Texas Governor to grant clemency and commute his sentence. He had transferred from Baylor University in Waco where an informant tipped off police about Barts aborted plan to kill his family in 2001 to Sam Houston State University. Gullible is what I think you could call him. Cliff thought Kevin was a special kid.. This site uses cookies to improve user experience. Many thanks, Helen so glad youre enjoying the site! "So, you're alone in your office, throwing the phone around, taking no measurements, recording nothing over the weekend, and you come in here and testify as an expert as to what the phone would do?" She was very hopeful, very upbeat and optimistic for [Barts] future.. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Cliff met Tricia the day he and his wife had moved in. The prosecution also called back cellphone expert Paul McManigal, a sergeant with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. The seven-member Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted unanimously to commute the sentence. Next up, they focused on two of Barts co-workers from the Bentwater Yacht & Country Club near Lake Conroe. Cliff immediately headed in the direction of Kent Whitaker, his own safety not crossing his mind. Now, Thomas Bartlett Whitaker, 38, convicted in this case, is facing death by lethal injection on Thursday, Feb. 22. Convenient scapegoat. How horribly absurd and why the death penalty must go, PS Relative homicide rate, UK v US: 1 to 4.7 per 100,000 (with southern states generally higher). Cliff Stanley had not cared about the possibility of a shooter or shooters still hiding out inside the Whitaker home. "I don't always take X-rays of every organ.". What happened? he asked her. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. That Mr Whitaker snr was himself an intended victim makes no material difference in my view: he is simply expressing what many parents in his situation would do, albeit that he has had to overcome the greatest of losses and provocation. He was having a relaxing evening watching television. Box 12428 He went through with it even after having two years to think about what his family meant to him following his first attempt to murder them. I understand that Mr Whitakers father is requesting your clemency. [4] His parents funded his academic pursuits. When Cliff witnessed the carnage before him, he yelled back at his son, Go back inside and call 911! He needed to get the hell out of there. Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, on June 7 near the dog kennels at their sprawling, 1,700-acre home. On Tuesday, Murdaugh's former law partner Ronnie Crosby had a testy exchange with defense attorney Dick Harpootlian as prosecutors got a chance to reply to the defense's case, including by rebutting their experts who suggested two different shooters killed Murdaugh's wife and son with two different weapons. Testimony ended Tuesday in the South Carolina double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, as the court prepared to bring jurors on Wednesday to the scene where Murdaugh's wife and son were fatally shot in 2021. 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. It is for this reason that I would never sign for it, even if that were the only way to evade a return to death row. WebBart Whitaker was convicted of capital murder for the shooting deaths of his mother, Tricia Whitaker, and his younger brother, Kevin Whitaker, in an attack he devised at the family's Hipp said that Kent and Tricia had heard about the plot, but didnt take it seriously. Judge Clifton Newman ruled earlier this week that the jury would be allowed to visit the scene of the June 2021 killings after Alex's defense team requested that jurors have an opportunity to tour the Moselle Road home so they could get an understanding of spatial relationships as to where the two bodies were found. "I did not because I felt comfortable with my determination," Riemer said. I agree with every sentiment, especially family members having the deciding vote as to the Death Penalty or not. [41][needs update], Whitaker has contributed to Solitary Watch, where he wrote about the effects of solitary confinement on himself and other death row inmates. He described her as just a very, very sweet person.. I just fixed it thx for the heads-up! As if, for me, the death penalty isnt capricious enough, cases like this make an utter tragic farce of it. Its telling that Bart offered no real excuse for arranging the murder of his family. Abbott accepted the state parole boards rare clemency recommendation. [38][13], Whitaker earned an undergraduate degree from Adams State University,[39] and a Master's degree in Humanities from California State University, Dominguez Hills. He fled to Mexico after learning that he was a suspect, assumed a new identity, and lived under the radar for over a year before he was caught and was extradited back to the United States. WebJurors in the trial of accused killer Alex Murdaughs toured Moselle, the family property where prosecutors say the 54-year-old former lawyer gunned down his wife and son in 2021. That is, if it is a scandal that anyone is judicially executed, it is so if some are and some are not merely given the contingency of special pleading. Faithful father. The field trip came as prosecutors made their closing arguments in the weekslong trial where Alex Murdaugh stands accused of murdering his wife, Maggie, and son Paul. (Sorry if you already have! It is about to here in UK, as theres been public outcry as some parole decisions* releasing vicious murderers. WebUpdated on: February 28, 2023 / 7:05 PM / CBS/AP. Although Texas very rarely commutes to life-imprisonment for capital sentences there are surely more meritorious than his case. Red herring. Thanks, Rebecca. You can watch the entire 48 Hours episode about the case online on a CBS news site. Texas Governor Gregg Abbott ruled that Thomas "Bart" Whitaker should instead spend the rest of life in jail for masterminding the murders of his mother Tricia, 51, and brother Kevin, 19, at the the family's suburban home in Houston, Texas, in 2003. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, reliable, independent, third-party sources, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Hell Is a Very Small Place: Voices from Solitary Confinement, "Triggerman in SugarLand slayings pleads guilty", "Clemency rare for death row convicts in Texas", "In rare move, Texas Parole Board recommends clemency for death row inmate Thomas Whitaker", "Is Bartlett Whitaker dead or alive? Then, Brashear entered a getaway car driven by Champagne, and they dumped the bag with the murder items in the water. Murdaugh is awaiting trial on about 100 other charges including financial crimes. Chris Brashear pleaded guilty in 2007 and received life with the possibility of parole after 30 years. At it again. Abbott also said he took into account that Bart Whitaker voluntarily waived all claims for parole in exchange for a commutation. Cliff was unable to get to Kevin because Tricia was blocking the entrance to the front door. The murders were arranged by Bart Whitaker in an attempt to inherit the family's estate. What he did to so many people," Crosby said, bristling. Its a start. I heard yelling and shooting, Brandon stated. Apparently, Barts bloodlust had been brewing for even longer than originally thought. Kent has since spearheaded the campaign to save his son from execution. Maggie Murdaugh's iPhone was found on the side of the road outside of the property, and the backlight came on nearly two minutes before GPS data showed Alex Murdaugh's SUV pass by. [16] Randy McDonald, attorney for the defense, rested their case on the same day, without calling witnesses, and the judge[who?] If the answer is wholly or mainly in the negative, that potential mitigation is removed. Just hang in there. Police initially thought they had a suspect in an armed robber who struck a different house soon after the Whitaker attack, but bloodhounds didnt pick up his scent at the Whitakers. WebA Father's Life 10 Years After An Unspeakable Tragedy. The feed room where Paul Murdaugh's body was found at the Moselle Road property, March 1, 2023. Whitaker provides an account from his perspective as father, "behind-the-scenes", focusing on the time frame from the crime through his son's sentencing, addressing motive, and including portions of his correspondence with his son. Cliff edged forward, closer to Tricia. Bart opening up his graduation gift from his parents on the night of the murders. Yes; perps have been executed for less egregious murder. Defense attorney Phillip Barber asked if McManigal took any notes or videotaped his experiments. She had previously taught at nearby Lakeview Elementary School and was acting as a volunteer there on occasion. After the shootings, Bart did a good job of pretending that he was happy that EMTs saved his dads life, but at some point, he told Champagne he wanted to finish off the job and really kill his dad the next time, according to 20/20. The Whitaker family was in celebration mode - their oldest son, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker, had just finished his final exam at Sam Houston State University, he'd soon be walking the stage, and his parents, Tricia and Kent, and brother, Kevin, were so excited for him. [42] He also contributed[clarification needed] to Hell Is a Very Small Place: Voices from Solitary Confinement. WebThomas Bartlett "Bart" Whitaker had a loving family that he threw away the night he plotted to have them murdered. I don't have the benefit of the materials you have," Crosby said. [11] Early evidence was presented that Whitaker had previously recruited others in abortive plots to murder his family, plots involving a co-conspirator named Adam Hipp, who had attended Clements High School with Whitaker. The recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and my action on it, ensures Mr. Whitaker will never be released from prison. McManigal said he tested a similar iPhone in his office last week and determined the backlight comes on with a gentle movement, but not as often with a violet movement. Cliff bent his head and said a silent prayer for Kevin. Austin, Texas 78711-2428 [37][verification needed][bettersourceneeded], Kent Whitaker, his father and a surviving victim of the crime, wrote the book, Murder by Family: The incredible true story of a son's treachery and a father's forgiveness, which as described by Barry Leibowitz for CBS News is about his "heart-wrenching journey to forgive the nameless stranger" responsible for his wounding, and the "brutal murder of his wife and son", a journey that included his realizing that the murder "had been orchestrated by [his] oldest son Bart". Corrections officers pet. After deliberation the Fort Bend County jury convicted Whitaker of capital murder,[11] under the Texas law of parties. [49][bettersourceneeded][6], As of 2019, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice was investigating a report that Whitaker's masters thesis was being offered for sale, online. Related: When Murder Runs in the Family: Frances Schreuder and the Killing of Franklin Bradshaw, Cliffs job as a vice president of a regional insurance marketing company was quite demanding and kept him very busy. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Alex Murdaughs Ego Pushed Him To Kill His Family Rather Than Lose His Good Reputation, Prosecutors Said During Closing Arguments, I Knew Something Bad Was Going On: Alex Murdaughs Brother Described The Phone Call He Got On The Night Of The Murders, Alex Murdaugh Was Days Away From Unraveling Because Of A Boat Crash Lawsuit, But The Killings Of His Wife And Son Changed Everything, Alex Murdaugh Sobbed As Jurors Saw A Snapchat Video From His Son Allegedly Placing Him At The Scene Of The Murders. Murdaugh is charged with killing 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh and 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh near kennels on the property on June 7, 2021. At night, when Kent would return home from his job at the Bartlett Construction Company, the couples would congregate out in the front yard and catch up on the days events. (Photo: Inside Story) On December 10, 2003 the entire Whitaker family Kent, his wife Tricia, and sons Bart and Kevin were gunned down inside their home in Sugarland, Texas, by a masked man who had been waiting inside for them. Compare his with another Texas case that ended in death one in which the perp was encouraged by another to kill her parents (no excuse, but not under his OWN initiative, unlike Whitaker), in which there was no significant, repeated premeditation, unlike of Whitaker, where the initiator the daughter didnt get the death penalty, and where this offender is widely considered to have exhibited genuine remorse: https://murderpedia.org/male.D/d1/dillingham-jeffrey.htm, One lives; one dies. A grand jury indicted Bart, then 25, and Steve Champagne and Chris Brashear, both 23, in October 2005. And finally, I checked into where Barts young accomplices are today. Well known that the USs neighbour, Canada, has a much lower rate 1.6 raising the question why. She was scared. The system worked for him today. Let me see what I can do, Cliff attempted to calm his neighbor. Quite the opposite, his parents were kind and generous by all accounts. Greg Abbott. Abbott added that Bart Whitaker's father, who "passionately opposes" the execution of his son, would be "victimized again" if the state sentenced his last surviving immediate family member to death. [35], Thomas Whitaker and other inmates initiated an unsuccessful class action against the State of Texas, addressing the conditions on its death row,[36][non-primary source needed] where inmates are kept in solitary confinement for 23hours a day. This week, Savannah details how Bart hired a hitman to kill his family as soon as they set foot inside, how he was found out, and the miraculous survival of his father, Kent Whitaker. The lack of consistency in sentencing is puzzling. He then heard the front door to his house open and saw his wife, Darlene, stick her head outside. The killers might still be inside their house! She was frightened to tears and was determined that her husband not join the list of fatalities. [4][5], Thomas Bartlett Whitaker was born on December31, 1979, to father Kent, the comptroller of a construction company, and mother Patricia (Trish), an elementary school teacher. Just hold on tight.. Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter and get our recommended reads delivered straight to your inbox. Kent spent lots of time with his sons. Help!. [44] Ira Wells, in particular, points to Whitaker's participation in the program to exemplify the questions, declaring Whitaker's prison writing powerful in its ability to "shock readers into a sensory appreciation of the radical strangeness of [his] life lived". Texas Gov. [11] Brashear, dressed in black (including a ski mask), entered the Whitaker family home, took Kevin's gun and ammunition from a locked box in his room, staged a burglary, and then waited near the front door for the Whitaker family to return home. Adam had replicated a diagram of the houses layout and where the triggerman was to lie in wait. [citation needed][43], Whitaker won prizes in PEN America's Prison Writing Program for his essay "Hell's Kitchen",[44][d] On Dec. 10, 2003, after the Whitakers returned from a dinner to celebrate what Bart said was the completion of his final exams, an unknown gunman shot all four of them as they entered their house in Sugar Land, a wealthy suburb of Houston. I swear I heard a shooting outside.. Mr Whitakers father is requesting your clemency of every organ. `` that... Like this make an utter tragic farce of it 's body was found at the Road. Isnt capricious enough, cases like this make an utter tragic farce of it safety... 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