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I wish I had the time to find the link of real evidence, as I hate that everyone is basing their opinion on a book and movie. So many "facts" have been disproved in both. I've followed trials that were nothing like the books and movies that came out about the cases. I sure wouldn't want my life hanging on someone's opinion, and their book written for their own personal gain.
My memory stinks, but I remember after reading the true facts, there were so many things that pointed to intruders. Imo, the Military being in charge didn't help find the truth of what happened that night. This case has stunk from day one, and I doubt we'll ever know what really happened.
Their biggest mistake was in not drug testing him immediately. Speed was an over-the-counter legal appetite suppressant in those days but it was well known to be abusable and likely to make some people violent. But all he had to do was use the buzzwords "stoned hippies" to throw off all suspicion.
I remember being very impressed at how thorough the evidence gathering was. I foolishly thought that this happened in the dark ages of CSI. Whoever was in charge of processing the crime scene proved how competent they were in those days.
I wish I had the time to find the link of real evidence, as I hate that everyone is basing their opinion on a book and movie. So many "facts" have been disproved in both. I've followed trials that were nothing like the books and movies that came out about the cases. I sure wouldn't want my life hanging on someone's opinion, and their book written for their own personal gain.
My memory stinks, but I remember after reading the true facts, there were so many things that pointed to intruders. Imo, the Military being in charge didn't help find the truth of what happened that night. This case has stunk from day one, and I doubt we'll ever know what really happened.
MacDonald hung himself. The prosecution was able to disprove his account of what happened, such as his explanation of how his pajama top ended up with so many holes. He changed his story and/or contradicted himself multiple times. The blood splatter evidence also disproved his version of what happened and in the end, he just wasn't credible.
McGinnis no doubt flattered and fed MacDonald's outsized ego in order to get the story. Was it ethical? Probably not. He paid. His book did not convict an innocent man. MacDonald is a supreme mistake of a human being; there is no need for outrage on his behalf.
Nope. I am with you on this one. I believe from all I've read and seen about this case that the crime scene investigation was botched and all the later DNA evidence was not explored thoroughly when that technology became available.
Two of the ''hippies'', a man and the woman in the white floppy hat, confessed to being there and killing the family. A woman wearing a white floppy hat was seen by an MP in the housing area earlier that night, standing on a street corner. Candle wax was found at the scene as were fibers and hairs, never identified, under the victims nails.
There's much controversial evidence that was never allowed in the trial that put him in jail on 3 life sentences.
There were 3 ''trials'' as I recall. First was the military trial where MacDonald was acquitted. Then a few years later, the grieving parents filed a civil suit which led, I believe, to a ''guilty'' verdict, again with selected evidence and prejudicial witnesses. The the Feds got involved and there was a third trial.
Being over 40 years ago, most of the witnesses are dead now. DNA evidence is obscure and was non-existent in those days as was sophisticated crime scene procedures.
None of this would have gone on except that the father-in-law was pissed tha MacDonald had moved on to California to start a new life and he thought he ought to have put all his energies into finding their killers himself. Grief misplaced, someone to blame?
My understanding is that if MacDonald would ''admit to the murders'' then he can go before a parole board and possibly gain freedom. He must ''confess'. But he won't do that because he says he did not kill his family.
After this long if he really did do it, he'd just likely say to heck with it and confess to maybe be set free. What would he have to lose? He's already lost everything anyway.
I believe this judge can order a new trial or vacate the sentence. I think the man deserves to be given a few years outside bars before he dies. I do not, and have never, thought he was guilty.
''Fatal Vision'' was written from a bias and excluded much evidence available in the 1980s and what came to light later in time. Lots of evidence was not allowed in the trials.
In my mind, from what I know, there is enough ''reasonable doubt'' to allow a new trial or vacate the current sentence.
I look forward to reading ''Wilderness of Error'' as well.
The father-in-law, Fredi Kasab, did not do an investigation because he was "pissed" that JM moved to California. In fact, after the murders, he supported his son-in-law and never even suspected him. They were a very close family and Fredi and his wife were destroyed.
I was only with the passage of time, observing JM's behavior and listening to his lies, that Fredi began to realize that Jeff murdered his family.
He will always deny his guilt.He wove such a web of deception,that even his poor father in law believed him.
He believed him until he launched his own investigation.
McDonald will deny it for the rest of his life.
He wants out of prison.
Oh yeah...intruders are going to head straight for a woman and toddlers instead of the man of the house.
Beyond that, and I remember the specifics of the case (not Hollywood's "dramatizations") very well, this guy's been jerking around a succession of attorneys and the legal system for 45 years.
He conveniently used the Tate-Labianca murders as a means to introduce the far-fetched possibility of druggies having committed the crime, and that unfortunate woman he's been fingering fell right into it.
What happened is what the prosecution theorized happened: after a succession of all-nighters to study, during which he popped pills to stay awake and then to sleep, he flew into a rage when he came home to find that the 4-year old had wet their bed again. He lost it, killing his pregnant wife and that child. He then went into the 2-year old's room, took her from her crib, put her on his lap, and stabbed her to death to cover it up.
Even the different degrees of murder took into account the malice and pre-meditation in the murder of that toddler.
MacDonald is a cold-blooded murderer who would love to get back to the playboy lifestyle he enjoyed when he was released during one of his appeals. But that will never happen, and a judge last upheld his conviction as recently as 2 months ago. He should take it like a man.
The only one hopped-up on drugs that night was him.
Oh yeah...intruders are going to head straight for a woman and toddlers instead of the man of the house.
Beyond that, and I remember the specifics of the case (not Hollywood's "dramatizations") very well, this guy's been jerking around a succession of attorneys and the legal system for 45 years.
He conveniently used the Tate-Labianca murders as a means to introduce the far-fetched possibility of druggies having committed the crime, and that unfortunate woman he's been fingering fell right into it.
What happened is what the prosecution theorized happened: after a succession of all-nighters to study, during which he popped pills to stay awake and then to sleep, he flew into a rage when he came home to find that the 4-year old had wet their bed again. He lost it, killing his pregnant wife and that child. He then went into the 2-year old's room, took her from her crib, put her on his lap, and stabbed her to death to cover it up.
Even the different degrees of murder took into account the malice and pre-meditation in the murder of that toddler.
MacDonald is a cold-blooded murderer who would love to get back to the playboy lifestyle he enjoyed when he was released during one of his appeals. But that will never happen, and a judge last upheld his conviction as recently as 2 months ago. He should take it like a man.
The only one hopped-up on drugs that night was him.
Exactly right. I've always said that he would have been the one killed first, or hurt beyond belief. But, no they went for the young children because they were such a threat??!! And, the woman. And, left the big green beret dude alone...Beyond ridiculous. Oh he had that life threatening pneumo (collapsed lung), which is seldom even remotely life threatening, only inconvenient. He knew exactly where to stab himself to create it and that he would be taken care of and not die from it.
And, yes he'd love to leave off where he ended, being an old playboy and forgetting he ever had...or killed his entire family.
Yes this was a fascinating case. There is no doubt that MacDonald killed Colette and his children. I always wondered about the relationship between Jeff and his mother Perry. Perry was an interesting character and I would have loved to know more about her. I always wondered about what really happened when Jeff went away to stay with that family in Texas for a period of time? The MacDonald family appeared to keep things very secret. Perry MacDonald stood by her son through thick and thin but I got the impression that she knew deep down that he killed his family. When Freddie Kassab confronted her she just got up and left without saying anything.
The MacDonald case remains one of the most interesting true crime cases I've ever come across and Fatal Vision one of the very best books of the genre I've read.
Anyone got any insights on Perry?
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In fact, after the murders, he supported his son-in-law and never even suspected him. They were a very close family and Fredi and his wife were destroyed.
