Whitaker was convicted for the December 10, 2003, murders of his mother and 19-year-old brother; he was sentenced to death in March2007. But Bart also couldnt have the blood of his family on his own hands. Cliff Stanley knew the Whitakers were in for a big weekend. [38][c] He shouldve got life for murder and causing severe, permanent harm to his unborn child but served just 18 years. The shooter, Brashear, also was convicted and received life prison sentence. He helped himself to $7,000 to $10,000 of his dads cash and fled to Mexico with the help of his friend Rudy Rios. Kent rushed in and was shot in the shoulder with the bullet shattering his humerus. They were also excited to have their eldest son, Brandon, home from college for the holidays. 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. I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. E: bpp_pio@tdcj.texas.gov. The recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and my action on it, ensures Mr. Whitaker will never be released from prison. [16] Evidence was presented that Whitaker had recruited two individuals, Steve Champagne and Chris Brashear, ages24 and 25 at the time of the 2007 trial, respectively,[16][11] Champagne to be the getaway car driver and Brashear to carry out the shootings in Whitaker's plan to murder his immediate family. The kind-hearted Kent Whitaker forgave Bart and fought for years to stave off his looming execution. "Any punishment that I would have or will receive is just, but my dad did nothing wrong. While out having a celebratory dinner, no one in his family [3][29], Abbott accepted their recommendation and commuted Whitaker's death sentence, noting that Whitaker had "voluntarily and forever waived any and all claims to parole in exchange for a commutation of his sentence from death to life without the possibility of parole." I too am writing from UK (maybe you gathered). [44], In 2007, Whitaker founded an inmate blog, originally created with the assistance of his father, now maintained by volunteers, entitled Minutes Before Six; it has published his work and trial records, and articles, poetry, and art from inmates held in prisons in the United States. "[33] Whitaker had previously stated his strong opposition to the idea of life without the possibility for parole, and wrote in his blog from prison:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, [Life without parole], however, offends and assaults everything I believe in. [42] He also contributed[clarification needed] to Hell Is a Very Small Place: Voices from Solitary Confinement. Defense attorneys asked that the jury be able to visit the scene of the killings to help them understand how small the storage room is where Paul Murdaugh was killed and the distance between the two bodies. "The decision of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles is supported by the totality of circumstances in this case. Updated on: February 28, 2023 / 7:05 PM I do not support the death penalty but given that it exists in the State, that due process appears to have been followed, and that the offence is in my view and that of the jury egregious, it seems to me gravely important that this punishment execution is applied consistently if it must be applied at all. On February 22, 2018, about 40minutes before his scheduled 6:00P.M. execution, Whitaker had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment without parole by Governor Greg Abbott, the first such commutation by Abbott and the first in the state since 2007. Theres also the question of what turned Bart Whitaker into a homicidal fiend. Rebecca I love your updates, thank you so much for keeping these updates and these cases alive. ), Helen: Thanks and yes, I saw the Backhouse one; and another comes to mind: The goal was to refute a defense expert who said moving an iPhone causes its backlight to come on. Anyway greetings from the UK. Apparently, Barts bloodlust had been brewing for even longer than originally thought. Mr. WebBart Whitaker, arranged the murder of his family. Would-be Waco whackers. In 2007, Whitaker founded an inmate blog, originally created with the assistance of his father, now maintained by volunteers, entitled Minutes Before Six; it has published his work and trial records, and articles, poetry, and art from inmates held in prisons in the United States. He attempted to murder them several times before. Marcus I always enjoy reading your reflection on Rebeccas updates and each episode. Web(Mark Sims for Fox News Digital) Prosecutors have argued that Alex Murdaugh used a shotgun to kill his son, Paul, 22, and a rifle to execute his wife, Maggie, 52, near the property's dog Both victims appeared to be surprised with their hands down. Brandon Stanley followed directly behind his father. A Texas inmate who was due to be executed for masterminding the murder of his family has been granted commutation shortly before he was due to be put to death. Brd. Her legs and lower body were pointed outward toward the street. remaining immediate family member. She was in a kneeling position with her head on the front porch, near the slight step leading into the house. Greg Abbott Whitaker is an eloquent, erudite writer, as his essay Hells Kitchen demonstrates, spiced up with smart literary references and quotes. WebEvidence shown in Alex Murdaugh's trial for murder shows the Colleton County, South Carolina, property, known as Moselle. In this book, Kent Whitaker describes the true story of the murder of his wife and younger son, a trail of events which had been arranged by his older son. Millions of Americans nearing retirement age with no savings, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, South Carolina double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, 100 other charges including financial crimes. [12][13][pageneeded][third-party source needed] Bart's father Kent survived the shooting in which his wife and son were killed. I dont know how much MORE evil you can get (except by torturing them first, maybe?) Was he a born a sociopath or did some kind of abuse taint and mold him? Parents provided. Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. During cross-examination, Harpootlian asked Crosby, who often represents accident victims, if going through trauma can cause people to forget details or get times wrong. They bought him a townhouse to live in while he was supposed to be attending college and gave him a Rolex for his faux graduation. Once the jury leaves, one reporter, photographer and videographer will be able to see the property. P. O. He had also just finished his last exam, or so he said. [4] He lived there under the false name for over a year. Directly next door to the Whitakers home on the east side, their relatively new neighbor, Clifton Cliff Stanley, sat in his recliner in his familys living room. He also paid someone to drive the getaway car for the assailant, while Bart would stay on the scene and pretend as though he had fought the intruder off himself. Faithful father. *This particularly an awful crime. He told the police that he would forgive the man who shot his So, lets get going on the recap of Family Interrupted along with extra information drawn from internet research: Gathering place. Past posts on this blog have briefly touched on the Whitaker murders and their aftermath, but a deeper dive seems in order. Last-minute reprieve. WebBart Whitaker: Relative Tragedy A Young Heir Tries to Hasten His Fortune (Family Interrupted, Forensic Files) Two years before a masked assailant shot them in their own 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. True Crime Creepers The Whitaker family was in celebration mode - their oldest son, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker, had just finished his final Police attempted to arrest her wife, Naria Jenna Whitaker, 33, later that the same day at the couple's home in Marion, Indiana, but Whitaker died by suicide, shooting herself shortly after police arrived, the Outlook reported. Whitaker's parents had bought him several luxury vehicles. Please enter valid email address to continue. Champagne led police to the spot where he and Brashear threw a bag with the murder evidence into Lake Conroe. Hello Helen: Thanks so for your kind remarks and I wholly agree re Rebeccas posts! Bart's brother Kevin died within minutes of being shot; his mother Patricia died shortly after the start of her airlift by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital. This seems to me the only potential mitigation against execution. Cliff and Darlene looked at one another quizzically. Investigators found out that in addition to Barts 2001 and 2003 attempts to eliminate his family, there was at least one prior plot: In 2000, Bart had a couple of his Baylor acquaintances break into the Whitakers home to kill them, but the henchmen fled when an alarm went off, according to an AP account. Its a very interesting case. Barber said. [22][non-primary source needed][21] The appeal was certiorari denied. Tanya also accompanied Kent for court proceedings related to Barts fate. Kent then looked up at his neighbor and said, Cliff, they really could be inside there. Want to keep reading? Just hang in there. Abbott ruled that Bart Whitaker will now spend the rest of his life in jail for the "heinous crime". Just hold on tight.. I wasnt aware of Runnels until a few days ago, when I saw a news item, looking his case up. From how the plan was hatched to Barts trial, sentence, and the stunning new development in the case, this book provides all the details. 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. On September 15, 2005, a capital murder warrant was issued against Whitaker. Just how he thought hed get away with it I think underlines his feelings of superiority. It irrevocably denies any possibility of rehabilitation; it eviscerates hope entirely. Marcus, I have never seen such objective view wow. The bullet hit Kent nearly six inches from his heart.. [3], Alongside the legal submission from the Whitaker legal team an 18-page document from Whitaker lawyers Keith S. Hampton and James Rytting (the latter at Hilder & Associates),[25][non-primary source needed] Whitaker's father, Kent, also appealed, cooperating with the legal team's submission and writing a letter in the public forum of the Houston Chronicle on January 18, 2018, asking that the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles "spare my son". WebIn the weeks following the murder, the police learned that the attack had been orchestrated by the son who survivedMr. So why did Bart kill the people he supposedly loved? I dont care how much perps have changed, repent, or are model prisoners: the worst crimes, like his, should mean whole-life because theyve earned the punishment they got (inc Whitaker). If I were a board member confident of my decisions Id be content to be answerable to the public, Helen: The Derek Severs ep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7geqiz8wb7I When they arrived, Bart remained outside to call his girlfriend while his mother, Trish, his father, Kent, and his brother, Kevin, all went to the front door. I am writing as a member of the public with no connection to the above, his relatives, or his crime. Also wounded, Bart made a Sugar Land Gullible is what I think you could call him. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Money tangled. Newman cautioned jurors that the property, which no one has lived at in over a year, would look different today than it did at the time of the killings. But the fact remains that this has been the case for the loved ones of very many executees: they have been hurt by the offenders actions and will be hurt again by his death. 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