Cliff turned his attention back to the bleeding Whitaker parents. Texasll probably be the last to lose it if it does! Cliff darted up from his wounded neighbor and bolted back toward his home. In this case the Texas parole board can make inconsistent decisions and swerve criticism by never giving their reasoning. He simply understood that his friend was in trouble and needed his help. Champagne led police to the spot where he and Brashear threw a bag with the murder evidence into Lake Conroe. Help!. (Murderers like to tell war stories, whether they happened or not Michael Peterson and John Boyle.). Can it be fair and reasonable that one persons execution is applied because he happens not to have family/friends to lobby for him, a victim not ideologically opposed to execution and/or forgiving, etc but another is spared because he does have such representation and a victim differently-minded? Tanya also accompanied Kent for court proceedings related to Barts fate. He has pleaded not guilty. "I don't have an opinion. Cliff and Darlene sat downstairs in the back of their comfortable home, on this particular night. Featured image of Kevin, Tricia, and Bart enjoy food and laughs at Pappadeaux Seafood Restaurant to celebrate Barts impending college graduation: Kent Whitaker. [18][non-primary source needed], In other early testimony, Steve Champagne described Whitaker recruiting him to be the getaway driver for Whitaker's eventual 2003 plan to murder his immediate family,[11] and his testimony included the detail that Whitaker's gunshot wound was a ploy to make it look like he was a victim, too. In a jailhouse interview with Lisa Ling in 2014, Bart said he committed the murders because he felt inadequate and thought his parents didnt love him. [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". 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. So why did Bart kill the people he supposedly loved? He was convicted and eventually committed suicide in prison. 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. Abbott accepted the state parole boards rare clemency recommendation. Kinsey testified his opinion was also based on being certain the fatal shotgun wound to Paul Murdaugh was fired from down low and headed up through the head instead of downward with the gun pressed against his head. WebMurder in the Family: 'I Wanted Them Dead' Investigators Question Burglary Theory. Cliff snapped to and realized that both his wife and Kent were right. So he hired a hitman to kill his parents and brother, and to non-fatally injure him. It will keep the blood from rushing out too fast, he ordered. Read on for an excerpt of Savage Son and then download the book. [citation needed] He was named a 2018-2019 PEN America Writing for Justice Fellow,[45] a program that aims to support creation of "written works of lasting merit that illuminate critical issues related to mass incarceration and catalyze public debate". 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. He banned drones from flying over. The main house at the Murdaugh family's Moselle Road property in Islandton, South Carolina, on March 1, 2023. WebBart Whitaker, arranged the murder of his family. I respectfully wish to express my agreement with Mr Whitakers scheduled execution next month, which I do with a heavy heart. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. (a common Forensic Files pathology see Barbara Stager and Mark Winger.). When Cliff witnessed the carnage before him, he yelled back at his son, Go back inside and call 911! I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. Thomas Bartlett \"Bart\" Whitaker had a loving family that he threw away the night he plotted to have them murdered. [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. [verification needed] The State of Texas executes by overdosing the condemned with pentobarbital from a compounding pharmacy, and Whitaker's defense lawyers had claimed the state's first two executions of 2018 were botched because of old lethal injection drugs. Just hold on tight.. Im bleeding, Kent Whitaker pitifully mewled. [47][48] The name of the blog references "the hour at which executions take place in Texas". Serious needling. He could still be here. She began to moan againonly this time, it seemed more drawn out and painful than before. This post is sponsored by Open Road Media. The hurting of the innocent in executing their loved ones is one consideration in the legitimacy of capital punishment but it cannot arbitrarily apply to this case and not so many others that it has not done, nor will do. Kent was also hit in the upper body but survived, and Bart escaped with a wound to his upper arm. Quite the opposite, his parents were kind and generous by all accounts. Whitaker was ), Helen: Thanks and yes, I saw the Backhouse one; and another comes to mind: Write all you want, Bart, but youre a true sociopath just playing all the angles, and youre never, ever getting out. Mr Whitaker premeditatedly arranged the murder of three family members, including his own injury to throw suspicion from him. Cliff Stanley had not cared about the possibility of a shooter or shooters still hiding out inside the Whitaker home. RR, Watch the Forensic Files episode on YouTube. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Chris Brashear and Steven Champagne denied any involvement in the homicides and provided DNA samples and scent-test specimens. I feel for him, as I am sure very many do. [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. On June 7, 2021, Was he a born a sociopath or did some kind of abuse taint and mold him? Whitakers father insists that he would be victimized again if the state put to death the last remaining member of his immediate family, said Gov. There appears little or no question, then, that this was not a fully-considered crime, and, moreover, one that seems to require a peculiar callousness given his relation to the victims. [42] He also contributed[clarification needed] to Hell Is a Very Small Place: Voices from Solitary Confinement. When he walked out of his home, Cliff first looked over in the direction of the Whitakers house. But what the Whitakers didnt know was that Bart wasnt going to graduate at all. Thomas Bartlett Whitaker was born on Dec. 31, 1979, to Kent Whitaker, a comptroller for a family-owned construction business, and Patricia, known as Tricia, who gave up a career as an elementary school teacher to stay at home with Bart and his younger brother, Kevin. Abbott also said he took into account that Bart Whitaker voluntarily waived all claims for parole in exchange for a commutation. Ive been troubled for many years by the death penalty, in a country (US) in which justice (equality before the law) sometimes appears to be bought, or which otherwise privileges the white middle-class. Brandon Stanley followed directly behind his father. Cliff was very fond of his new neighbors. Its a start. The murders were arranged by Bart Whitaker in an attempt to inherit the family's estate. Until. Additional factors make the decision more complex.". Sugar Land had a practically nonexistent murder rate and Kent would later recall that, when he saw the armed intruder, he figured it was one of his kids friends playing a prank with a paintball gun. Greg Abbott. [8]:Ch.53[pageneeded] Whitaker denied prosecution claims regarding the insurance profit motive, arguing that the only life insurance policy the family had was for $50,000 on his father's life. Thanks, Rebecca. Kenneth Kinsey said a defense expert who measured the angles of the shots and concluded they were fired closer to the ground or by someone well shorter than the 6-foot-4 (1.93-meter) Murdaugh didn't take into account the shooter and Maggie Murdaugh were both moving and the gun could have been fired from different positions. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew on flight to space station, Prosecution wraps case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, FDA authorizes first at-home test for both COVID and flu, Couple accuses fertility clinic of implanting embryo with cancer genes, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Arguments conclude in Alex Murdaugh's murder trial, Evidence shown in Alex Murdaugh's trial for murder shows the Colleton County property where the Murdaughs lived, at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. Related: The Case of Michael Petersona Perfect Husband, or the Staircase Murderer? 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. Kent rushed in and was shot in the shoulder with the bullet shattering his humerus. [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. Anyway greetings from the UK. Convenient scapegoat. It also held a glove that matched one left at the murder scene and a water bottle with Chris Brashears DNA sealed on the inside of the cap. The authorities also directed Adam Tripp to try to get Bart to admit he planned his familys murder. Especially when it has been said that capital punishment is punishment for them that dont have the capital. Corey Mitchells true crime book, Savage Son, tells the tragic story of the Whitaker family murders. [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." She was scared. While out having a celebratory dinner, no one in his family "Any punishment that I would have or will receive is just, but my dad did nothing wrong. Related: 46 Gripping True Crime Books from the Last 54 Years. In return, Bart agreed to give up any rights to parole. Money tangled. In his haste to exit the scene, Brashear gathered up Barts cellphone instead of the gun. Cliff thought Kevin was a special kid.. [38][c] A bullet hole is seen from inside of the feed room at the Moselle Road property on March 1, 2023. He hired two men to shoot and kill his mother, Tricia, younger brother, Kevin, and father, Kent. Prosecutors brought Crosby back to the stand to talk more aboutMurdaugh stealing millions of dollarsfrom his clients and the firm the Murdaugh family founded more than a century ago. Your objectivity impartiality nor fear no favour is applausable. But that is not the question. Let me see what I can do, Cliff attempted to calm his neighbor. in return for his admission of guilt, and was instead tried for capital murder. Thus, he enjoyed the little time he was able to spend with Kent and Tricia Whitaker. Although Texas very rarely commutes to life-imprisonment for capital sentences there are surely more meritorious than his case. Judge Clifton Newman is allowing only the jury, attorneys from both sides, security and police, and a court reporter to come. 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. (Kent also said he forgave shooter Chris Brashear.). When asked about the race of the assailant he said, Maybe black I dont know.. 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. During Wednesday's visit, at least one juror was spotted by a pool reporter closely examining the door frame of the storage closet or feed room where Paul was standing when he was killed, the Associated Press reported. [2][3] As of September 2021, Whitaker resided in the McConnell Unit in Beeville, Texas. The person who fired the gun that killed the victims did not receive the death penalty, but Mr. Whitaker, who did not fire the gun, did get the death penalty. Unfortunately, everything was far from fine at the Whitaker household. He attempted to murder them several times before. From how the plan was hatched to Barts trial, sentence, and the stunning new development in the case, this book provides all the details. Updated on: February 28, 2023 / 7:05 PM A defense expert said Riemer failed to shave hair from Paul Murdaugh's wound or X-ray his brain after it was blown from his body to confirm her findings. Cliff was unable to get to Kevin because Tricia was blocking the entrance to the front door. Re my letter reproduced, at the time of the clemency hearing I was moved to write cos its so unfair that because an offender did well in prison and his (living) victim (father) forgave him and lobbied for him, he gets to live when many others whose instant crime in my book was less evil die. It sounds like his parents were wonderful and he had all the trappings of a nice life. Definitely, the guy needs to stay where he is. And you are quite right Whitaker had at least two (that we know of) tries; so how doing well in prison makes people seem better is unbelievable. By continuing to browse, you accept the use of cookies and other technologies. Subscribe to the ad-free version here! I think you are spot on; especially with the letter you wrote that you posted above. Tricia Whitaker continued to moan in agony. According to his statements and the evidence gathered, Bart Whitaker intended to murder his parents and younger brother in order to keep the family estate. Cops secretly tapped Brashears and Champagnes phones, but they never picked up any incriminating conversations. And, of course, Mr Whitaker snr cannot properly speak for the three dead victims, only himself. [16][18] At the trial, Hipp stated that he had contacted the SugarLand Police Department with information about previous plots after he heard about the Whitaker family murders 2003; he was given immunity from prosecution in exchange for testifying for the prosecution against Whitaker. Marcus I totally agree. This WAS the case with the Parole Board here in UK until recently, but due to controversial decisions broad reasons are now to be given. WebThomas Bartlett "Bart" Whitaker had a loving family that he threw away the night he plotted to have them murdered. There was a light on in the foyer, which provided him with his only illumination. Thanking you for your kind attention and with all good wishes for your work and the difficult and sometimes painful decisions you have to make, The Chairman The judge agreed with a defense request to let jurors ride 40 minutes to see the sprawling Colleton County property where the Murdaughs lived. Hes probably hoping this is his ticket to salvation, a la Jack Henry Abbott, another eloquent killer. It seemed as if there was nothing he could do for his friends. Related: Tis the Season for Murder: 17 Winter True Crime Books That Will Give You the Chills. He told the police that he would forgive the man who shot his family, not realizing that the man behind it all was his own son. If they pull up, she said in reference to police officers, and they see you with that shotgun, theyll probably shoot you, too. Murdaugh is awaiting trial on about 100 other charges including financial crimes. [8]:ch.50[pageneeded], On December 10, 2003, Thomas Bartlett "Bart" Whitaker falsely told his family that he had just taken his final university exams and would soon be graduating from SHSU. Do the undoubted many prisoners facing execution who have personality disorders in some cases substance-induced; in others endogenous, so no fault of their own deserve less because they are (inevitably) non-compliant with prison life? He felt so frustrated. The judge has agreed with a defense request to let jurors ride 40 minutes to see the sprawling property. Champagne explained that he staked out the Whitakers at the graduation dinner at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen where Bart enjoyed bread pudding with Congratulations spelled out in chocolate sauce and called Brashear to let him know when the group left the restaurant. [31][non-primary source needed][32][non-primary source needed], Whitaker responded to the commutation of his sentence by saying, "I am thankful for this decision, not for me but for my dad. 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 for them inside. 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. Kent came out with his own book about the shootings and their aftermath, and he travels around the country to speak about forgiveness. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 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? For Office of the Governor The goal was to refute a defense expert who said moving an iPhone causes its backlight to come on. Yes! 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 No, it wasnt on this TV, Cliff replied. Bart had admitted his guilt and expressed remorse for the murders and for roping his friends into the plans, they stressed. Cliff then heard the screech of police sirens. Clifton, get out of there! she shouted frantically. He could tell by the looks of Tricia that she needed his help much more than Kent. Whitaker's parents had bought him several luxury vehicles. WebThe main house at the Murdaugh family's Moselle Road property in Islandton, South Carolina, on March 1, 2023 Jurors on Wednesday visited the family hunting lodge where Alex WebBart Whitaker was convicted of hiring a hit man to target his own family. After the dinner ended, the family returned to their home in a wealthy Houston suburb to continue th (Sorry if you already have! Fred Felcman, the original prosecutor in the case, said the board made its decision purely because of the fathers forgiveness, and disregarded the large number of others affected by the murders. P.O. WebThe tour of the crime scene happened before jurors were to head back to court in Walterboro to hear closing arguments in the closely watched murder trial. Past posts on this blog have briefly touched on the Whitaker murders and their aftermath, but a deeper dive seems in order. A series of school robberies got him kicked out of high school, and after that a psychiatrist diagnosed him with delusional paranoid disorder. The shooter, Brashear, also was convicted and received life prison sentence. commutes death sentence for man convicted of masterminding murder of mother, brother", "Driver in SugarLand murder plot gets 15years", "Testimony ends in Whitaker's murder trial", "Reprieve for man who plotted own family's murder", "Father forgives son who had mom, brother killed", "Man condemned in family murder plot loses high court appeal", "Judge sets execution date for SugarLand man who had family killed for $1million inheritance", "Texas Prison System stalls release of public information on executions", "Before the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles / Request for Commutation of Death Sentence to a Lesser Penalty", "A father's plea: Spare my son [Friday letters]", "Members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles David G. Gutirrez, Chair", "Texas Parole Board Recommends Killer Be Spared From Death", "Texas Governor Weighs Parole Board's Advice on Inmate's Fate", "Governor Abbott commutes death sentence of Thomas Bartlett Whitaker", "[Commutation of death sentence of Thomas Bartlett Whitaker]", "Bart Whitaker talks about eventual execution", "Convicted killer accused of writing, selling book while in prison", "Voices from Solitary: The war of all against all", "Writing for Justice Fellowship 2018-2019", "Death row bloggers get help from victims", "Letters from death row: Faith behind bars", "Works of justice: An interview with Writing for Justice fellow Thomas Bartlett Whitaker", "Buried alive: Stories from inside solitary confinement", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Bartlett_Whitaker&oldid=1138499579, Recipients of American gubernatorial clemency, California State University, Dominguez Hills alumni, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2022, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from January 2022, Articles with incomplete citations from January 2022, Articles lacking reliable references from January 2022, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from January 2022, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing expert attention from January 2022, Articles needing cleanup from January 2022, Cleanup tagged articles with a reason field from January 2022, Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from January 2022, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Pages using infobox criminal with motive parameter, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from January 2022, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2022, Articles to be expanded from January 2022, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from January 2022, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from January 2022, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from January 2022, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0.
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