Cliff knew he needed to get assistance for Kent and Tricia. Bart also reportedly told them his mother was a prostitute and he was essentially an orphan. [9][4] He had lied to his parents about his continued status in college; varying reports had him dropping out of SHSU months before,[10] or being present there as a freshman on academic probation. Abbott also said he took into account that Bart Whitaker voluntarily waived all claims for parole in exchange for a commutation. They might think you are the one who shot the Whitakers.. Bart Whitaker was found guilty of capital murder that occurred on Dec. 10, 2003, when an assailant entered the Whitaker home in the Sugar Lakes subdivision and killed Barts mother, Trisha, 56 years old, and his brother, Kevin, 19. A grand jury indicted Bart, then 25, and Steve Champagne and Chris Brashear, both 23, in October 2005. Cliff then heard the screech of police sirens. Regardless, he continued holding the temporary bandage on Kents gushing wound. [42] He also contributed[clarification needed] to Hell Is a Very Small Place: Voices from Solitary Confinement. Once the jury leaves, one reporter, photographer and videographer will be able to see the property. He took over holding the bloody T-shirt used as a bandage and held it firmly in place. 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. "Manufacturing Anomie"[citation needed] and the essay "A Nothing Would Do as Well". [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". I feel for him, as I am sure very many do. Then, Brashear entered a getaway car driven by Champagne, and they dumped the bag with the murder items in the water. A neighbor named Cliff Stanley raced onto the scene and used his own T-shirt to stanch Kents bleeding bullet wound. Cliff Stanley had not cared about the possibility of a shooter or shooters still hiding out inside the Whitaker home. 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. [citation needed] Whitaker had enlisted an individual named Chris Brashear to carry out the shootings, and a Steven Champagne to be the getaway driver for Brashear. Mr. Popular. While out having a celebratory dinner, no one in his family could've imagined the horror that waited for them when they got back home. 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. [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. He could tell by the looks of Tricia that she needed his help much more than Kent. But Bart also couldnt have the blood of his family on his own hands. 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. Their mental highlight reel was probably playing footage of an 8-year-old Bart teaching his little brother how to ride a bike. The Whitaker family was in celebration mode - their oldest son, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker, had just finished his final Thats all for this post. Nice letter I think Laci Petersons husband is also a good candidate for carrying out the sentence. Along with his second wife, Tanya Youngling, Kent Whitaker visits Bart regularly, speaking to him from behind a glass partition. Steve Champagne got 15 years in exchange for testifying against Brashear and Bart. You can help by adding to it. As he came upon him, Cliff looked up and saw Tricia directly in front of the entryway to the house, about six feet away from Kent. Thats privileged white Justice. The laudable desire to hear the victim must not become a means of outcome determination of the magnitude of life and death. Corrections officers pet. [citation needed] In addition, they purchased a lakeside townhouse in Willis, Texas, for his use, and a $4,000 Rolex watch was given to him as a college graduation present hours before the murders. I understand that Mr Whitakers father is requesting your clemency. This episode does not seem to be shown that often, so I really appreciated the reminder of this case and the update. Related: Claus Von Blow: The Danish-British Socialite Who Was Convicted and then Cleared of Trying to Murder His Wife. He argues that he is to be re-made a victim if his son is executed. and a Fort Bend County jury. Whitaker had unknowingly forgiven his own son for Read on for an excerpt of Savage Son and then download the book. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The But Rudy Rios couldnt resist a $10,000 reward offered for information on Barts whereabouts. Waking nightmare. [citation needed], Brashear then exited through the Whitakers' back door and jumped over the fence into the rear neighbor's yard. [1] He spent years on death row at the Polunsky Unit near Livingston, Texas, before the commutation of his sentence. The recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and my action on it, ensures Mr. Whitaker will never be released from prison. 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. A bullet hole is seen from inside of the feed room at the Moselle Road property on March 1, 2023. [Thomas Bartlett Whitaker, February 17, 2012][34], Whitaker had earlier stated, when his execution was still expected, that he felt that his father would be further victimized by the execution. If they pull up, she said in reference to police officers, and they see you with that shotgun, theyll probably shoot you, too. One of the problems with clemency is that the decision/reasoning is never in the public domain. Before the sentencing phase, both Kent Whitaker and Tricia Whitakers brother asked that Bart be spared the death penalty. Tricia Whitaker continued to moan in agony. Rudy ratted him out, and the law hauled Bart back to the U.S. Trio of convicts. "The decision of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles is supported by the totality of circumstances in this case. [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". Then, a buddy of Barts named Adam Hipp came forward five days after the murders and told police that Bart had tried to enlist him to shoot Barts parents two years earlier. The seven-member Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted unanimously to commute the sentence. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The story takes you through the sequence of events from the moment the family return home from a celebratory meal, through the shooting and the eventual trial of his one remaining son. I dont oppose it absolutely (ie, I cant claim it to be unquestionably wrong in cases where there is no question of guilt); but because (i) its unequally applied even between cases of certainty in the same state; (ii) it costs a fortune to execute someone due to necessary legal safeguards money that could be better spent; (iii) it typically takes at least 15 yrs to do it often much longer making it something of a farce; (iv) it harshly punishes the innocent loved ones of the perp, victimising them just as the perps victims loved ones were, it makes little sense. Police believe that while the Whitakers were out celebrating, Brashear entered the house, pried open the safe, and made an attempt at giving the master bedroom a ransacked look. Write all you want, Bart, but youre a true sociopath just playing all the angles, and youre never, ever getting out. Chris Brashear pleaded guilty in 2007 and received life with the possibility of parole after 30 years. Steven testified, and the prosecution stated that Bart tried to put such a plan in motion several times in the past. Tricia and Kevin died from their gunshot wounds, but Kent survived. P.O. Bart called 911, explaining that he was shot in the arm and had just chased the shooter out the back door. I also want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, and giveaways. From how the plan was hatched to Barts trial, sentence, and the stunning new development in the case, this book provides all the details. Texas Gov. He then heard the front door to his house open and saw his wife, Darlene, stick her head outside. "You're trying to take me somewhere you probably don't want to," Crosby said, starting a tense exchange between the attorneys. Thanks Rebecca I love the way you write, and its great that you can follow-up on some of the information that we cant access in the UK (I always try to google what happened to people in the programme). 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. Convenient scapegoat. His mother and The judge has agreed with a defense request to let jurors ride 40 minutes to see the sprawling property. Thus, he enjoyed the little time he was able to spend with Kent and Tricia Whitaker. You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/KillerInstinctPodcastFollow Savannah on IG: @savannahbrymer Next up, they focused on two of Barts co-workers from the Bentwater Yacht & Country Club near Lake Conroe. Bart didnt specifically refer to any plot, but a phone call recording caught him trying to bribe Adam to keep quiet in return for $20,000. Well known that the USs neighbour, Canada, has a much lower rate 1.6 raising the question why. He succeeded in annihilating two-thirds of the other Whitakers but, instead of an office visit with an estate attorney, Bart got himself a trial with a judge and jury. Want to keep reading? Cliff turned his attention back to the bleeding Whitaker parents. The Stanleys were watching a family show. So the couple believed Barts explanation that it was all a joke or misunderstanding when a college friend tipped off police about a murder plot. Tall tale. He looked at Kent and asked, What happened?, Kent looked at his friend with pleading eyes and reiterated, Im bleeding, Cliff.. After a tip came in from Barts high school friend claiming that Bart had plotted to kill his family a few years before, the police zeroed in on him as the mastermind behind the attack. Okay, buddy. Rebecca I couldnt find it, but it would be great if you reviewed it! 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. The authorities also directed Adam Tripp to try to get Bart to admit he planned his familys murder. Apparently, Barts bloodlust had been brewing for even longer than originally thought. Red herring. [citation needed][43], Whitaker won prizes in PEN America's Prison Writing Program for his essay "Hell's Kitchen",[44][d] This post is sponsored by Open Road Media. This seems to me the only potential mitigation against execution. The thought that a man with a gun might still be on the premises did not enter into his consciousness. Murdaugh, who has been disbarred, admitted to the thefts, which could carry decades in prison,on the stand last week. In 2003, Thomas Bart Whitaker plotted the murder of his family. Champagne also drove the getaway car although, he claimed, he really didnt want to get involved with the homicide plot but felt trapped. What a waste. Abbott accepted the state parole boards rare clemency recommendation. 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?

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