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. Box 13401 What a waste. Blueprint for murder. 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. Tricia Whitaker continued to moan in agony. He then heard the front door to his house open and saw his wife, Darlene, stick her head outside. Write all you want, Bart, but youre a true sociopath just playing all the angles, and youre never, ever getting out. He took over holding the bloody T-shirt used as a bandage and held it firmly in place. 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. He had dropped out of Sam Houston State University as a freshman, and had been lying to his family about being a student there for three years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McGreavy. 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. Patricia was then also shot in the chest, also falling to the floor. Let me see what I can do, Cliff attempted to calm his neighbor. His mother Tricia and brother Kevin both died. Until. in return for his admission of guilt, and was instead tried for capital murder. 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. Thank you for supporting our partners, who make it possible for The Lineup to continue publishing the horror stories you love. Help!. From how the plan was hatched to Barts trial, sentence, and the stunning new development in the case, this book provides all the details. 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. [16] Randy McDonald, attorney for the defense, rested their case on the same day, without calling witnesses, and the judge[who?] I dont want you getting shot.. Kent was also hit in the upper body but survived, and Bart escaped with a wound to his upper arm. Marcus I always enjoy reading your reflection on Rebeccas updates and each episode. [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. Murdaugh, who has been disbarred, admitted to the thefts, which could carry decades in prison,on the stand last week. Prosecutors have argued that Alex killed his wife and son to deflect attention and engender sympathy as a series of legal and financial troubles were about to explode. Texas halted Barts execution within hours of his date with a gurney and syringe. He told the hitman where Kevin kept his gun and asked him to stage a robbery. She was moaning in pain, but still conscious. Cliff bent his head and said a silent prayer for Kevin. (Murderers like to tell war stories, whether they happened or not Michael Peterson and John Boyle.). Judge Clifton Newman is allowing only the jury, attorneys from both sides, security and police, and a court reporter to come. Marcus, I have never seen such objective view wow. While testifying on the stand last week, Alex admitted to lying repeatedly to investigators, family, and law partners about his whereabouts the night of the killings, but denied ever harming Maggie and Paul. At least citizens should expect and demand consistency within the same state (cf Jeffrey Dillingham in my below post). Corrections officers pet. https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/severs-roger.htm (dont know the FF title). Abbott accepted the state parole boards rare clemency recommendation. [46] Scholarly attention has been directed toward this PEN program, noting that while PEN was an esteemed human rights organization known for the defense of free speech rights, in particular of persecuted writers, the Prison Writing Program presented a distinct agenda, namely in a "[belief] in the restorative and rehabilitative power of writing." And I will do my best to uphold my role in the system. He told AP: "As the greatest victim in this case, you don't have to convince me how awful this crime was.". The nineteen-year-old son of Tricia and Kent Whitaker stopped breathing. He felt so frustrated. 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. 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. WebBart Whitaker, arranged the murder of his family. got to do with justice (justice includes fair and equal treatment for all under law)? He heard Tricias last, wet coughs as Kent himself lay dying from his own gunshot wound. The overwhelming forgiveness offered by one victim is not of the order of distinctness necessary. You can watch the entire 48 Hours episode about the case online on a CBS news site. Famously, Norman Mailer corresponded with Abbott, praised his writing talent, helped him snag a book deal, and lobbied for his early release. Download Savage Son now. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ), Helen: Thanks and yes, I saw the Backhouse one; and another comes to mind: Police first checked out Adam Hipp himself as a suspect, but he had an alibi for the night of the shooting. [2][3] Abbott cited the fact that Whitaker did not fire the gun and that his father, Kent, "insists that he would be victimized again if the state put to death his last remaining immediate family member", as the reasons for the commutation. He was having a relaxing evening watching television. Brd. [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. Kent spent lots of time with his sons. Incredibly, Kent has since forgiven his son for orchestrating the killing of his son Kevin Whitaker and wife Patricia Whitaker, and has even visited him regularly while he was on death row. Good for you for writing to a condemned prisoner. Dr. Ellen Riemer testified Tuesday that she stood by the findings of her autopsy that the fatal shot was fired upward. 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. K: How kind but Im a Brit, so havent a cat in hells chance of being Governator (wasnt that Arnie of California?) handling of the prosecution's use of a phone recording between Hipp and Whitaker would become an element of the defense's later appeal of the verdict. With that penalty at stake, we must be concerned that justice really is so as much as reasonably possible. Cliff turned his attention back to the bleeding Whitaker parents. I understand that Mr Whitakers father is requesting your clemency. Cliff immediately headed in the direction of Kent Whitaker, his own safety not crossing his mind. 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. [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". WebThe gunfire killed Kevin, 19, at the scene; Kents wife of 28 years, Tricia, 51, died during transport to the hospital. His mother and brother were murdered, and his father was seriously hurt. Featured image of Kevin, Tricia, and Bart enjoy food and laughs at Pappadeaux Seafood Restaurant to celebrate Barts impending college graduation: Kent Whitaker. Please enter valid email address to continue. WebThe Mysterious Saga of the Whitaker Family Murders Family Shot in the Chest. He described her as just a very, very sweet person.. He began to load the shotgun with bullets when his wife stepped in front of him. 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. Texas is fortunate to have you working in their state. I think he was probably too calculating to admit that he was a lazy, work-shy neer do well who wanted the good life his parents had already been providing for him without the hard work they put in to give it to him. It was difficult to tell if it was actually Kevin or Bart, since it was dark inside the house. Bart. On December 10, 2003, the Whitaker family was celebrating the college graduation of their eldest son, Thomas Bartlettknown as Bart, with dinner at a local seafood restaurant. Instead, he returned back to the Whitakers front porch and attempted to comfort Kent. During her teaching days, Tricia was known for her kind and fun-loving approach to her job, according to friends who appeared on 20/20. Required fields are marked *. Does a low-achieving prisoner deserve less consideration over a matter he has no control over (intellectual capacity)? The Associated Press contributed to this report. The whole scenario took less than ten minutes. Related: Linda Wolfe: The Author Behind the Definitive Book on The Preppy Killer. He went to get his shotgun. "I think his intentions were well, but his methods were flawed," Kinsey said. Prosecutors also called back to the stand the pathologist who did the autopsies on the victims and their expert who studied the crime scene. Yes! For Bart would later tell ABCs 20/20 that he never felt as though he fit in. A neighbor named Cliff Stanley raced onto the scene and used his own T-shirt to stanch Kents bleeding bullet wound. Although no one knows whether Barts remorse was genuine, his polite, cooperative behavior behind razor wire impressed the guards so much that several of them wrote letters asking for clemency for Bart, according to the LA Times. [7] In that same time frame,[when?] Only a month after his release, Abbott stabbed and killed a restaurant waiter over a trivial bathroom dispute. 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. 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. [citation needed][43], Whitaker won prizes in PEN America's Prison Writing Program for his essay "Hell's Kitchen",[44][d] Brashear was the shooter, he said, and Bart had promised to cut both of his buddies in on a $1 million life insurance payout he would receive after his familys death. 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. Cliff tore out of his house and returned to the Whitakers. 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. 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The thought that a man with a gun might still be on the premises did not enter into his consciousness. [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.