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(insects chirping)
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TED KOPPEL:Randall Dale Adams,the subject of the film
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The Thin Blue Line,
was released on bail today
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for a crime he sayshe didn't commit.
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It's a curious way to have cometo where you are tonight.
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I mean, to be freed,in effect, because of a movie.
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There's the old saying,
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"There's no guilty peoplein prison."
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Luckily, I had onethat would listen to me.
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And you're talkingabout the director
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‐of The Thin Blue Line,
Errol Morris?‐Errol Morris.
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Well, as I learnedmore and more about the case,
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I came to believemore and more strongly
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in this man's innocence.
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After readingthis trial transcript,
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gradually, I became obsessedwith this particular case.
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And at that point,I knew I had to work as hard
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‐as I possibly could, uh,to seek his release.‐Hmm.
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Last month,he was released from prison
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and returned to his familyin Columbus, Ohio.
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This is after close to 13 yearsof imprisonment.
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I make this movie,
The Thin Blue Line, in Texas.
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The guy who turns out
to be innocent,
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the guy who is sentenced
to death,
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the guy who comes
within three days
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of being strapped
into Old Sparky,
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the Texas electric chair,
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for a murder, was innocent.
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NEWSMAN (on TV):When Adams flew home to Ohio,
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Errol Morris was waitingto greet him.
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(indistinct,
overlapping chatter)
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WOMAN:We'll give everybody a shot.
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MORRIS:Would I like to do it again?
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Yeah, of course I would.
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NEWSWOMAN:Errol Morris joins me nowfrom Boston.
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Let's start with thebiggest question, of course.
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What makes you believe
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that Jeffrey MacDonaldmight be innocent?
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Evidence.
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The wife and two youngdaughters of an Army doctor
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were found dead in their homein Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
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MIKE WALLACE:You may remember the crimeback in 1970.
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One of America's mostsensational murder cases.
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One of the most bizarremurder cases.
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DAN RATHER:The most complicatedmurder case
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‐in history.‐MacDonald says the murderers
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were three menand a woman shouting,
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"Acid is great.Kill all the pigs."
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It's a baffling story the moreyou begin to look into it.
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Jeffrey MacDonald's life becamethe subject of a book.
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BARBARA WALTERS:A popular miniseries.
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A television movie
called Fatal Vision.
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REPORTER:The best‐sellerportrayed MacDonald
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as a cold‐blooded killer.
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REPORTER 2:Today, MacDonald was sentenced
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to three life terms in prison.
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MAN: Something really,really bad happened here.
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It was a miscarriageof justice.
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I cannot overcome Fatal Vision.
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MORRIS:What happens when a narrative
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takes the place of reality?
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It's almost as if nothingreally happened in history
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unless it has beenrecorded in a movie
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or in a television series.
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WOMAN:A new book by acclaimedauthor and filmmaker
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Errol Morrissays that the case
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may be more complicatedthan previously thought.
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MacDONALD:I did not hurt my wifeor my children.
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HELENA:That evening I was wearing
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a blonde wig and a floppy hat.
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‐MAN: An innocent manis in jail today.‐MILDRED: The man is guilty
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‐as can be.‐I am innocent.
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He's lucky I haven'tgone out and killed him.
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MacDONALD:I am not that monster.
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♪♪ ♪♪
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‐Hello there.
‐How are you?
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Need to set up
the Interrotron...
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Yeah, I'm just gonna
put these over...
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‐MAN: Yes, we did.
‐Oh, it's for him?
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‐Oh, that's a great idea.
‐That's what I was thinking.
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‐That's fine.
‐Yeah.
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(laughing)
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(indistinct, distant chatter)
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Okay.
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‐MAN: That's out.
‐Okay.
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This is starting to look
like the Interrotron.
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Am I... am I directing here?
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(laughs)
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SMERLING:
Can we talkabout 2012?
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The hearing and, uh...?
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Yeah, that was...
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I mean, as this person
who did a lot of work
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and went through
the documentary process,
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you went down there
with all good intentions.
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It was... must have been
a tough experience.
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I went down there
because I'd been involved
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in working on the book
for a couple of years,
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and everything seemed
to be coming to a head.
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Um...
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It played out differently
than I expected.
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NEWSMAN:Now to a new development
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in one of the most sensationalcrimes in American history.
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40 years later,
he's getting another chance
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to tell a court once againhe's innocent.
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NEWSWOMAN:The doctor's new defense team
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assertsthat there's new evidence.
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NEWSMAN 3:His lawyer saysthis latest appeal
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may be MacDonald'sbest chance yet.
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NEWSWOMAN 2: Now new questionsare being raised about whether
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his first trialwas actually a fair one.
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I've always been optimistic
because I'm a great believer,
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uh, in justice.
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As far as I'm concerned,
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this is much ado about nothing.
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It's close to being farcical.
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I'm honored
to be married to him.
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I'm honored to be in his corner,
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and do anything I can
to help the truth.
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It was quite a scene.
It was very interesting.
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You know, uh, Matlock‐‐
the front of that building
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is where the series was alwaysfilmed at.
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Jeffrey MacDonald was there.
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He was not
what I had remembered.
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He was a little, tiny,
shrunk‐up man
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wi‐with a prison haircut,
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and he looked helpless.
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It was likehe was completely lost.
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The handsome guyat the trial in 1979‐‐
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well‐groomed and everything‐‐and now look at him.
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Looks like
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the portrait of Dorian Gray.
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(distant whispering)
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GORDON WIDENHOUSE: Would youstate your name for the record?
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MARY:My name is Mary Wood Britt.
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WIDENHOUSE: And were youmarried at one time
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‐to Jimmy Britt?
‐Yes, I was.
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WIDENHOUSE:Do you remember when
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the MacDonald trial started
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in federal court?
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MARY:Yes, I do.
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Jim worked the trialquite a bit.
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WIDENHOUSE:What was his primary job?
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MARY:He was Deputy U. S. Marshal.
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WIDENHOUSE:Do you feel like
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the trial had sort ofbeen emotionally adverse
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or bad impact on you?
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MARY:Yeah, it...
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Well, one thing I do remember
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that happenedduring the trial.
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I'd wake up during the night,
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and he was not in the bed.
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And I got upand went looking for him,
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and he was outin the side yard.
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He was very, very emotional,very upset.
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(phone ringing)
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WIDENHOUSE:Did you know Mr. Britt wasgoing to contact Wade Smith?
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MARY:No.
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(phone ringing)
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For years,
people would say to me,
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who‐who worked with him,
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"Wade, Jim Britt
has some information
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he needs to give you."
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And I would say, "Well,
tell him to give it to me."
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It was like
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a little bird pecking on an egg,
needed to get out.
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I said, "Well, Jim,
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"I need to put you under oath.
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Let me be a lawyer."
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Had him swear on the Bibleto tell the truth,
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and I had him tell the story.
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I then had him polygraphed.
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And he passed.
He passed the polygraph.
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JIMMY BRITT:I, Jimmy B. Britt, was one of
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the United States Marshalsassigned to the trial
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of Jeffrey MacDonald in 1979.
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I was assigned to travelto assume custody of a witness
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by the nameof Helena Stoeckley.
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I picked up Ms. Stoeckleyup at the county jail
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in Greenville, South Carolina
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and drove her back to Raleigh.
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During the course of thetravel, without any prompting
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from me whatsoever,
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Ms. Stoeckley brought upthe matter of the trial
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of Mr. MacDonald.
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She told me that she,in fact, along with others,
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was in Jeffrey MacDonald's homeon the night
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of the MacDonald murders.
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I knew at the time that what
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Ms. Stoeckley had saidwas very important.
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I remember her words clearly.
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And they're amongthe most important words
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I've ever heard in my life.
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(whirring)
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‐SMERLING:
Did you believe Jimmy Britt?
‐Yes.
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(indistinct chatter)
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BRITT:At the courthouse,
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I escorted Ms. Stoeckleyto the eighth floor
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to the United States Attorney'soffice.
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(door creaking)
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00:09:28,902 --> 00:09:31,337
As I recall,Mr. Blackburn sat behind a desk
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that was set at an angle
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in the northeast cornerof the office.
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Helena Stoeckley satat the center chair
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in the front of the desk,
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and I sat over to the sidenext to the window.
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SMITH:Mr. Britt told me
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that he was with Mr. Blackburnand Helena Stoeckley,
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and, uh,
Mr. Blackburn told Helena
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that if she said
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what she had been saying, that
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he would indict her for murder.
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♪♪ ♪♪
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WIDENHOUSE:Do you recall
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whether anythingunusual happened
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at the end of the trial?
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MARY:Yes.
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Jim came home from work early,
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which was very unusual,and I said,
219
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"You know, what‐what is it?"And he said,
220
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"They found Jeffrey MacDonaldguilty,"
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and that they told himto lock him up.
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And he said, "I was not doingany more of the dirty work.
223
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I was going home,"and he said, "I left."
224
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Moving testimony
from the widow of Jimmy Britt,
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00:10:50,817 --> 00:10:52,318
the federal marshal‐‐
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this was the crucialdefense witness in 1979,
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threatened by the prosecution.
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The justice systemhas its flaws,
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but I believe
that when all of the evidence
230
00:11:03,830 --> 00:11:05,766
of this case is presented,
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00:11:05,832 --> 00:11:08,034
that it will be absolutely clear
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there was a miscarriage
of justice in 1979.
233
00:11:10,403 --> 00:11:12,105
This man'll be set free.
234
00:11:16,577 --> 00:11:18,344
Day two of a court hearing
weighing potential new evidence
235
00:11:18,411 --> 00:11:20,747
in the infamous murder case
of Jeffrey MacDonald.
236
00:11:20,814 --> 00:11:22,215
This guy may be getting
out of jail, folks.
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NEWSMAN:Lawyers for Jeffrey MacDonald
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are building much of their caseon a sworn statement
239
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made in 2005 by a now‐deceasedfederal marshal.
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00:11:30,090 --> 00:11:31,825
That marshal, Jimmy Britt,
241
00:11:31,892 --> 00:11:33,459
claimed the lead prosecutorin MacDonald's
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00:11:33,527 --> 00:11:36,797
1979 trial threatenedto charge a defense witness
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00:11:36,863 --> 00:11:40,333
with murder if she testifiedthat she had anything to do
244
00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,769
with killingMacDonald's family.
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Do you think
that Britt overheard
246
00:11:45,806 --> 00:11:48,909
Blackburn threaten Helena?
247
00:11:48,975 --> 00:11:50,410
How the hell do I know?
248
00:11:50,476 --> 00:11:55,315
Do I think Blackburn threatened
Helena Stoeckley?
249
00:11:55,381 --> 00:11:56,783
Yeah.
250
00:11:57,951 --> 00:12:00,420
If I'm Blackburn,
251
00:12:00,486 --> 00:12:01,888
you're worried!
252
00:12:01,955 --> 00:12:04,390
This woman takes the stand,
she might
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00:12:04,457 --> 00:12:08,061
destroy your caseor she might weaken your case
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00:12:08,128 --> 00:12:13,499
in such a way thatthe jury can't convict, so...
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what do you do?
256
00:12:15,335 --> 00:12:18,772
‐Mr. Smerling?
‐(chuckles)
257
00:12:18,839 --> 00:12:20,841
(indistinct chatter)
258
00:12:20,907 --> 00:12:22,442
BLACKBURN:I go down there.
259
00:12:22,509 --> 00:12:24,144
There's a lot of people there.
260
00:12:24,210 --> 00:12:26,680
News media from
all over everywhere.
261
00:12:26,747 --> 00:12:29,482
And, uh...
262
00:12:29,550 --> 00:12:31,184
I testified.
263
00:12:32,418 --> 00:12:33,987
JOHN BRUCE:The next witness we would like
264
00:12:34,054 --> 00:12:36,990
to call is Mr. Jim Blackburn.
265
00:12:39,159 --> 00:12:40,661
An FBI agent friend of mine
comes up and says,
266
00:12:40,727 --> 00:12:42,362
"Jim, they're gonna try
to kill you."
267
00:12:42,428 --> 00:12:44,197
He was right.
268
00:12:44,264 --> 00:12:45,966
BRUCE:Uh, Mr. Blackburn?
269
00:12:46,032 --> 00:12:48,201
‐Yes.‐Did you get into some trouble?
270
00:12:48,268 --> 00:12:51,304
‐I got into a lot of trouble.‐Did the trouble result
271
00:12:51,371 --> 00:12:53,540
in your conviction of crimes?
272
00:12:53,607 --> 00:12:55,275
Yes.
273
00:12:55,341 --> 00:12:57,944
Here's something to ponder
in this particular case,
274
00:12:58,011 --> 00:13:00,180
and it'll be discussed
during these ten days.
275
00:13:00,246 --> 00:13:02,482
Number one, the prosecutor is
276
00:13:02,549 --> 00:13:05,218
a disbarred attorneyright now for fraud.
277
00:13:05,285 --> 00:13:07,954
He has psychiatric issues.
I don't know when they started.
278
00:13:08,021 --> 00:13:10,957
‐I know that...
‐You know that for a fact?
279
00:13:11,024 --> 00:13:12,659
Well, that's what
the basis of his felony
280
00:13:12,726 --> 00:13:14,227
convictions was
that he was driven to...
281
00:13:14,294 --> 00:13:16,362
The prosecutor was
convicted of felonies?
282
00:13:16,429 --> 00:13:19,733
12 felony counts and he spent
time in federal prison.
283
00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,435
I had trouble
telling clients no.
284
00:13:22,503 --> 00:13:23,870
I really did.
285
00:13:23,937 --> 00:13:26,540
And got where I made stuff up.
286
00:13:26,607 --> 00:13:29,009
You were writing an orderthat you knew was false
287
00:13:29,075 --> 00:13:30,110
when you were writing it?
288
00:13:30,176 --> 00:13:32,245
‐Yes.
‐Those are crimes
289
00:13:32,312 --> 00:13:34,615
that involvefalse representations?
290
00:13:34,681 --> 00:13:36,116
‐Yes.
‐Don't they?
291
00:13:36,182 --> 00:13:38,284
And you knew they were wrongwhen you did it, didn't you?
292
00:13:38,351 --> 00:13:41,354
‐Yes.
‐And that's really where things
293
00:13:41,421 --> 00:13:44,625
‐completely fall apart?‐It is.
294
00:13:44,691 --> 00:13:47,561
I'm not proud of it at all.
295
00:13:47,628 --> 00:13:49,429
It's awful.
296
00:13:49,495 --> 00:13:51,565
I was a good lawyer
297
00:13:51,632 --> 00:13:55,769
for a long time
with a stellar reputation.
298
00:13:55,836 --> 00:13:58,639
And then I didn't have it.
299
00:13:58,705 --> 00:14:00,774
Let me just say this, Steve.
300
00:14:00,841 --> 00:14:05,245
I know as well as anybodyin this courtroom
301
00:14:05,311 --> 00:14:08,582
the consequencesof doing these things.
302
00:14:08,649 --> 00:14:13,486
I want you to know I wouldnever in a million years
303
00:14:13,554 --> 00:14:17,290
say somethingfrom this witness stand
304
00:14:17,357 --> 00:14:20,426
that was untrueto keep Dr. MacDonald
305
00:14:20,493 --> 00:14:23,363
or anybody elsein any situation
306
00:14:23,429 --> 00:14:27,701
because it justis not worth it.
307
00:14:27,768 --> 00:14:30,904
BRUCE:Now, in 1979,you were representing
308
00:14:30,971 --> 00:14:33,173
the United States government,which was the adversary
309
00:14:33,239 --> 00:14:36,042
of Jeffrey MacDonaldin this case, is that right?
310
00:14:36,109 --> 00:14:38,612
BLACKBURN:Yes.
311
00:14:38,679 --> 00:14:40,013
I'm sitting opposite Helena.
312
00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:42,415
We introduce ourselves,who we are.
313
00:14:42,482 --> 00:14:44,317
I remember saying to her,"Helena, were you there?
314
00:14:44,384 --> 00:14:47,688
Did you have anything
to do with this case?"
315
00:14:47,754 --> 00:14:49,790
And she says to me,
316
00:14:49,856 --> 00:14:52,559
"No, I was not there."
317
00:14:52,626 --> 00:14:55,061
And then you can hearthe air go out of the room.
318
00:14:55,128 --> 00:14:56,730
Everybody sort of relaxes.
319
00:14:56,797 --> 00:14:58,799
So I follow up, I say,
320
00:14:58,865 --> 00:15:01,735
"Did you recognize any of thescenes in this photograph?"
321
00:15:01,802 --> 00:15:04,070
The answer was no.I asked her, "Have you
322
00:15:04,137 --> 00:15:05,772
ever been to that house?"She said no.
323
00:15:05,839 --> 00:15:08,241
I said, "Do you knowanything about that?" "No."
324
00:15:08,308 --> 00:15:10,310
"Who do you think did it?""Dr. MacDonald."
325
00:15:10,376 --> 00:15:14,347
You know, it just went oneright after the other.
326
00:15:14,414 --> 00:15:16,783
And finally, at one point,
she turns to me, she says,
327
00:15:16,850 --> 00:15:21,321
"Mr. Blackburn, is there any
evidence that I was there?"
328
00:15:21,387 --> 00:15:23,056
And I said,"No, Helena, there's not.
329
00:15:23,123 --> 00:15:25,225
"The only evidencethat you were there
330
00:15:25,291 --> 00:15:27,060
are your own statements."
331
00:15:27,127 --> 00:15:30,463
BRUCE:Did you at any timeduring the interview
332
00:15:30,531 --> 00:15:34,434
of Helena Stoeckleythreaten to prosecute her
333
00:15:34,500 --> 00:15:37,170
for the murdersof Jeffrey MacDonald's family?
334
00:15:37,237 --> 00:15:39,673
No, I never did that.
335
00:15:42,008 --> 00:15:43,544
BRUCE:Were there any people
336
00:15:43,610 --> 00:15:45,011
other than the assistantU. S. attorneys
337
00:15:45,078 --> 00:15:47,914
and the U. S. attorney andHelena Stoeckley in the room
338
00:15:47,981 --> 00:15:49,683
during the interview?
339
00:15:49,750 --> 00:15:52,285
BLACKBURN:No.
340
00:15:54,655 --> 00:15:55,756
He was never in the room.
341
00:15:55,822 --> 00:15:56,957
Never.
342
00:15:57,023 --> 00:15:58,992
We would not have asked him
to be in the room.
343
00:15:59,059 --> 00:16:03,229
It is absolutely untrue.
344
00:16:03,296 --> 00:16:07,100
And another word for untrue
is a lie.
345
00:16:12,573 --> 00:16:14,040
Prosecutors will call more
witnesses today at a hearing
346
00:16:14,107 --> 00:16:15,041
in the so‐called
Fatal Vision case.
347
00:16:15,108 --> 00:16:16,242
A former Green Beret doctor
348
00:16:16,309 --> 00:16:18,278
convicted of killinghis pregnant wife
349
00:16:18,344 --> 00:16:20,046
and two daughtersfighting for a new trial
350
00:16:20,113 --> 00:16:22,683
more than 40 yearsafter the crime.
351
00:16:22,749 --> 00:16:24,484
REPORTER: A big part of thecurrent MacDonald hearing
352
00:16:24,551 --> 00:16:27,588
revolves around a statementby former marshal Jimmy Britt.
353
00:16:27,654 --> 00:16:30,323
Britt claimed he picked upHelena Stoeckley
354
00:16:30,390 --> 00:16:31,457
and brought her to Raleigh.
355
00:16:31,525 --> 00:16:32,793
He said Stoeckley told him
356
00:16:32,859 --> 00:16:34,494
she thought she wasin the apartment
357
00:16:34,561 --> 00:16:37,263
and her friends murderedhis wife and daughters.
358
00:16:37,330 --> 00:16:39,800
This afternoon,former prosecutor Jim Blackburn
359
00:16:39,866 --> 00:16:41,735
took the stand to cast doubt
360
00:16:41,802 --> 00:16:45,539
on one of the keysto the defense case.
361
00:16:45,606 --> 00:16:48,909
BRUCE: Mr. Blackburn,did there come a time
362
00:16:48,975 --> 00:16:51,311
during the trial that
363
00:16:51,377 --> 00:16:54,681
the presence of HelenaStoeckley became an issue?
364
00:16:54,748 --> 00:16:57,518
BLACKBURN:Yes, she was to be arrested
365
00:16:57,584 --> 00:16:59,586
and brought backto North Carolina to testify
366
00:16:59,653 --> 00:17:01,287
as a material witnessin the case.
367
00:17:01,354 --> 00:17:02,823
BRUCE:And what werethe circumstances?
368
00:17:02,889 --> 00:17:04,791
BLACKBURN:Well, the circumstances were
369
00:17:04,858 --> 00:17:07,528
that, uh, I thinkshe had been located.
370
00:17:07,594 --> 00:17:11,698
Pickens County Jail iswhat I've been told.
371
00:17:11,765 --> 00:17:14,300
BRUCE:Jimmy Britt says he traveled
372
00:17:14,367 --> 00:17:16,169
from Raleigh to South Carolina
373
00:17:16,236 --> 00:17:18,138
to transport Helena Stoeckley
374
00:17:18,204 --> 00:17:20,006
back to Raleigh duringthe MacDonald trial.
375
00:17:20,073 --> 00:17:22,909
(bell dings)
376
00:17:22,976 --> 00:17:24,477
BLACKBURN:Jimmy Britt,
377
00:17:24,545 --> 00:17:27,380
who claimed that he drove her
and that she confessed
378
00:17:27,447 --> 00:17:30,984
and also told himabout meeting with me.
379
00:17:31,051 --> 00:17:33,386
He didn't drive her.
380
00:17:36,289 --> 00:17:38,725
That trip never happened.
381
00:17:38,792 --> 00:17:40,727
The way they found out
382
00:17:40,794 --> 00:17:42,395
who did drive her‐‐
383
00:17:42,462 --> 00:17:44,264
well, Pickens County Jail
384
00:17:44,330 --> 00:17:47,968
is an old county.
385
00:17:48,034 --> 00:17:49,636
And the paper records showed
386
00:17:49,703 --> 00:17:51,672
who it was.
387
00:17:55,375 --> 00:17:58,211
BRUCE:The true facts are that Brittwas not given the task at all
388
00:17:58,278 --> 00:18:00,113
to transport herfrom South Carolina.
389
00:18:00,180 --> 00:18:02,382
What is the evidence of this?
390
00:18:05,451 --> 00:18:08,655
Now I'd like to callmy next witness.
391
00:18:08,722 --> 00:18:11,692
‐Would you state your name, sir?
‐Dennis Meehan.
392
00:18:11,758 --> 00:18:13,459
BRUCE:Were you givenany assignment in connection
393
00:18:13,527 --> 00:18:16,262
with that transportationof Helena Stoeckley?
394
00:18:16,329 --> 00:18:19,332
‐Yes, I was.
‐And what was that assignment?
395
00:18:19,399 --> 00:18:22,168
MEEHAN:To, uh, transfer her fromCharlotte, North Carolina
396
00:18:22,235 --> 00:18:24,337
to Raleigh, North Carolina.
397
00:18:24,404 --> 00:18:27,941
BRUCE:What was the exact spot whereyou were supposed to meet?
398
00:18:28,008 --> 00:18:31,244
MEEHAN:It was at the intersectionof, uh,
399
00:18:31,311 --> 00:18:34,815
I‐77, I‐85.
400
00:18:34,881 --> 00:18:36,717
BRUCE:Now, when you gotto the meeting point,
401
00:18:36,783 --> 00:18:39,820
was the person that you weremeeting already there?
402
00:18:39,886 --> 00:18:42,388
MEEHAN:Yes, I believe they were. Yeah.
403
00:18:42,455 --> 00:18:44,157
BRUCE:Can you describe him?
404
00:18:44,224 --> 00:18:47,060
MEEHAN:He was a tall, uh, Black man.
405
00:18:47,127 --> 00:18:49,630
BRUCE:All right, what happenedafter you met at the,
406
00:18:49,696 --> 00:18:51,765
uh, place thereat the intersection?
407
00:18:51,832 --> 00:18:54,701
MEEHAN:We switched out restraints.I placed her in the car.
408
00:18:54,768 --> 00:18:58,138
And we parted directlyto the Wake County Jail.
409
00:18:59,740 --> 00:19:03,243
BRUCE:Now, was Deputy U. S. MarshalJimmy Britt
410
00:19:03,309 --> 00:19:06,813
involved in the transportfrom Charlotte to Raleigh?
411
00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:08,882
MEEHAN:No.
412
00:19:11,518 --> 00:19:13,720
BRUCE:No further questions,Your Honor.
413
00:19:16,823 --> 00:19:18,859
Jimmy Britt,
unfortunately, was a liar.
414
00:19:18,925 --> 00:19:23,396
The trip from South Carolina
to North Carolina never existed.
415
00:19:23,463 --> 00:19:26,432
If a man cannot tell
the truth about one thing,
416
00:19:26,499 --> 00:19:30,070
how can we consider his evidence
on something else?
417
00:19:30,136 --> 00:19:32,472
REPORTER:Do you thinkthe judge will believe
418
00:19:32,539 --> 00:19:36,242
the affidavits from Mr. Brittor Mr. Blackburn?
419
00:19:36,309 --> 00:19:39,312
If anyone was to go
into Mr. Britt's, um...
420
00:19:39,379 --> 00:19:42,248
(smacks lips)
reputation as a marshal,
421
00:19:42,315 --> 00:19:43,750
all you have to do
is look that up.
422
00:19:43,817 --> 00:19:46,753
He was one of the top,
most respected marshals.
423
00:19:46,820 --> 00:19:49,556
Nothing on his record.
(stammering)
424
00:19:51,291 --> 00:19:54,327
I ask you to look up
Mr. Britt's record.
425
00:20:01,401 --> 00:20:03,236
BRUCE: Your relationshipwith Jimmy Britt
426
00:20:03,303 --> 00:20:04,738
was one of supervisor
427
00:20:04,805 --> 00:20:07,541
‐to subordinate, is that right?
‐Yes.
428
00:20:07,608 --> 00:20:11,211
BRUCE:How would you characterize himas an employee?
429
00:20:11,277 --> 00:20:14,715
(chuckles)
An attention seeker.
430
00:20:21,588 --> 00:20:23,423
BRUCE:Would you state your name, sir?
431
00:20:23,489 --> 00:20:26,593
BERRYHILL:I'm William I. Berryhill, Jr.
432
00:20:26,660 --> 00:20:28,028
BRUCE:Did you get to know Jimmy Britt
433
00:20:28,094 --> 00:20:31,732
as an employee
in your marshal's office?
434
00:20:31,798 --> 00:20:34,735
BERRYHILL:I knew him extremely well.
435
00:20:34,801 --> 00:20:36,002
BRUCE:Now, did you haveproblems with him
436
00:20:36,069 --> 00:20:38,471
when he was underyour supervision?
437
00:20:41,407 --> 00:20:42,909
BERRYHILL:Constantly.
438
00:20:47,113 --> 00:20:52,485
I would say he was
a‐a very marginal employee.
439
00:20:56,289 --> 00:20:57,991
I found, uh, Jimmy Britt
440
00:20:58,058 --> 00:21:02,195
to be rather large in egoand, uh, rather small
441
00:21:02,262 --> 00:21:04,330
when it came to veracity.
442
00:21:11,137 --> 00:21:13,339
(bell dings)
443
00:21:19,846 --> 00:21:21,515
BRUCE:Jimmy Britt had nothing to do
444
00:21:21,582 --> 00:21:24,618
with the transportationof Helena Stoeckley.
445
00:21:24,685 --> 00:21:27,588
The one contactthat the evidence shows
446
00:21:27,654 --> 00:21:29,823
that Jimmy Britt actually had
447
00:21:29,890 --> 00:21:32,826
with Helena Stoeckleywas transporting her
448
00:21:32,893 --> 00:21:35,596
seven and a half blocksfrom Wake County Jail
449
00:21:35,662 --> 00:21:37,397
to the federal building.
450
00:21:37,463 --> 00:21:41,201
I submit that it strainsall credulity
451
00:21:41,267 --> 00:21:43,937
that during thatseven‐and‐a‐half‐block ride,
452
00:21:44,004 --> 00:21:47,107
that Helena Stoeckley decidedto bare her soul
453
00:21:47,173 --> 00:21:49,375
and confessto the MacDonald murders
454
00:21:49,442 --> 00:21:51,344
to Jimmy Britt,who she had never met
455
00:21:51,411 --> 00:21:53,514
before that day.
456
00:21:56,082 --> 00:21:57,751
REPORTER:
Kathryn, you want to talk
a little about
457
00:21:57,818 --> 00:21:59,285
how you feel
about this afternoon
458
00:21:59,352 --> 00:22:00,353
and how testimony went?
459
00:22:00,420 --> 00:22:02,589
The prosecution had
a pretty big day.
460
00:22:02,656 --> 00:22:04,257
I don't think so.
I think everything went
461
00:22:04,324 --> 00:22:05,659
exactly as I expected.
462
00:22:05,726 --> 00:22:06,760
I knew what they were
going to say
463
00:22:06,827 --> 00:22:09,062
and who was gonna say what
and so forth.
464
00:22:09,129 --> 00:22:11,665
Um, what do you think
the defense counsel
465
00:22:11,732 --> 00:22:14,968
now needs to do to keep their,
you know, claim alive
466
00:22:15,035 --> 00:22:17,437
and to sway the judge?
467
00:22:17,504 --> 00:22:19,105
I don't think we've‐‐
I don't think
468
00:22:19,172 --> 00:22:20,574
our claim has gone anywhere.
469
00:22:20,641 --> 00:22:23,977
And I‐I don't look at it
from that perspective at all.
470
00:22:30,183 --> 00:22:31,718
And now we're gonna turn next
to the infamous murder case
471
00:22:31,785 --> 00:22:33,520
and the woman who is fighting
for the release
472
00:22:33,587 --> 00:22:35,989
of the convicted murderer
she married
473
00:22:36,056 --> 00:22:37,223
as he is serving
three life sentences.
474
00:22:37,290 --> 00:22:39,960
‐It's nice to have you here.
‐Thank you so much.
475
00:22:40,026 --> 00:22:43,396
♪♪ ♪♪
476
00:22:43,463 --> 00:22:46,466
KATHRYN: I put about a thousandmiles on the car every week.
477
00:22:46,533 --> 00:22:49,002
REPORTER:Three times a week,this woman makes
478
00:22:49,069 --> 00:22:50,571
the 140‐mile drive
479
00:22:50,637 --> 00:22:53,774
from her homeoutside of Washington D. C.
480
00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:54,741
KATHRYN:He's just so warm,
481
00:22:54,808 --> 00:22:59,012
and he's so kind
and so smart, and...
482
00:22:59,079 --> 00:23:01,548
that love of life‐‐
I think that is something
483
00:23:01,615 --> 00:23:03,316
I really gravitated to.
484
00:23:03,383 --> 00:23:04,551
You don't think
you're being duped?
485
00:23:04,618 --> 00:23:06,887
Oh, absolutely not.
(chuckles)
486
00:23:06,953 --> 00:23:09,189
When I found out that
he and Kathryn MacDonald
487
00:23:09,255 --> 00:23:12,793
were married,
I called the prison to ask,
488
00:23:12,859 --> 00:23:14,961
"How can you allow this?"
489
00:23:15,028 --> 00:23:16,496
I was mad.
490
00:23:16,563 --> 00:23:19,666
I said, "I think you shouldhave taken into consideration
491
00:23:19,733 --> 00:23:24,304
that he's a widower
because he killed his wife."
492
00:23:24,370 --> 00:23:27,473
I got to hang up at that point.
493
00:23:27,541 --> 00:23:29,576
Is there something about you
that had you
494
00:23:29,643 --> 00:23:32,412
go that direction in your life?
495
00:23:32,478 --> 00:23:35,448
No. I think it's something
about him.
496
00:23:35,516 --> 00:23:36,917
He's innocent.
497
00:23:36,983 --> 00:23:39,052
LARRY KING: Do you thinkyou're gonna win this?
498
00:23:40,186 --> 00:23:42,155
I have every confidence that,
499
00:23:42,222 --> 00:23:44,390
if there is justice,
500
00:23:44,457 --> 00:23:47,694
if someone
will just listen to us,
501
00:23:47,761 --> 00:23:50,030
then we will win
and Jeff'll come home.
502
00:23:50,096 --> 00:23:51,497
Thanks, Kathryn.
503
00:23:51,565 --> 00:23:53,199
‐Thank you so much.
‐Mm‐hmm.
504
00:23:53,266 --> 00:23:58,038
Kathryn MacDonald, the wife
of Captain Jeffrey MacDonald.
505
00:23:59,072 --> 00:24:01,808
I'll see better
without my glasses.
506
00:24:04,545 --> 00:24:07,514
Uh, an affidavit drafted by...
507
00:24:07,581 --> 00:24:09,850
Hart Miles' law firm
508
00:24:09,916 --> 00:24:13,720
on behalf of Kathryn MacDonald.
509
00:24:13,787 --> 00:24:17,190
Uh, this was witnessed
and then signed by my mother.
510
00:24:19,025 --> 00:24:20,293
EUGENE:
Sure.
511
00:24:20,360 --> 00:24:22,495
Uh, "I am the motherof Helena Stoeckley Davis,
512
00:24:22,563 --> 00:24:24,064
"who is now deceased.
513
00:24:24,130 --> 00:24:25,766
"I was very closeto my daughter
514
00:24:25,832 --> 00:24:27,534
"and held her confidences.
515
00:24:27,601 --> 00:24:31,304
"After the murders of Jeffrey
MacDonald's wife and children,
516
00:24:31,371 --> 00:24:33,439
"my daughter wanted
to set the record straight
517
00:24:33,507 --> 00:24:36,643
"about the MacDonald murders,
and knew that Dr. MacDonald
518
00:24:36,710 --> 00:24:39,079
was innocent."
519
00:24:39,145 --> 00:24:41,748
♪♪ ♪♪
520
00:24:41,815 --> 00:24:43,584
NEWSWOMAN:Potential bombshell testimony
521
00:24:43,650 --> 00:24:48,622
from one Eugene Stoeckley,who claims his sister confessed
522
00:24:48,689 --> 00:24:51,257
she was presentat the killings.
523
00:24:51,324 --> 00:24:54,094
Helena Stoeckley died in 1983.
524
00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,697
WIDENHOUSE:Could you state your namefor the record?
525
00:24:56,763 --> 00:24:59,165
Uh, Eugene Bernard Stoeckley.
526
00:24:59,232 --> 00:25:01,635
SMERLING:What did you think of Eugene?
527
00:25:01,702 --> 00:25:04,170
I thought he was
a little nervous on the stand.
528
00:25:04,237 --> 00:25:07,140
My first thought was maybe
he had restless legs syndrome.
529
00:25:07,207 --> 00:25:09,843
(laughs):Because he kept moving so much.
530
00:25:09,910 --> 00:25:13,113
I think he thought he was doing
531
00:25:13,179 --> 00:25:17,884
what he should do,
and that's what he did.
532
00:25:17,951 --> 00:25:19,820
WIDENHOUSE:Good morning, Mr. Stoeckley.
533
00:25:19,886 --> 00:25:22,355
Did there come a timewhen your mother
534
00:25:22,422 --> 00:25:25,792
was no longer able to liveon her own?
535
00:25:25,859 --> 00:25:27,594
EUGENE:Yes.
536
00:25:28,795 --> 00:25:32,365
My mother's healthstarted deteriorating,
537
00:25:32,432 --> 00:25:35,702
and physicallythings were taking its toll.
538
00:25:35,769 --> 00:25:37,337
She had emphysema.
539
00:25:37,403 --> 00:25:39,906
I remember sitting therein that room
540
00:25:39,973 --> 00:25:43,176
for about three daysaround the clock.
541
00:25:45,879 --> 00:25:49,750
One evening in there with her,you know, she said
542
00:25:49,816 --> 00:25:51,852
that Helena
kind of bared her soul.
543
00:25:51,918 --> 00:25:53,987
Knowing that her time was short,
544
00:25:54,054 --> 00:25:57,591
she felt quite sure of it,knew she was dying.
545
00:25:57,658 --> 00:25:59,392
WIDENHOUSE:What did she tell you
546
00:25:59,459 --> 00:26:03,163
when you asked herabout the MacDonald issue?
547
00:26:03,229 --> 00:26:06,399
EUGENE:She said that Helenawas there...
548
00:26:06,466 --> 00:26:09,135
‐that night.‐Okay, and by‐by "there,"
549
00:26:09,202 --> 00:26:10,671
what did she mean?
550
00:26:10,737 --> 00:26:13,640
EUGENE: Present at the housethe night of the murders.
551
00:26:13,707 --> 00:26:16,543
She told me that she believed
552
00:26:16,610 --> 00:26:19,112
that Dr. MacDonald
shouldn't be in prison.
553
00:26:19,179 --> 00:26:23,183
So I asked Mother, I said, uh,"Have you told anybody?"
554
00:26:23,249 --> 00:26:26,286
You know, and she said,"Well, nobody's gonna listen."
555
00:26:26,352 --> 00:26:28,354
And I said,
"What if somebody would?"
556
00:26:28,421 --> 00:26:32,726
(sniffles) And she just,
she said, "Well, I'd tell 'em.
557
00:26:32,793 --> 00:26:35,361
You know, tell 'em
what she told me."
558
00:26:35,428 --> 00:26:38,632
The last thing I wanted wasto draw attention
559
00:26:38,699 --> 00:26:41,167
to the remainingfamily members,
560
00:26:41,234 --> 00:26:43,837
but I feltsomehow morally obligated
561
00:26:43,904 --> 00:26:46,206
to tell somebody.
562
00:26:49,009 --> 00:26:50,944
BRUCE:Thank you.
563
00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:55,415
BRUCE:Now, I believe you indicated
564
00:26:55,481 --> 00:26:57,417
on direct examinationthat after your mother
565
00:26:57,483 --> 00:26:59,419
told you this, it weighedheavily on your mind.
566
00:26:59,485 --> 00:27:01,722
‐That's correct.
‐And you decided
567
00:27:01,788 --> 00:27:04,257
not to call anybody connectedwith law enforcement,
568
00:27:04,324 --> 00:27:05,559
is that right?
569
00:27:05,626 --> 00:27:07,794
‐That's correct.
‐And instead
570
00:27:07,861 --> 00:27:11,431
you went on the Internet andfound the MacDonald website?
571
00:27:11,497 --> 00:27:14,000
That's correct.
572
00:27:18,672 --> 00:27:20,373
EUGENE:So, I contacted Kathryn‐‐
573
00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:24,711
I think it was online,and I saw she had a website‐‐
574
00:27:24,778 --> 00:27:26,379
and her response was immediate.
575
00:27:28,882 --> 00:27:30,350
And at the same time,
576
00:27:30,416 --> 00:27:33,720
I think she immediatelycontacted the attorneys.
577
00:27:36,523 --> 00:27:38,659
(over phone): Helena confessedto her own mother.
578
00:27:38,725 --> 00:27:40,226
Why would she say that?
579
00:27:40,293 --> 00:27:42,729
There was nothing wrongwith that woman mentally.
580
00:27:42,796 --> 00:27:44,464
She was sharp as a tack.
581
00:27:44,531 --> 00:27:46,633
And our lawyers were there.
582
00:27:46,700 --> 00:27:49,603
And, you know, a deathbedconfession is considered,
583
00:27:49,670 --> 00:27:51,905
you know, irrefutable.
584
00:27:52,873 --> 00:27:54,541
CLARENCE:I got a call
585
00:27:54,608 --> 00:27:56,543
from Gene late one night.
586
00:27:56,610 --> 00:27:59,813
He said, "We need to go.
I'm gonna come pick you up.
587
00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:01,915
Mom's in the hospital."
588
00:28:01,982 --> 00:28:03,684
She wanted
to get it off her chest
589
00:28:03,750 --> 00:28:07,087
that Helena had told her
that she was there.
590
00:28:08,354 --> 00:28:10,023
BRUCE: I understandthat your brother‐‐
591
00:28:10,090 --> 00:28:11,792
now, this is your brotherClarence?
592
00:28:11,858 --> 00:28:13,493
‐EUGENE: Right.‐Is it fair to say
593
00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:16,229
that he was not supportiveof this effort
594
00:28:16,296 --> 00:28:19,199
‐that you were undertaking?‐Absolutely.
595
00:28:20,667 --> 00:28:22,836
♪♪ ♪♪
596
00:28:24,037 --> 00:28:25,972
CLARENCE:Mrs. MacDonald showed up,
597
00:28:26,039 --> 00:28:28,208
and she brought rosesand everything.
598
00:28:28,274 --> 00:28:29,776
I met her.
599
00:28:29,843 --> 00:28:32,078
And they went in, talked.
600
00:28:39,886 --> 00:28:43,423
Here we go,
another adaption of the story.
601
00:28:43,489 --> 00:28:45,125
♪♪ ♪♪
602
00:28:51,097 --> 00:28:52,432
It is.
603
00:28:52,498 --> 00:28:54,467
♪♪ ♪♪
604
00:29:03,443 --> 00:29:06,613
The truth is likea little chick inside a egg,
605
00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:08,849
and it's peckingand pecking and pecking,
606
00:29:08,915 --> 00:29:11,117
and finallyit just breaks open.
607
00:29:11,184 --> 00:29:12,853
And that's what I see
608
00:29:12,919 --> 00:29:14,655
happening here.
609
00:29:14,721 --> 00:29:16,623
SMERLING:Certainly, the MacDonald camp
610
00:29:16,690 --> 00:29:19,760
made it sound like she believed
that she was there.
611
00:29:19,826 --> 00:29:21,628
Of course.
(chuckles)
612
00:29:21,695 --> 00:29:23,864
Of course.
613
00:29:23,930 --> 00:29:26,299
There's an affidavit...
from Helena's mother
614
00:29:26,366 --> 00:29:29,369
saying that
she had said she was there.
615
00:29:35,642 --> 00:29:37,578
WIDENHOUSE:Can you tell us a little bit
616
00:29:37,644 --> 00:29:41,447
about your sisterhaving been associated
617
00:29:41,515 --> 00:29:44,084
with the MacDonaldinvestigation?
618
00:29:44,150 --> 00:29:46,252
Did it have any impact
619
00:29:46,319 --> 00:29:49,890
on... towards your family lifethat you can recall?
620
00:29:49,956 --> 00:29:53,259
Oh, absolutely,
it had an impact.
621
00:29:53,326 --> 00:29:57,463
To think that anybodythat would involve themselves
622
00:29:57,531 --> 00:30:00,901
with something so horrific
just for attention...
623
00:30:00,967 --> 00:30:03,169
I almost saw that as worse
624
00:30:03,236 --> 00:30:06,439
than actually if she
had been there as they said.
625
00:30:06,507 --> 00:30:08,775
At the time,I was ten years old,
626
00:30:08,842 --> 00:30:10,944
and I avoided
627
00:30:11,011 --> 00:30:13,479
most social situations where...
628
00:30:13,547 --> 00:30:15,448
people would drawthe conclusion
629
00:30:15,516 --> 00:30:17,784
that I was relatedto Helena Stoeckley.
630
00:30:17,851 --> 00:30:19,319
(sighs):I would deny it.
631
00:30:19,385 --> 00:30:21,354
You know,it took me quite a while
632
00:30:21,421 --> 00:30:23,890
into my adult lifebefore I was able
633
00:30:23,957 --> 00:30:26,893
to quit trying to hide from it.
634
00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,295
It was a coming of terms
635
00:30:29,362 --> 00:30:32,533
with everything that I'd...
tried to hide from.
636
00:30:32,599 --> 00:30:36,937
You know, that day,
I had to face it head‐on.
637
00:30:37,003 --> 00:30:39,172
♪♪ ♪♪
638
00:30:43,510 --> 00:30:45,946
Thinking back on it,
it was more of a...
639
00:30:46,012 --> 00:30:48,281
liberating experience,or therapy,
640
00:30:48,348 --> 00:30:50,984
and it kind of set me freein a way.
641
00:30:51,051 --> 00:30:53,319
You know, it just, uh...
642
00:30:54,588 --> 00:30:56,957
I needed it.
643
00:30:59,359 --> 00:31:02,529
I would never deny heras being my sister...
644
00:31:02,596 --> 00:31:03,597
again.
645
00:31:03,664 --> 00:31:05,932
You know, never.
646
00:31:08,268 --> 00:31:11,404
CLARENCE:I think Mom said what she said
647
00:31:11,471 --> 00:31:15,075
to Gene, that Helena told her
that she was there,
648
00:31:15,141 --> 00:31:19,179
so it'd be off her chest when...
when she passed.
649
00:31:19,245 --> 00:31:21,815
Mom could pass...
650
00:31:21,882 --> 00:31:23,917
with dignity and...
651
00:31:23,984 --> 00:31:25,619
nothing held back.
652
00:31:27,754 --> 00:31:29,355
I don't think
653
00:31:29,422 --> 00:31:31,224
she ever believed
that she was there.
654
00:31:37,463 --> 00:31:39,332
NEWSMAN: Being sought are four
suspects, including a woman
655
00:31:39,399 --> 00:31:41,401
who was describedas having long blonde hair,
656
00:31:41,467 --> 00:31:44,137
wearing cowboy boots,and carrying a candle.
657
00:31:44,204 --> 00:31:45,539
(siren wailing in distance)
658
00:31:45,606 --> 00:31:47,508
PRINCE BEASLEY: And my captaincalled me and advised me
659
00:31:47,574 --> 00:31:50,777
that, uh, some army doctor'sfamily had been wiped out
660
00:31:50,844 --> 00:31:52,879
at Fort Bragg, and theyexpected he was gonna die, too.
661
00:31:52,946 --> 00:31:56,316
So, uh, he said
he had a description
662
00:31:56,382 --> 00:31:58,819
that the doctor had gave
to the MPs
663
00:31:58,885 --> 00:32:00,787
that they had passed on to him.
664
00:32:00,854 --> 00:32:04,558
He gave me the descriptions
over the telephone.
665
00:32:04,625 --> 00:32:06,126
And, uh, I said,
666
00:32:06,192 --> 00:32:08,494
"Well, I think I know
who you're talking about."
667
00:32:08,562 --> 00:32:10,897
Tears begin to get
into her eyes then.
668
00:32:10,964 --> 00:32:13,800
She says, uh,
"I think I was there."
669
00:32:13,867 --> 00:32:17,037
She did not take part in
the killings, but she was there.
670
00:32:17,103 --> 00:32:18,238
I think they were there.
671
00:32:18,304 --> 00:32:20,240
(echoes):
I think they did it.
672
00:32:25,879 --> 00:32:27,614
LESLIE COOLEY:Your Honor,the government would call
673
00:32:27,681 --> 00:32:29,650
Raymond "Butch" Madden.
674
00:32:34,855 --> 00:32:37,791
‐Good afternoon, Mr. Madden.‐MADDEN: Good afternoon.
675
00:32:37,858 --> 00:32:40,727
COOLEY: How did you cometo be involved in the case?
676
00:32:40,794 --> 00:32:44,865
Uh, after the first conviction
of Dr. MacDonald,
677
00:32:44,931 --> 00:32:46,499
an investigation was conducted
678
00:32:46,567 --> 00:32:49,335
that was submitted to the FBI
679
00:32:49,402 --> 00:32:51,672
concerningPrince Beasley and...
680
00:32:51,738 --> 00:32:54,708
Ted Gunderson,a private investigator.
681
00:32:54,775 --> 00:32:57,043
COOLEY:Was Helena Stoeckleyinterviewed by Ted Gunderson
682
00:32:57,110 --> 00:32:58,444
and Prince Beasley?
683
00:32:58,512 --> 00:33:01,214
‐Yes, ma'am, she was.
‐Did they make promises
684
00:33:01,281 --> 00:33:03,617
to her in order to interview?
685
00:33:03,684 --> 00:33:07,053
MADDEN: Th‐They promised herthe matter would, uh,
686
00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:09,923
be cleared up once and for all.
687
00:33:09,990 --> 00:33:12,559
Beasley also promised Helena
688
00:33:12,626 --> 00:33:16,496
employment and a new identity,if possible.
689
00:33:18,498 --> 00:33:20,634
WOMAN:
Let's talk about Prince Beasley.
690
00:33:20,701 --> 00:33:24,938
(chuckles): Oh. Prince.
Please don't call him Prince.
691
00:33:25,005 --> 00:33:29,843
If ever I met a man who
did not deserve that title...
692
00:33:29,910 --> 00:33:31,612
(chuckles)
693
00:33:31,678 --> 00:33:33,847
...this was the man.
694
00:33:33,914 --> 00:33:36,082
♪♪ ♪♪
695
00:33:38,084 --> 00:33:41,622
He dealt strictly with Helena.
696
00:33:44,591 --> 00:33:47,193
You know,
when she was in trouble,
697
00:33:47,260 --> 00:33:49,495
he would help her out.
698
00:33:51,164 --> 00:33:53,734
(car door opens)
699
00:33:57,403 --> 00:33:59,973
And she would talk about himall the time,
700
00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,610
that he was alwaysharassing her for information.
701
00:34:03,677 --> 00:34:05,646
♪♪ ♪♪
702
00:34:12,519 --> 00:34:16,456
One night,I saw her getting into his car.
703
00:34:16,523 --> 00:34:17,724
(siren wailing in distance)
704
00:34:17,791 --> 00:34:19,425
WOMAN:Was she on a lot of drugs
705
00:34:19,492 --> 00:34:22,295
‐back then?
‐(whispers): Oh, my God, yes.
706
00:34:22,362 --> 00:34:24,364
She took all kinds of drugs.
707
00:34:24,430 --> 00:34:28,134
I never knewhow she got her heroin.
708
00:34:28,201 --> 00:34:29,936
I suspected
709
00:34:30,003 --> 00:34:32,238
Beasley gave it to her.
710
00:34:34,975 --> 00:34:37,010
If you're an informant,
711
00:34:37,077 --> 00:34:40,113
you got to get paid some way.
712
00:34:43,183 --> 00:34:45,451
SMERLING: Certain people in theFayetteville Police Department,
713
00:34:45,519 --> 00:34:47,420
particularly Prince Beasley,
714
00:34:47,487 --> 00:34:50,190
sort of started
this ball rolling,
715
00:34:50,256 --> 00:34:52,959
uh, in a way
that we're sitting here today
716
00:34:53,026 --> 00:34:55,962
because Prince Beasley's
relationship with your sister.
717
00:34:56,029 --> 00:35:00,066
Yeah, he's the catalyst that,
uh, put it into her head,
718
00:35:00,133 --> 00:35:01,467
all this stuff,
719
00:35:01,535 --> 00:35:03,637
and‐and he told her stuff
720
00:35:03,704 --> 00:35:05,572
that somebody'd had...
had to have been there
721
00:35:05,639 --> 00:35:07,307
to know.
722
00:35:09,576 --> 00:35:13,847
She was their informant,she wore a floppy hat.
723
00:35:13,914 --> 00:35:17,317
So, okay, "We can solve
this murder real quick."
724
00:35:18,251 --> 00:35:20,821
(indistinct chatter)
725
00:35:40,707 --> 00:35:44,444
CONNER:Could Helena be influenced
726
00:35:44,511 --> 00:35:48,048
by Prince Beasley
727
00:35:48,114 --> 00:35:51,484
to say she was there
the night of the murders? Yes.
728
00:35:57,891 --> 00:36:01,294
CONNER:I think Beasley had herin such a noose that
729
00:36:01,361 --> 00:36:03,530
she would do anything for him.
730
00:36:16,442 --> 00:36:18,444
GUNDERSON:
Prince Beasley‐‐
731
00:36:18,512 --> 00:36:20,346
he's been on this investigation
732
00:36:20,413 --> 00:36:21,982
since the morning
of the murders.
733
00:36:22,048 --> 00:36:25,652
He basically has bird‐dogged
the case step by step.
734
00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:28,989
And if it wasn't for him‐‐
there's no question about it‐‐
735
00:36:29,055 --> 00:36:32,358
we wouldn't be
where we are right here today.
736
00:36:37,998 --> 00:36:40,300
COOLEY:Mr. Madden, when we left off,
737
00:36:40,366 --> 00:36:41,868
we were talkingabout your interview
738
00:36:41,935 --> 00:36:44,437
‐with Ted Gundersonas part of...‐MADDEN: Yes.
739
00:36:44,505 --> 00:36:45,839
COOLEY:May I have page 815,
740
00:36:45,906 --> 00:36:47,273
startingat the third paragraph?
741
00:36:47,340 --> 00:36:48,542
If you could just read for us
742
00:36:48,609 --> 00:36:49,776
your conversationwith Gunderson?
743
00:36:49,843 --> 00:36:52,813
Myself:
"Have you, since that time,
744
00:36:52,879 --> 00:36:56,382
"actually entered into
any contractual arrangements
745
00:36:56,449 --> 00:36:59,452
"with Helena Stoeckley
for a book or a movie
746
00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:02,155
to be written
regarding the MacDonald case?"
747
00:37:02,222 --> 00:37:03,790
Gunderson:"Yes, I have.
748
00:37:03,857 --> 00:37:07,293
I've talkedto several people about it."
749
00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:10,664
COOLEY:So he had contacted both people
750
00:37:10,731 --> 00:37:13,734
in the movie industryand in the book industry
751
00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:16,570
regarding a book and a movieon this case?
752
00:37:16,637 --> 00:37:18,572
MADDEN:Yes.
753
00:37:19,873 --> 00:37:21,575
‐You‐you ready to go?
‐MAN: We're rolling.
754
00:37:21,642 --> 00:37:22,809
(laughs)
755
00:37:22,876 --> 00:37:24,044
We'll have to wait
till she straightens up here.
756
00:37:24,110 --> 00:37:25,278
(laughing):
I can't now.
757
00:37:25,345 --> 00:37:27,113
When you said
you were gonna...
758
00:37:27,180 --> 00:37:28,682
All right. Okay.
759
00:37:28,749 --> 00:37:32,853
What's being in a strange town
without having...
760
00:37:32,919 --> 00:37:34,988
a name for yourself?
761
00:37:36,890 --> 00:37:39,225
CLARENCE:This is great. We have
762
00:37:39,292 --> 00:37:41,862
our own Helter Skelter.
763
00:37:57,110 --> 00:38:01,447
No, Helena, uh, has never lied
to me that I know of.
764
00:38:01,515 --> 00:38:03,149
Only on one occasion.
765
00:38:03,216 --> 00:38:05,018
She is always very truthful.
766
00:38:05,085 --> 00:38:06,720
She has always been.
767
00:38:08,555 --> 00:38:10,023
My family out there.
768
00:38:10,090 --> 00:38:11,592
My family name.
769
00:38:15,428 --> 00:38:17,798
(indistinct chatter)
770
00:38:17,864 --> 00:38:19,299
‐(beep)
‐MAN: Rolling. Room tone.
771
00:38:19,365 --> 00:38:21,535
MAN 2:Room tone.
772
00:38:27,941 --> 00:38:29,643
SMERLING:Prince Beasley‐‐
773
00:38:29,710 --> 00:38:31,512
he's the first one who says,
774
00:38:31,578 --> 00:38:33,647
"I can pay the rent."
(laughing)
775
00:38:35,181 --> 00:38:38,619
"Floppy hat? I know somebody
who wears a floppy hat."
776
00:38:38,685 --> 00:38:39,485
Yes.
777
00:38:39,553 --> 00:38:41,922
He starts the ball rolling.
778
00:38:43,824 --> 00:38:46,392
This may prove
a different kind of principle‐‐
779
00:38:46,459 --> 00:38:49,162
that if you wait long enough
780
00:38:49,229 --> 00:38:52,132
and you involve enough people
781
00:38:52,198 --> 00:38:54,768
in telling any story,
782
00:38:54,835 --> 00:38:57,671
you're gonna end up
with a mess on your hands.
783
00:39:05,712 --> 00:39:10,617
Why now,
so many years after the fact,
784
00:39:10,684 --> 00:39:13,319
do we continue to argue
about this case?
785
00:39:13,386 --> 00:39:15,421
We know, you and I know,
786
00:39:15,488 --> 00:39:18,959
that there has
to be an answer here.
787
00:39:19,025 --> 00:39:23,630
Jeffrey MacDonald
either killed his family,
788
00:39:23,697 --> 00:39:26,099
or someone else did.
789
00:39:26,166 --> 00:39:27,968
I was asleep on the couch,
790
00:39:28,034 --> 00:39:30,937
and, uh,the next thing that, uh,
791
00:39:31,004 --> 00:39:34,908
is clear at all is thatI was awakened by my wife's...
792
00:39:34,975 --> 00:39:36,577
...screaming,
793
00:39:36,643 --> 00:39:40,180
and I saw three peopleat the foot of the couch.
794
00:39:40,246 --> 00:39:43,083
The‐the first three peoplethat I saw were male.
795
00:39:43,149 --> 00:39:44,818
The Black male
to my left raised something,
796
00:39:44,885 --> 00:39:47,654
and he swung a club at me,and I threw my hand up.
797
00:39:47,721 --> 00:39:49,389
And he hit me in the headwith the club.
798
00:39:49,455 --> 00:39:51,625
He drove me back to the, uh...
799
00:39:51,692 --> 00:39:53,259
...the couch.
800
00:39:53,326 --> 00:39:54,961
I struggled back up.
801
00:39:55,028 --> 00:39:57,463
The struggle then continuedfor several more minutes.
802
00:39:57,531 --> 00:39:59,766
He struck me againwith the bat.
803
00:39:59,833 --> 00:40:02,302
The white malesin front of me began,
804
00:40:02,368 --> 00:40:05,205
I thought, pummeling me,and in the struggle...
805
00:40:05,271 --> 00:40:09,042
I just, for literally
a mini‐second, saw a glint.
806
00:40:09,109 --> 00:40:12,513
The light must have just hitthe blade just right,
807
00:40:12,579 --> 00:40:14,014
and I just saw itfor a split second,
808
00:40:14,080 --> 00:40:15,982
and I thought,"Ah, I'm getting stabbed."
809
00:40:16,049 --> 00:40:18,084
The top must have beenjerked over my head
810
00:40:18,151 --> 00:40:20,887
as they were tryingto pull me off the couch.
811
00:40:20,954 --> 00:40:22,623
And then became unconscious.
812
00:40:22,689 --> 00:40:25,058
When I awokeat the end of the couch,
813
00:40:25,125 --> 00:40:26,960
I never really got outof the living room.
814
00:40:27,027 --> 00:40:30,330
SMERLING:
Can I play you a piece
of Helena's interview?
815
00:40:30,396 --> 00:40:31,698
Sure.
816
00:40:31,765 --> 00:40:34,434
Okay? Let's give it a shot.
817
00:40:35,836 --> 00:40:37,337
‐(beep)‐MAN: We're rolling.
818
00:40:37,403 --> 00:40:38,839
(indistinct chatter)
819
00:40:38,905 --> 00:40:42,676
Helena, tell us what happened
from the time
820
00:40:42,743 --> 00:40:44,911
you entered the house
that night.
821
00:40:46,580 --> 00:40:49,750
I entered the house
with another member of the cult.
822
00:40:49,816 --> 00:40:52,485
We had to struggle
with the door,
823
00:40:52,553 --> 00:40:54,888
which is the reason
I lit the candle.
824
00:40:54,955 --> 00:40:58,825
We went in. There werethree members in there already,
825
00:40:58,892 --> 00:41:01,762
talking to Dr. MacDonald.
826
00:41:01,828 --> 00:41:03,897
I thought
they were simply asking
827
00:41:03,964 --> 00:41:06,032
for drugs
or something like that.
828
00:41:06,099 --> 00:41:08,735
What happened at the couchas you approached the couch?
829
00:41:08,802 --> 00:41:12,272
When I went over there,
MacDonald was struggling
830
00:41:12,338 --> 00:41:14,440
with another member, because
831
00:41:14,508 --> 00:41:18,612
by that time, they had alreadyargued about the drugs.
832
00:41:18,679 --> 00:41:21,615
And I said somethingabout leaving him alone
833
00:41:21,682 --> 00:41:24,551
or something like that.
834
00:41:24,618 --> 00:41:26,419
And they were still arguing
835
00:41:26,486 --> 00:41:29,355
about giving him some speedor something like that.
836
00:41:29,422 --> 00:41:31,324
GUNDERSON:About giving Dr. MacDonaldsome speed?
837
00:41:31,391 --> 00:41:33,994
No, about getting some speedfrom him.
838
00:41:34,060 --> 00:41:36,062
The member of the cultwanted some speed.
839
00:41:36,129 --> 00:41:37,864
GUNDERSON:Mm‐hmm. There were three mem...
840
00:41:37,931 --> 00:41:39,633
members of the cultarguing with him?
841
00:41:39,700 --> 00:41:42,703
There was only onethat was asking for it,
842
00:41:42,769 --> 00:41:45,471
but there was two others
standing there.
843
00:41:45,539 --> 00:41:47,774
Did‐did they have any weapons?
844
00:41:49,510 --> 00:41:51,712
(sighs heavily)
845
00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:57,283
No, they were usingtheir fists then.
846
00:41:57,350 --> 00:41:59,720
GUNDERSON:Wh‐What happened after that?
847
00:41:59,786 --> 00:42:01,522
HELENA:Uh, he started arguing,
848
00:42:01,588 --> 00:42:03,724
and he said
he would go to the phone
849
00:42:03,790 --> 00:42:05,559
and call someone.
850
00:42:05,626 --> 00:42:07,594
He tried to get
to the phone, and...
851
00:42:07,661 --> 00:42:08,995
Did they allow him up
from the couch?
852
00:42:09,062 --> 00:42:10,597
‐Pardon?
‐Did they allow him
853
00:42:10,664 --> 00:42:11,932
‐to get up from the couch?
‐Yes, sir.
854
00:42:11,998 --> 00:42:13,800
‐Okay.
‐He tried to get to the phone,
855
00:42:13,867 --> 00:42:15,201
and when he went over there,
856
00:42:15,268 --> 00:42:17,971
we thought
that he was trying to do that.
857
00:42:18,038 --> 00:42:21,542
But the men that were involved
858
00:42:21,608 --> 00:42:23,777
were Army personnel,
859
00:42:23,844 --> 00:42:27,948
and they realized
he was calling the MPs.
860
00:42:28,014 --> 00:42:30,951
And that's when
the fighting ensued.
861
00:42:31,017 --> 00:42:32,819
GUNDERSON:And they fought
862
00:42:32,886 --> 00:42:34,187
in the living roomnear the phone?
863
00:42:34,254 --> 00:42:35,622
HELENA:They told him to get back
864
00:42:35,689 --> 00:42:36,923
in the living room.
865
00:42:36,990 --> 00:42:39,125
They went back to the couch.
866
00:42:39,192 --> 00:42:41,995
He sat down,
but he was knocked unconscious.
867
00:42:42,062 --> 00:42:44,430
GUNDERSON:How was he knocked unconscious?
868
00:42:44,497 --> 00:42:47,834
‐One of the members did it.‐With what?
869
00:42:47,901 --> 00:42:50,270
‐His fist.
‐Was there a club used?
870
00:42:50,336 --> 00:42:53,039
Not at that time.
871
00:42:57,010 --> 00:42:59,245
SMERLING:
So either...
872
00:42:59,312 --> 00:43:02,315
she's got her story wrong,
873
00:43:02,382 --> 00:43:05,118
or Jeffrey's got
his story wrong.
874
00:43:05,185 --> 00:43:06,820
What do you think?
875
00:43:06,887 --> 00:43:10,557
I think that Jeffrey's account
is suspect,
876
00:43:10,624 --> 00:43:14,160
and...
877
00:43:14,227 --> 00:43:18,599
it really... seems
878
00:43:18,665 --> 00:43:20,701
internally inconsistent
879
00:43:20,767 --> 00:43:24,404
and not entirely believable.
880
00:43:24,470 --> 00:43:27,641
Do I believe that means
881
00:43:27,708 --> 00:43:29,576
that it...
882
00:43:29,643 --> 00:43:33,079
there were no intruders
in the house?
883
00:43:33,146 --> 00:43:35,181
Uh... maybe.
884
00:43:36,316 --> 00:43:38,184
Maybe it could be
an elaborate attempt
885
00:43:38,251 --> 00:43:42,188
to cover up his own
participation in the crime.
886
00:43:42,255 --> 00:43:44,791
But...
887
00:43:50,096 --> 00:43:53,033
I don't know.
888
00:43:53,099 --> 00:43:54,968
Do you think,
from that story there,
889
00:43:55,035 --> 00:43:57,237
that she was in the house?
890
00:44:01,675 --> 00:44:04,244
I don't know.
891
00:44:06,046 --> 00:44:08,782
Does that tell me
that she wasn't there?
892
00:44:08,849 --> 00:44:13,086
Eh, not really.
893
00:44:13,153 --> 00:44:15,822
One thing that we know
about human beings‐‐
894
00:44:15,889 --> 00:44:19,726
they have
an almost infinite capacity
895
00:44:19,793 --> 00:44:21,227
to believe anything.
896
00:44:21,294 --> 00:44:24,698
And people are endlessly
suggestible.
897
00:44:24,765 --> 00:44:27,834
But it goes both ways,
of course.
898
00:44:27,901 --> 00:44:29,435
If we don't like a story‐‐
899
00:44:29,502 --> 00:44:33,940
and I'm not any different from
anyone else in this regard‐‐
900
00:44:34,007 --> 00:44:38,244
we can say, "It's confabulation,
it's confused, it's unreliable,"
901
00:44:38,311 --> 00:44:41,548
and if we do like it,
we can say, "Oh, it is reliable.
902
00:44:41,615 --> 00:44:42,983
"It isn't confabulation.
903
00:44:43,049 --> 00:44:44,851
We can depend on it."
904
00:44:47,721 --> 00:44:49,089
People take sides.
905
00:44:49,155 --> 00:44:50,857
People respond to one narrative
906
00:44:50,924 --> 00:44:52,993
versus another.
907
00:44:53,059 --> 00:44:55,829
We are compelled by narratives.
908
00:44:55,896 --> 00:44:58,799
Much more by narrativesthan by evidence.
909
00:44:58,865 --> 00:45:00,934
Evidence
910
00:45:01,001 --> 00:45:04,871
invariably takes...
second fiddle
911
00:45:04,938 --> 00:45:06,973
to narrative.
912
00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:09,776
Do you think you're still a
reliable narrator in this story?
913
00:45:09,843 --> 00:45:14,515
I never was a reliable narrator.
914
00:45:14,581 --> 00:45:17,117
I'm not immune.
915
00:45:17,183 --> 00:45:18,985
I'm as fucked‐up
as the next guy.
916
00:45:19,052 --> 00:45:22,188
Take my word for it.
917
00:45:24,257 --> 00:45:29,162
I always have thought thata sign of intelligence
918
00:45:29,229 --> 00:45:31,998
is never, ever
to convince yourself
919
00:45:32,065 --> 00:45:35,401
that you know somethingwhen you don't.
920
00:45:35,468 --> 00:45:38,104
To be able to say"I don't know,
921
00:45:38,171 --> 00:45:41,775
"I don't understand,I'm confused,
922
00:45:41,842 --> 00:45:46,279
I'm fucked‐up.
Have mercy on me, please."
923
00:46:17,177 --> 00:46:19,613
There is no way that
those people were in that house
924
00:46:19,680 --> 00:46:21,047
and didn't leave evidence,
925
00:46:21,114 --> 00:46:24,050
and the government record
shows the evidence.
926
00:46:24,117 --> 00:46:26,987
It shows brown hair
in my wife's hand.
927
00:47:03,557 --> 00:47:05,992
Captioned by
Media Access Group at WGBH
access.wgbh.org
73261
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