Lawyers for Jeffrey MacDonald, Back In Court Filing to Overturn 1979 Conviction

[Steve_uk]

well the problem is you have to say maybe it isnt a safe conviction.

i mean normall when  a guy kills his wife theres a clear motive money or another woman or his just had enough of her.

He did have affairs I believe during the marriage. The father-in-law Alfred Kassab became certain after reading the original transcript that Macdonald was lying, though I can't find a copy online. It was probably an accumulation of little things like Macdonald saying he used plastic gloves for washing up when his in-laws never knew him do any household chores, and him having boxed in college yet remaining passive throughout the attack. There's more background on the Kassabs here:   http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20074284,00.html

[David1819]

Maybe looking back he felt trapped (Colette was already expecting before they married) and felt his life being mapped out for him. The brain can adapt quickly to a stressful situation and his lack of visible rage since could be a coping mechanism as well as a subliminal admission that his crime merited the punishment.

His military career would have him going places specially in that Vientnam/Cold War era. I don't think feeling trapped would suit his situation back then 

[Steve_uk]

His military career would have him going places specially in that Vientnam/Cold War era. I don't think feeling trapped would suit his situation back then 

I would like to know where he felt his career was advancing to. Maybe everything was moving along swimmingly. I wonder why he didn't move to California with his family instead of North Carolina? Another personal thing if members will forgive me: pregnancy does preclude sex for a time and this period is always difficult for the type of men with heavy sexual appetites: the case of Adam Johnson springs all too readily to mind.

[nugnug]

if your in the army dont move where you like you move where your told to

[nugnug]

a fir bit of information here.

http://www.thejeffreymacdonaldcase.com/index.html

[Steve_uk]

a fir bit of information here.

http://www.thejeffreymacdonaldcase.com/index.html

Thanks nugnug-it's a mine of information. After reading Lt. Ronald Harrison's statement I am leaning towards a premeditated crime again, shocking as that may sound. On the Saturday before the murders he had called in on the Macdonalds and they had discussed the Sharon Tate murders. This involved the killing of a pregnant woman and three friends by hippies in Los Angeles. The word "PIG" was daubed in blood on the front door.

I don't think it's inconceivable that Macdonald used the people whom he must have known about from his hospital job or local gossip as scapegoats, though not expecting a Helena Stoeckley confession which must have been manna from Heaven for him.  http://www.thejeffreymacdonaldcase.com/html/1970-07-13-stmt-rharrison.html

[David1819]

Thanks nugnug-it's a mine of information. After reading Lt. Ronald Harrison's statement I am leaning towards a premeditated crime again, horrible as that may seem. On the Saturday before the murders he had called in on the Macdonalds and they had discussed the Sharon Tate murders. This involved the killing of a pregnant woman and three friends by hippies in Los Angeles. The word "PIG" was daubed in blood on the front door.

I don't think it's inconceivable that Macdonald used the people whom he must have known about from his hospital job or local gossip as scapegoats, though not expecting a Helena Stoeckley confession which must have been manna from Heaven for him.  http://www.thejeffreymacdonaldcase.com/html/1970-07-13-stmt-rharrison.html

Sharon Tate murders was headline news around then. It's always possible that the hippies committed a copy cat crime

You still need to expain the sighting of the girl with the floppy hat, plus the candle wax found on the floor.

[Steve_uk]

Sharon Tate murders was headline news around then. It's always possible that the hippies committed a copy cat crime

You still need to expain the sighting of the girl with the floppy hat, plus the candle wax found on the floor.

Taken from Murderpedia:

MacDonald had said that one of the intruders was a woman who was carrying a burning candle and chanting "Acid is groovy, kill the pigs", a style of killings that investigators found suspiciously reminiscent of the recently publicized Manson murders. Three candle wax drippings, which were different from one another in chemical composition, were found in the apartment. Colette was known to be fond of burning candles, though none of the wax could be matched to any candles in the house. Some of the wax was found to be consistent with birthday-candle wax; other wax drippings were studied and found to be old and filled with household debris.

I suppose if Macdonald did premeditate he could have dropped the candle wax. If we take the girl with the floppy hat and blonde wig as Helena Stoeckley, which is highly likely, wasn't she seen a few blocks away from the apartment and why would she linger outside?

I think it's possible that faced with a cold Eastern winter and longing for the Californian sun the article about the murder in Los Angeles set Macdonald's mind racing about what life could be like for him if only he were a free man again..

[nugnug]

steve are you carol ann lee in disguise.

your prose is very simlar.

[susan]

Hi Nugs

steve has been accused of being many different people including AE guess he is just Steve UK who writes so beautifully

[nugnug]

no hes certanly not AE he does sound like a writter somtimes though.

[susan]

no hes certanly not AE he does sound like a writter somtimes though.

Nugs
I agree he writes in such a professional manner and I love reading his posts many of which I don't understand

[nugnug]

The proscution case macdonald i belive involved him going into rage posble coaused by a pescription does anyboy know what pescription drug was.

[Steve_uk]

The proscution case macdonald i belive involved him going into rage posble coaused by a pescription does anyboy know what pescription drug was.

It was was Eskatrol, an amphetamine which kept him going through his probationary period as a doctor.  There's a section in the site you quoted which alludes to it.   http://www.thejeffreymacdonaldcase.com/html/1970_mac-on-murder.html

[nugnug]

are yes i had read it before i forgot the name of the drug though thankyou steve.