True Crime. "I don't have an opinion. WebTexas Governor Gregg Abbott ruled that Thomas "Bart" Whitaker should instead spend the rest of life in jail for masterminding the murders of his mother Tricia, 51, and brother Kevin, Brashear and Champagne were arrested almost two years after murders. rested the case for the prosecution in the capital murder trial for Thomas Bartlett Whitaker's role in the deaths of his brother and mother. Bart told first responders that he thought the gunman was black, in order to divert suspicion away from Brashear. He looked at Kent and asked, What happened?, Kent looked at his friend with pleading eyes and reiterated, Im bleeding, Cliff.. Write all you want, Bart, but youre a true sociopath just playing all the angles, and youre never, ever getting out. "So, you're alone in your office, throwing the phone around, taking no measurements, recording nothing over the weekend, and you come in here and testify as an expert as to what the phone would do?" But the fact remains that this has been the case for the loved ones of very many executees: they have been hurt by the offenders actions and will be hurt again by his death. I heard yelling and shooting, Brandon stated. The Whitaker family was in celebration mode - their oldest son, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker, had just finished his final exam at Sam Houston State University, he'd soon be walking the stage, and his parents, Tricia and Kent, and brother, Kevin, were so excited for him. She was scared. Additional factors make the decision more complex.". I dont care how much perps have changed, repent, or are model prisoners: the worst crimes, like his, should mean whole-life because theyve earned the punishment they got (inc Whitaker). It was natural instinct. Thats privileged white Justice. 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. Nor am I moved by a persons progress in prison. [citation needed] The trial began in March 2007, led by prosecutor Fred Felcman. That factor alone may not warrant commutation for someone like Mr. Whitaker who recruited others to commit murder. [7] In that same time frame,[when?] In a jailhouse interview with Lisa Ling in 2014, Bart said he committed the murders because he felt inadequate and thought his parents didnt love him. 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. WebIn this book, Kent Whitaker describes the true story of the murder of his wife and younger son, a trail of events which had been arranged by his older son. As an NBC account later quoted a Whitaker lawyer: He watched his son Kevin walk into the house, heard the first and fatal shot, and saw his sons fallen body in their darkened home. Today, Bart resides in the William G. McConnell Unit, or McConnell for short, in Beeville, Texas. Trial The trial against Bart Whitaker began in March 2007 and was held in Fort Bend County. [citation needed] At trial, it was noted that Whitaker had access to an $80,000trust fund from his grandparents, although he testified that he did not know he could access it. Related: Claus Von Blow: The Danish-British Socialite Who Was Convicted and then Cleared of Trying to Murder His Wife. Thanks, Monica so glad you liked the piece! "But you can't walk around with anger.". [12][13][pageneeded][third-party source needed] Bart's father Kent survived the shooting in which his wife and son were killed. [citation needed] They drove to the nearby Pappadeaux restaurant in Stafford for a celebratory dinner. 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. He told the hitman where Kevin kept his gun and asked him to stage a robbery. remaining immediate family member. True Crime Creepers The Whitaker family was in celebration mode - their oldest son, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker, had just finished his final [14][15][verification needed] The acquaintance who had assisted Whitaker to flee became aware of reward money that had been offered for his arrest,[clarification needed] and communicated Whitaker's whereabouts to the police. [8]:Ch.53[pageneeded] Whitaker denied prosecution claims regarding the insurance profit motive, arguing that the only life insurance policy the family had was for $50,000 on his father's life. Partners in crime. Brd. If I were Governor I know I would be seeking reasons to offer clemency but I do not think I could find them in this case As an opposer of execution I would have to come to terms with that. At night, when Kent would return home from his job at the Bartlett Construction Company, the couples would congregate out in the front yard and catch up on the days events. I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. WebThomas Bartlett "Bart" Whitaker had a loving family that he threw away the night he plotted to have them murdered. They might think you are the one who shot the Whitakers.. They went out to lunch together, had dinner a few times, and even made it out to the theater once on a double date. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker pleased guilty to plotting the 2003 murders of his family, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. A grand jury indicted Bart, then 25, and Steve Champagne and Chris Brashear, both 23, in October 2005. You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/KillerInstinctPodcastFollow Savannah on IG: @savannahbrymer I respectfully wish to express my agreement with Mr Whitakers scheduled execution next month, which I do with a heavy heart. Thank God Bart is behind bars now, where he can be as lazy as the Texas prison system will allow and the rest of us are safe from him. The defense also used their experts to suggest there were two shooters, based in part on common sense that the victims stopped using their cellphones within seconds of each other. WebMurder in the Family: 'I Wanted Them Dead' Investigators Question Burglary Theory. His mother and brother were murdered, and his father was seriously hurt. It is for this reason that I would never sign for it, even if that were the only way to evade a return to death row. [39] These are reported to have been earned while he was on death row. Whitakers father, Kent, also was shot in the 2003 plot at the familys suburban Houston home but survived and led the effort to save his son from execution. They all went to dinner at Pappadeaux's restaurant near Sugar Land, Texas to celebrate, but when they got back home from dinner, their night turned into a horror show. [8]:Ch.10[pageneeded], The early testimony from Hipp[when?] Mailer regretted the whole affair. [22][non-primary source needed][21] The appeal was certiorari denied. "You're trying to take me somewhere you probably don't want to," Crosby said, starting a tense exchange between the attorneys. The exact date and time of the jury trip has not been scheduled because it is dependent on how many witnesses the prosecution calls in its reply case. If they pull up, she said in reference to police officers, and they see you with that shotgun, theyll probably shoot you, too. Cliff spotted Kent Whitaker sprawled out on the concrete front porch next door. It irrevocably denies any possibility of rehabilitation; it eviscerates hope entirely. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McGreavy. 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. But instead of fleeing, Cliff decided he needed some protection of his own. Abbott accepted the state parole boards rare clemency recommendation. "I have had anger with him, extreme anger, Mr. Harpootlian, because what he did with my law firm, my partners, his clients, our clients what he did to his family. WebThe Whitaker Family Murders True Crime Creepers. The story takes you Cliff would later describe it as a death rattle. It was marked by very ragged moaning. Cliff knew that the boy, whom he could finally make out as Kevin, was breathing his final breaths. Defense attorney Phillip Barber asked if McManigal took any notes or videotaped his experiments. [12][third-party source needed] Bart then ran inside and staged a struggle with Brashear, getting shot in his left arm to divert suspicion. From how the plan was hatched to Barts trial, sentence, and the stunning new development in the case, this book provides all the details. Dr. Ellen Riemer testified Tuesday that she stood by the findings of her autopsy that the fatal shot was fired upward. With that penalty at stake, we must be concerned that justice really is so as much as reasonably possible. In the meantime, a newspaper reporter discovered that Bart never finished college. On Tuesday, Murdaugh's former law partner Ronnie Crosby had a testy exchange with defense attorney Dick Harpootlian as prosecutors got a chance to reply to the defense's case, including by rebutting their experts who suggested two different shooters killed Murdaugh's wife and son with two different weapons. Money tangled. A neighbor named Cliff Stanley raced onto the scene and used his own T-shirt to stanch Kents bleeding bullet wound. You can watch the entire 48 Hours episode about the case online on a CBS news site. Chris Brashear and Steven Champagne denied any involvement in the homicides and provided DNA samples and scent-test specimens. [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. WebHey there freaky fam! Millions of Americans nearing retirement age with no savings, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, South Carolina double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, 100 other charges including financial crimes. Part of the problem is parole boards dont justify their reasoning/decisions to the public (knowing theyd be controversial) but its the public they are answerable to, just as justice in general is, as all such agencies operate with the permission of the public, ultimately (who pay for it all). He had transferred from Baylor University in Waco where an informant tipped off police about Barts aborted plan to kill his family in 2001 to Sam Houston State University. Gunman Brashear pleaded guilty to murder in 2007 to murder and is currently serving life in prison. But Rudy Rios couldnt resist a $10,000 reward offered for information on Barts whereabouts. ), Helen: Thanks and yes, I saw the Backhouse one; and another comes to mind: Cliff met Tricia the day he and his wife had moved in. He told AP: "As the greatest victim in this case, you don't have to convince me how awful this crime was.". Bart Whitaker, it seems, was born rather than made a sociopath. On December 10, 2003 the entire Whitaker family Kent, his wife Tricia, and sons Bart and Kevin were gunned down inside their home in Sugarland, Texas, by a masked man who had been waiting for them inside. Does a low-achieving prisoner deserve less consideration over a matter he has no control over (intellectual capacity)? Your article highlights just what a piece of work Whitaker is. Kent was also hit in the upper body but survived, and Bart escaped with a wound to his upper arm. Jail records indicate that Buzzard was arrested on Aug. 25, 2021. [37][verification needed][bettersourceneeded], Kent Whitaker, his father and a surviving victim of the crime, wrote the book, Murder by Family: The incredible true story of a son's treachery and a father's forgiveness, which as described by Barry Leibowitz for CBS News is about his "heart-wrenching journey to forgive the nameless stranger" responsible for his wounding, and the "brutal murder of his wife and son", a journey that included his realizing that the murder "had been orchestrated by [his] oldest son Bart". / CBS/AP. WebWhitaker family murders: Crime scene location and resting place. 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. The Stanleys were watching a family show. That Mr Whitaker snr was himself an intended victim makes no material difference in my view: he is simply expressing what many parents in his situation would do, albeit that he has had to overcome the greatest of losses and provocation. 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. Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. [11] Early evidence was presented that Whitaker had previously recruited others in abortive plots to murder his family, plots involving a co-conspirator named Adam Hipp, who had attended Clements High School with Whitaker. Do the undoubted many prisoners facing execution who have personality disorders in some cases substance-induced; in others endogenous, so no fault of their own deserve less because they are (inevitably) non-compliant with prison life? He heard Tricias last, wet coughs as Kent himself lay dying from his own gunshot wound. Directly next door to the Whitakers home on the east side, their relatively new neighbor, Clifton Cliff Stanley, sat in his recliner in his familys living room. House of horror. He went to get his shotgun. Hes no longer listed with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The main house at the Murdaugh family's Moselle Road property in Islandton, South Carolina, on March 1, 2023. [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. Brandon Stanley followed directly behind his father. I see theres some pressure in South Africa for its return; thankfully there has never been here since Britain abolished it in the 60s. According to a Houston Chronicle account, after an emotional, contentious 12 hours during which some jurors at first disagreed about whether Bart constituted a continuing threat to society, Bart got a sentence of death by lethal injection. Was he a born a sociopath or did some kind of abuse taint and mold him? In 2007, he admitted he was "100 percent guilty" and that he hated his parents and brother at the time. He hired two men to shoot and kill his mother, Tricia, younger brother, Kevin, and father, Kent. All to cover up another web of lies.Love Killer Instincts but hate the ads? Marcus, I have never seen such objective view wow. [16] Evidence was presented that Whitaker had recruited two individuals, Steve Champagne and Chris Brashear, ages24 and 25 at the time of the 2007 trial, respectively,[16][11] Champagne to be the getaway car driver and Brashear to carry out the shootings in Whitaker's plan to murder his immediate family. (Photo: Inside Story) On December 10, 2003 the entire Whitaker family Kent, his wife Tricia, and sons Bart and Kevin were gunned down inside their home in Sugarland, Texas, by a masked man who had been waiting inside for them. Brashear shot Kevin once through his chest, and Kevin fell to the floor. Texasll probably be the last to lose it if it does! [11] Brashear, dressed in black (including a ski mask), entered the Whitaker family home, took Kevin's gun and ammunition from a locked box in his room, staged a burglary, and then waited near the front door for the Whitaker family to return home. WebTricia Whitaker, a retired teacher, and her 19-year-old son, Kevin, died from their injuries. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. He began to load the shotgun with bullets when his wife stepped in front of him. You need to go. In December 2003, Whitaker's mother Tricia Whitaker, brother Kevin Whitaker, and father Kent Whitaker were ambushed by a masked gunman as they walked in the front door of their Sugar Land home after a night out. 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. His lawyer Keith Hampton urged the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to remember the Old Testament story of Cain, who killed his brother but was himself spared by God. 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. Rebecca I couldnt find it, but it would be great if you reviewed it! The unfurling of this sons web of lies led him to hatch a devious murder plot. Related: Linda Wolfe: The Author Behind the Definitive Book on The Preppy Killer. A six-day trial ended A Texas inmate who was due to be executed for masterminding the murder of his family has been granted commutation shortly before he was due to be put to death. described a first Whitaker plan to set a lake house owned by his grandmother on fire "to kill his parents, brother and other relatives", a plan that never went beyond discussions, but one that included a ruse as an element the defendant's "com[ing] out of the blaze with burns so that it would appear he had narrowly escaped". Related: Murder in Little Egypt: John Cavaness, the Small-Town Doctor Who Killed His Son in Cold Blood. Cliff darted up from his wounded neighbor and bolted back toward his home. The lack of consistency in sentencing is puzzling. She was very hopeful, very upbeat and optimistic for [Barts] future.. 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. [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. [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." [49][bettersourceneeded][6], As of 2019, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice was investigating a report that Whitaker's masters thesis was being offered for sale, online. [26][non-primary source needed] Board Chairman, David G. Gutirrez,[27] also met with Kent Whitaker for a half hour. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier/AP. 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