If it is so considered, my question would be: insofar as there are similar crimes, has this fact materially distinguished execution from life imprisonment in some of those cases? 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. As if, for me, the death penalty isnt capricious enough, cases like this make an utter tragic farce of it. WebWhitaker family murders: Crime scene location and resting place. Required fields are marked *. Tricia Whitaker continued to moan in agony. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. [35], Thomas Whitaker and other inmates initiated an unsuccessful class action against the State of Texas, addressing the conditions on its death row,[36][non-primary source needed] where inmates are kept in solitary confinement for 23hours a day. They might think you are the one who shot the Whitakers.. 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. [4][11], Chris Brashear received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 30 years for his role in the murders, in a plea bargain worked out with prosecutors; Steven Champagne received 15 years after serving as the main witness for the prosecution. He helped himself to $7,000 to $10,000 of his dads cash and fled to Mexico with the help of his friend Rudy Rios. The intellectual capacity to succeed in academics, as Mr Whitaker apparently has, is neither here nor there morally, so would be a quite improper citation to mitigation. scheduled closing arguments for the morning of March 5. Why? In a statement, Abbott said that this is the first time he has granted commutation of a death sentence in the three years since he took up the role, allowing 30 executions to occur during the same period. Whitaker was Clifton, get out of there! she shouted frantically. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool), Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect. [16][18] At the trial, Hipp stated that he had contacted the SugarLand Police Department with information about previous plots after he heard about the Whitaker family murders 2003; he was given immunity from prosecution in exchange for testifying for the prosecution against Whitaker. He was convicted and eventually committed suicide in prison. They went out to lunch together, had dinner a few times, and even made it out to the theater once on a double date. I respectfully wish to express my agreement with Mr Whitakers scheduled execution next month, which I do with a heavy heart. After the shootings, Bart did a good job of pretending that he was happy that EMTs saved his dads life, but at some point, he told Champagne he wanted to finish off the job and really kill his dad the next time, according to 20/20. 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. 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. Cliff met Tricia the day he and his wife had moved in. Trial The trial against Bart Whitaker began in March 2007 and was held in Fort Bend County. Austin, Texas 78711-3401 One of the problems with clemency is that the decision/reasoning is never in the public domain. Related: Tis the Season for Murder: 17 Winter True Crime Books That Will Give You the Chills. Cliff and Darlene sat downstairs in the back of their comfortable home, on this particular night. I think this needs to change because in matters of life and death the public has a right to know why, when X has been adjudged by a jury as deserving of death, a panel not unanswerable to the public makes a private decision to overturn. Steve Champagne got 15 years in exchange for testifying against Brashear and Bart. While I am torn over the question whether one fewer execution is better than no fewer, I find that if execution is to remain the ultimate punishment it must be applied strictly impartially unless as a principle it is to collapse in disrepute. It was conducted before a judge[who?] Compare his with another Texas case that ended in death one in which the perp was encouraged by another to kill her parents (no excuse, but not under his OWN initiative, unlike Whitaker), in which there was no significant, repeated premeditation, unlike of Whitaker, where the initiator the daughter didnt get the death penalty, and where this offender is widely considered to have exhibited genuine remorse: https://murderpedia.org/male.D/d1/dillingham-jeffrey.htm, One lives; one dies. Many thanks, Helen so glad youre enjoying the site! He needed to get the hell out of there. The judge agreed with a defense request to let jurors ride 40 minutes to see the sprawling Colleton County property where the Murdaughs lived. P. O. Today, Bart resides in the William G. McConnell Unit, or McConnell for short, in Beeville, Texas. 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, He then heard the front door to his house open and saw his wife, Darlene, stick her head outside. Incredibly, Kent has since forgiven his son for orchestrating the killing of his son Kevin Whitaker and wife Patricia Whitaker, and has even visited him regularly while he was on death row. In 2003, Thomas Bart Whitaker plotted the murder of his family. In his haste to exit the scene, Brashear gathered up Barts cellphone instead of the gun. Fred Felcman, the original prosecutor in the case, said the board made its decision purely because of the fathers forgiveness, and disregarded the large number of others affected by the murders. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew on flight to space station, Prosecution wraps case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, FDA authorizes first at-home test for both COVID and flu, Couple accuses fertility clinic of implanting embryo with cancer genes, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Arguments conclude in Alex Murdaugh's murder trial, Evidence shown in Alex Murdaugh's trial for murder shows the Colleton County property where the Murdaughs lived, at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. Updated on: February 28, 2023 / 7:05 PM 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. [4] He lived there under the false name for over a year. Kents head was pointing back toward the Stanley house in an awkward position. Rebecca I love your updates, thank you so much for keeping these updates and these cases alive. 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. All to cover up another web of lies.Love Killer Instincts but hate the ads? Another case of perverse justice we could name many is Rae Carruth, whom youve covered. I wasnt aware of Runnels until a few days ago, when I saw a news item, looking his case up. A grand jury indicted Bart, then 25, and Steve Champagne and Chris Brashear, both 23, in October 2005. By continuing to browse, you accept the use of cookies and other technologies. This week, Savannah details how Bart hired a hitman to kill his family as soon as they set foot inside, how he was found out, and the miraculous survival of his father, Kent Whitaker. [44] Ira Wells, in particular, points to Whitaker's participation in the program to exemplify the questions, declaring Whitaker's prison writing powerful in its ability to "shock readers into a sensory appreciation of the radical strangeness of [his] life lived". Brashear was the shooter, he said, and Bart had promised to cut both of his buddies in on a $1 million life insurance payout he would receive after his familys death. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP Randolph Murdaugh III, 81, died just three days after the family tragedy, the law firm said. Until. The couple relaxed and watched television. [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." Forensic Files didnt mention it, but Bart had a prior arrest record for breaking into his high school and stealing computers after which his parents sent him to a private Christian academy, according to the LA Times. He and his wife, Darlene, had moved into the home just six months earlier. He heard Tricias last, wet coughs as Kent himself lay dying from his own gunshot wound. Also wounded, Bart made a Sugar Land Cliff thought Kevin was a special kid.. The lack of consistency in sentencing is puzzling. He had been the last one to walk into the house; he lagged behind while checking his phone messages. Something like FF/MD based on UK cases would be very good here (a few of the FF/MD cases have been) but its a sad fact (for the US) that the murder rate is much higher than UK so we might be a bit short of subjects! In 2007, he admitted he was "100 percent guilty" and that he hated his parents and brother at the time. He had a good start better than most prisoners. Bart had a troubled high school experience, which was why his family was so thrilled that he made it to college graduation. WebMurder by Family chronicles Thomas Bartlett Whitaker 's attempts to have a hitman murder his parents and brother. Champagne also drove the getaway car although, he claimed, he really didnt want to get involved with the homicide plot but felt trapped. Famously, Norman Mailer corresponded with Abbott, praised his writing talent, helped him snag a book deal, and lobbied for his early release. Just hang in there. This section needs expansion with: a relatively complete list, in chronological order, of all important works by the title subject, especially those referenced herein, for each giving their complete publication details, including date and publisher of its first appearance. True Crime. We need more like you! This post is sponsored by Open Road Media. I hope so. Kent and his surviving son were both wounded in the attack. Somethings going on outside. Her legs and lower body were pointed outward toward the street. Barber said. Apparently, Barts bloodlust had been brewing for even longer than originally thought. He had also just finished his last exam, or so he said. Their mental highlight reel was probably playing footage of an 8-year-old Bart teaching his little brother how to ride a bike. That is, if it is a scandal that anyone is judicially executed, it is so if some are and some are not merely given the contingency of special pleading. We can agree. [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. Bart is still one very lucky man. Kent rushed in and was shot in the shoulder with the bullet shattering his humerus. I just fixed it thx for the heads-up! There appears little or no question, then, that this was not a fully-considered crime, and, moreover, one that seems to require a peculiar callousness given his relation to the victims. Chris Brashear pleaded guilty in 2007 and received life with the possibility of parole after 30 years. Along with his second wife, Tanya Youngling, Kent Whitaker visits Bart regularly, speaking to him from behind a glass partition. 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. Kent, Cliff called out to his friend. [4] His parents funded his academic pursuits. Where is he now? She had previously taught at nearby Lakeview Elementary School and was acting as a volunteer there on occasion. After receiving the news he has been spared execution, Bart Whitaker told prison officials: "I'm thankful not for me but for my dad," reports the Associated Press. [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". But he arrived to find a real firearm, not a paintball gun, on the scene and four people with one bullet wound each. Download Savage Son now. This WAS the case with the Parole Board here in UK until recently, but due to controversial decisions broad reasons are now to be given. 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. Police believe that while the Whitakers were out celebrating, Brashear entered the house, pried open the safe, and made an attempt at giving the master bedroom a ransacked look. Would a poor unknown with a public defender have fared so well? Would-be Waco whackers. Steven testified, and the prosecution stated that Bart tried to put such a plan in motion several times in the past. The laudable desire to hear the victim must not become a means of outcome determination of the magnitude of life and death. [8]:Ch.50[pageneeded] Whitaker began attending Baylor University in 2001, transferring from there to Sam Houston State University (SHSU), where he was thought by his parents to be in attendance in late 2003, and from which he was expected to graduate. [2][3] Abbott cited the fact that Whitaker did not fire the gun and that his father, Kent, "insists that he would be victimized again if the state put to death his last remaining immediate family member", as the reasons for the commutation. But from the outside, his home life and social life seemed near perfect. Want more true crime books? The crime deserves severe punishment for the criminals who killed them. "Manufacturing Anomie"[citation needed] and the essay "A Nothing Would Do as Well". So he hired a hitman to kill his parents and brother, and to non-fatally injure him. 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. Yes; perps have been executed for less egregious murder. "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. WebMiraculously, after being shot in the shoulder, Kent Whitaker survived his attacksomething that Bart hadnt anticipated. 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). During Wednesday's visit, at least one juror was spotted by a pool reporter closely examining the door frame of the storage closet or feed room where Paul was standing when he was killed, the Associated Press reported. Related: 46 Gripping True Crime Books from the Last 54 Years. What happened? he asked her. Whitaker had unknowingly forgiven his own son for Both victims appeared to be surprised with their hands down. Just how he thought hed get away with it I think underlines his feelings of superiority. He couldnt tell whether he was dead or alive. (Sorry if you already have! He went inside, determined to find his weapon, which he did. Bart also reportedly told them his mother was a prostitute and he was essentially an orphan. I do not support the death penalty but given that it exists in the State, that due process appears to have been followed, and that the offence is in my view and that of the jury egregious, it seems to me gravely important that this punishment execution is applied consistently if it must be applied at all. He told the hitman where Kevin kept his gun and asked him to stage a robbery. [9][4] He had lied to his parents about his continued status in college; varying reports had him dropping out of SHSU months before,[10] or being present there as a freshman on academic probation. Serious needling. He took over holding the bloody T-shirt used as a bandage and held it firmly in place. I feel for him, as I am sure very many do. Was that on the TV? Brandon asked his parents. Its a start. Brandon Stanley followed directly behind his father. And you are quite right Whitaker had at least two (that we know of) tries; so how doing well in prison makes people seem better is unbelievable. 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. The bag contained a chisel with paint matching that on Kevins gun safe. Definitely, the guy needs to stay where he is. He and Bart enjoyed biking long distances together. Thanks, Monica so glad you liked the piece! Whitaker's parents had bought him several luxury vehicles. (I live nr-ish Rutland ). The recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and my action on it, ensures Mr. Whitaker will never be released from prison. Thank you for such an excellent letter with such thoughtfulness. For I see theres some pressure in South Africa for its return; thankfully there has never been here since Britain abolished it in the 60s. Additional factors make the decision more complex.". I too am writing from UK (maybe you gathered). Good for you for writing to a condemned prisoner. Stanley could tell that Tricia was very excited and happy about the impending ceremony. Cliff darted up from his wounded neighbor and bolted back toward his home. The Whitaker family was in celebration mode - their oldest son, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker, had just finished his final (Murderers like to tell war stories, whether they happened or not Michael Peterson and John Boyle.). It will keep the blood from rushing out too fast, he ordered. Whitaker is an eloquent, erudite writer, as his essay Hells Kitchen demonstrates, spiced up with smart literary references and quotes. You need to go. Instead, he returned back to the Whitakers front porch and attempted to comfort Kent. Now, Thomas Bartlett Whitaker, 38, convicted in this case, is facing death by lethal injection on Thursday, Feb. 22. Chris Brashear and Steven Champagne denied any involvement in the homicides and provided DNA samples and scent-test specimens. 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. Related: 32 Most Horrifying Serial Killer Books. Thus, he enjoyed the little time he was able to spend with Kent and Tricia Whitaker. He succeeded in annihilating two-thirds of the other Whitakers but, instead of an office visit with an estate attorney, Bart got himself a trial with a judge and jury. Cliff knew his wife was right. Unsolved murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/KillerInstinctYTDont forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or by using this link: http://bit.ly/KillerInstinctPodcastIf you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! As far as an epilogue on Barts accomplices, Chris Alan Brashear occupies a cell in the Eastham Unit and will reach parole eligibility in 2035, when hes 53. Cliff rose up to take a look. 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. Brother at the time that he made it to college graduation brewing for even longer originally. Death by lethal injection on Thursday, Feb. 22 this material may not be published,,... Phone messages better than most prisoners I wasnt aware of Runnels until a few days ago, when I a. Outcome determination of the problems with clemency is that the boy, whom he finally. Phone messages wife had moved in an orphan in prison his mother was a prostitute he. Several times in the attack and steven Champagne denied any involvement in the back of their comfortable home on... 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