Abstract
Jeffrey Macdonald is an American serial killer who became notorious after murdering his entire family. At an early age, MacDonald showed no signs of violent behavior. His junior schoolteachers assert that he was a bright and quiet pupil. After completing high school, MacDonald joined a university in Chicago for a course in medicine. He later joined the military as a captain. It is alleged that on 17 February 970, he murdered his family in a cold blood. After the murder, the serial killer contacted the police via the phone informing them that his family had been attacked. After the CID conducted an investigation, the information reported by Macdonald to the police contradicted the CID’s findings. Thus, he was held as a suspect, while further investigations were being undertaken. On 29 August 1979, the suspect was arraigned before a US court for ruling. During the ruling, the jury stated that Macdonald was guilty of committing a first and a degree murder crime. During the final ruling, the jury convicted him of life imprisonment. In jail, he has presented numerous failed petition attempts to overrule his sentence.
Introduction
Several movies and documentaries have been made about a murder incident that occurred on 17 February 1970 in North Carolina. The murder occurred in the wee hours of that morning. The prolonged after-effects of the murder have shed an ever-increasing gloominess over the USA’s criminal justice system. In the country’s history, the serial killer’s case is considered the longest-running. This case has attracted huge media attention and scrutiny. Others argue that deceit was utilized to ascertain the truth, while others argue that justice was not administered in the ruling (A Wilderness of Error, 2013). On the other hand, the media industry has come up with intense arguments on the character of journalistic ethics experienced throughout MacDonald’s case. In this article, the background of the serial killer, a description of his offense, his sentence, his conviction, and outcomes of his murder case is illustrated. Similarly, the article explores the psychological factors that might have played a role in the convict’s actions of murdering his family.
Jeffrey Macdonald brief background
During his teenage age, Macdonald attended Patchogue High School. He was a hard-working student. He later won a scholarship at Princeton University. At the university, he met his high school girlfriend Stevenson Colette. The two got married on 14 September 1963 after Colette became pregnant with his child. Later in life, they were blessed with two daughters by the names Kimberley and Kristen. Just after graduation, he secured an internship at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York. On 1 July 1969, he joined the military. By September that year, he had risen to the rank of a captain.
Summary of the case, description of offense, investigation, and outcomes
It was in the wee hours of 17 February 1970, when Macdonald called the Fort Bragg Police for help. He reported that he had been attacked and stabbed by intruders.After arrival at the Macdonald’s residence, the law enforcers found the unpleasant scene. Kristen and Kimberly were lying dead in their bedrooms. Similarly, they found Colette’s body lying down in her bedroom. At the time of her death, Colette was pregnant with their third child. Police noted that she had succumbed to 16 knife stabs and 21 ice pick stabs. Coincidentally, his torn cloth was wrapped on her upper body. In addition, they noted a blood written word Pig on the bed’s headboard. Kimberley was lying in her cradle with her head beaten and her neck pierced repeatedly. Kristen was lying in her bed death after succumbing to knife stabbing. The police were surprised to find Macdonald alive lying next to his wife. He had minor wounds as opposed to his wife and daughters’ wounds.
Investigation
In a study carried out by the police, the serial murder accounted that during the fateful evening he had not slept in his bedroom. He alleged that he had not slept in his room because during the previous night Kristen had damped his bed with urine. He reported that on a fateful day Kristen was sleeping with her mother Colette. He also narrated that screams from Colette and Kimberly woke him later during the night. While trying to rescue them, three male intruders attacked him with an ice pick and a club. The fourth intruder was a woman. During the attack, Macdonald reported that his pajama was stretched and torn apart. He alleged that he used the torn cloth to protect and push the ice pick. He told the police that later the intruders knocked him down where he went into a state of unconsciousness.
The investigations carried out by the CID did not agree with Macdonald’s statements. This was the case because there was little physical damages or evidence of a vigorous struggle between the attackers and Macdonald in the living room. The only evidence was an overturned table, which had hit a flowering plant. In addition, there was a contradiction of the torn pajama’s location. He had claimed that the tattered portions of pajama were in the sitting room. However, investigators found the portions beside Colette’s body and in the Kristen and Kimberly’s bedrooms. In addition, substantial evidence showed fibers of Macdonald’s torn pajamas were identified in the fingernails of Kristen. Moreover, the CID found weapons at the back door of the house, which is believed to have been used in the murder of Colette, Kristen, and Kimberly. The weapons were 3 feet piece of wood, a kitchen knife, an ice pick. The gloves thought to have been used by the suspect were also found. The CID noted that this was not a mere coincidence.
The investigating team postulated that the suspect’s wife must have hit him on his face probably with a hard object bruising his face. Macdonald revenged at this instant by hitting her with a piece of lumber. It was also suggested that Kimberly might have run into the master room on hearing the commotion between the two parents. Kimberly is thought to have been hit accidentally during the process of the fight between Macdonald and Colette. Kristen, who probably was then remaining evidence, was stabbed with an ice pick to death.
After killing them, Macdonald carried back Colette and Kimberly to their bedrooms. This was after covering the body of his wife with a sheet. During this process, Colette’s blood left a footprint on the way out of Kristen’s bedroom. In addition, investigators believed that Macdonald hurt himself using a sharp scalpel from his supply in the adjacent bathroom. Thereafter, Macdonald wore the gloves and wrote the word Pig using Colette’s blood in the master bedroom. He later covered Colette with a torn pajama before stabbing her severally in the chest. Finally, Macdonald concealed the murder weapons at the back door, before reaching for a telephone to call the Fort Bragg Police.
The army investigating team began interrogating the suspect on 6 April 1970. Induration of fewer than 30 days, the military had made an official murder charge against the serial killer. Colonel Warren Rock was in charge of Macdonald’s Article 32 hearing which run from 5 July to September 1970. Bernard L. Segal who is a civilian attorney of Philadelphia headed Macdonald’s defense. The defense team argued based on lack of proper investigations by the CID. They insisted that the crime scene was not properly guarded. For instance, the lost skin was found stuck under the fingernails of Colette. They also put forward the possibilities of the involvement of a third party called Helena Stoeckley. Stoeckley was a drug user, and she is believed to have had connections with the murder of Macdonald’s family as per the defense (Stoeckley 88 dies, 2013). Stoeckley had been accused of engaging in a series of murders. In March 1970, Colonel Rock recommended Macdonald to be released. However, in 1975 the serial killer was charged by a judge by a jury and arrested before being released on a bail of $100000 on 31 January. Notably, on 22 October 1978 Fourth Circuit rejected arguments put forward by Macdonald. On 19 March 1979, United States Supreme Court disagreed to review the decision made by the Appeal Court. The murder trial started on 16 July 1979 at the Federal courthouse, North Carolina.
The trial, outcome, and sentencing
On 29 August 1979, Macdonald was convicted to serve life sentence behind bars for murdering his entire family. After the investigations, the evidence held him responsible for the murder of his pregnant wife and their two daughters. The jury took several hours to conclude his judgment. This automatically earned Macdonald a consecutive life sentence on each of the three murder cases. In addition, the jury revoked the bail on Macdonald’s case. He later requested to be allowed bail, as the appeal remained pending. However, during the late 1970s, his petition was turned down. Equally, in the year 1979, a similar plea was turned down by a US Court. Since then, there have been several appeals from Macdonald’s defense. Now, the convict is serving his condemnation at a government penitentiary in Cumberland. In the year 2011, he was, moved to a penitentiary located in North Carolina. There, he awaits appeal evidence hearings yet to be administered in due time.
Unethical instances in Macdonald’s case
In my view, the conviction of Jeffrey Macdonald was fair and justified to a great degree for the reason that the every piece of evidence pointed towards him as the only serial killer. However, there is a little compromise on the procedure of law, which requires that a suspect needs to be judged within the shortest time possible after crime action. It took Macdonald several years to be tried and convicted. This is not professionally ethical as the quality and accuracy of the evidence might have been interfered with. In addition, the government suppressed or manipulated his evidence including blonde hair and bloody fingerprints, which could not match Macdonald. The government ignored the other possible suspects such as Stoeckley, whom the witnesses claim to know her as a drug user (Morris, 2012).
Topology
The crime action of Macdonald’s mass murder case is believed to be a homicide triad. This kind of murder case is a result of three basic behavioral aspects. These aspects are cruelty to animals, bed-wetting, and obsession with fire setting. The case studies from the FBI’s associates Robert K. Ressler, Dr. Ann Burgess Douglas indicated enough evidence of certain childhood aspects leading to predatory behavior later in life. These predator behaviors include sexual and homicidal acts. Other research shows that if a child faces abuse, parental neglect, or brutal acts, he or she is likely to develop behaviors associated with homicide actions.
Psychological history, behavioral, and environmental factors
As illustrated above, Macdonald had no major psychological factors in his life that could have influenced his criminal action. In addition, this is one-time crime action because we are not told of any of his other criminal acts. In his childhood, we are not told of any unusual behaviors. His behaviors could be due to genetically inherited, or the army and medical working environment might have prompted his murder action.
Crime theories
There are various theories that have been put forward to explain what influences the motivation or drive of criminal person. These include psychoanalytical theory, psychodynamic theory, and cognitive development theory (What Is Theory? 2013).
Psychoanalytical theory
In this theory, the driving force behind the acts of crime committed by criminals is studied. The personality, fear to engage in crime, crime punishment and the insensible perspective of the criminal altogether form an important part of the study. According to this theory, criminal behavior is associated with dysfunction of personality and the bad adjustment. This called for severe penalties for criminologists (Major Psychological Theoretical Perspectives and Crime, 2013).
Psychodynamic theory
This theory states that the criminal behavior is due to the buildup of the unusual psyche during the first five years contributing to the criminal acts later in life. It also states that the violent behaviors were due to the unconscious actions of the mind. If these communications and aggressive impulses are not regulated or there is repression to certain extent, aggression might get out of hand and lead a person to engage in crime or violent acts.
Cognitive development theory
In the cognitive theory of development, both the deviant and criminal behaviors are due to how individual thoughts are organized concerning the moral values and country’s laws.Those that cannot go through the three stages of childhood; pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional remain stuck definitely lead to deviant and criminal life.
Social and behavioral theory
This theory asserts that murders acquire their behavior through learning activities such as watching other serial killers. The theory is enhanced by the presence of homicidal behaviors. Based on the graduation hypothesis, it is apparent that rewards of these offenses augment the weird behaviors, which finally leads to the murdering of people. In the above case, the serial killer’s work background might have contributed to MacDonald’s murder acts.
Biological theory
This theory asserts that biological malfunctioning of body systems can lead an individual to commit murder crimes. Experts concerned with biological theories recommend strict punishments for criminals and efficient ways of enforcing laws help to reduce crimes. In the above case, genetic inheritance might have contributed to MacDonald’s murder acts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be noted that the above case is considered the longest-running case in US history. Preliminary investigation reports indicate that MacDonald murdered his entire family. Later, the courts found the suspect guilty of murder and condemned him to life imprisonment in the year 1979. Ever since then, he has presented numerous failed petition attempts to overrule his sentence (Jeffrey MacDonald Murder Case to Start New Trial Monday, 2013).
References
A Wilderness of Error: The Trials of Jeffrey MacDonald. (2013). Web.
DeLisi, M. (2012). Criminal Psychology. San Francisco: Bridgepoint Education.
Jeffrey MacDonald Murder Case To Start New Trial Monday, Ex-Army Captain Maintains His Innocence 33 Years Later. (2013). Web.
Major Psychological Theoretical Perspectives and Crime. (2013). Web.
Morris, E. (2012). A wilderness of error: the trials of Jeffrey MacDonald. New York: Penguin Press.
Psychological Typologies. (2013). Web.
Stoeckley 88 dies; involved in MacDonald case. (2013). Web.
What Is Theory?. (2013). Web.