Attorneys for Jeffrey MacDonald seek delay in hearing

Fort Bragg, N.C. — Attorneys for former Fort Bragg Army doctor Jeffrey MacDonald have asked a federal judge to delay a hearing next month regarding new claims in the 42-year-old murder case involving MacDonald's pregnant wife and two children.

The 68-year-old was sentenced in 1979 to three life terms in prison for the 1970 murders.

The evidentiary hearing, scheduled in federal court for Aug. 20, is to determine whether his attorneys can conduct new DNA testing on three unknown hair samples found at the crime scene, as well as matters relating to other evidence in the case that defense attorneys say warrant MacDonald a new trial.

But they have asked that the hearing be moved to Sept. 17, because they need more time to meet deadlines in other cases because of changes to North Carolina's Racial Justice Act.

MacDonald has maintained his innocence, claiming that he and his family were attacked by three men and a woman with long blonde hair, a floppy hat and boots who carried a lighted candle and chanted "acid is groovy; kill the pigs."

The case inspired the true crime book "Fatal Vision" and a TV mini-series of the same name.

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If you are old enough to remember the trial, he was found guilty, Too much time has passed, too many things have been changed,,, Should have been put to death back then,,Hay liberals out there, all the people you are saving from death now will be back to haunt us in 40 years, and turned loose by the ultra liberals you are developing today..

oleguy
July 17, 2012 9:52 a.m.

DNA testing of the hairs does not prove who did the killing folks. Quit watching CSI as they don't tell it like it really is, they make it good for the watchers of TV.

topfan4unc
July 17, 2012 8:53 a.m.

He should have been executed for his crimes. The death of those little girls way back then upset me so bad as they had multiple wounds. Not just one quick kill. How can you do that to little kids?? Rhetorical.

But, ask any physician or beautician. The average person sheds 50 or more hairs every single day and for those who clean their homes, you can sweep and mop and vacuum but you will still find hairs somewhere. Hairs can even be from visitors in the home. In this case, I don't know precisely the location of the hairs, but they could have come from rescue unit members, military police and anyone that had been in that home any time in the last few months even. Location is everything in criminal investigations as they say.

I just think he is evil and he should have had more punishment...something like he gave his wife and those two precious little girls.

topfan4unc
July 17, 2012 8:51 a.m.

This guy will never give up. He likes being in the news. I saw a lot of the evidence and attended the trial. There is so much more to the story. He was verbally and mentally abusive to his wife and kids. He had affairs even brought his girlfriend along during his trial. He will continue to waste tax paying money claiming he did not get justice. He was charged with three murders which did NOT include the death of the unborn child his wife was carrying. All he was interested in was money from her family. May he continue to get just what he deserves. He should be glad he didn't get the death penalty. I have nor never will have any pity on this monster.

pja1357
July 16, 2012 7:57 p.m.

DNA is not the proverbial silver bullet, except that juries and fuzzy-headed judges seem to think it is. So where the hairs found? How can anyone determine when or how they got there? These days, I suppose anyone who wants to commit a crime should steal some person's hairbrush and litter the scene with a bunch of other DNA. MacDonald's first interview he gave to the MP's is pretty damning ... startling for its lack of candor and evasiveness.

BobLoblaw
July 16, 2012 7:24 p.m.