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Customer Review
- Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2014Very well done book. Morris points out the many disturbing things and events that those determined to convict MacDonald did and said to accomplish that muscarriage of justice. When this case first happened, the main thing that struck me was how could MacDonald describe one of the intruders immediately, then you not only have a cop say he saw someone meeting that description (and Stoeckely also admitted she was on that corner), but more importantly it's an awfully compelling coincidence that Stoeckley herself - who admitted having the wig and clothing MacDonald described and burning them shortly after the murder - would confess so many times to so many different people that she was there. MacDonald describes a woman in a floppy hat, and Stoeckley with her wig and floppy hat conveniently confesses to numerous people, and that's not important to those trying to prosecute MacDonald? I don't believe in coincidences, so IMO it can only mean that Stoeckley was there and that MacDonald is innocent. Morris brought this out in the book, and it's only one piece of the pie...the other pieces consist of a prosecution determined to convict MacDonald at all costs, including subverting justice. They didn't care about putting the actual killers behind bars; they wanted to put MacDonald behind bars and close this case. The fact that over 40 years later this is still going on should tell many people that there's much more to this case. Another piece of pie is how a self-serving, narcissistic writer can influence people by bending and omitting the facts; how they can form their own theory and fit and omit evidence to make their theory seem correct. This is what McGinnis did in his book, IMO. And Morris shows us how he did it through McGinnis' letters to MacDonald and the abuse of his position within the group defending MacDonald. McGinnis may not have been a part of the defense team per se, but he had access to them and IMO used that access to get information for his book...a book his editors knew would sell better if MacDonald was convicted...and as the communication between McGinnis and his editors shows, they structured that book in their own self interest, and not in the interests of truth and justice. That's despicable IMO, and it's a slap in the face to not only MacDonald and his murdered family, but to truth, justice, and to anyone interested in the facts of this case. If a writer can do this so boldly, then who among us in a similar situation is safe? The same can be said about the prosecution. How can anyone believe anything Blackburn says, especially considering he faked his own mothers death in order to get a continuance on a case? IMO anyone who could do that, could and would do anything to win their case...and IMO that's exactly what Blackburn did in the MacDonald case. I believe he did threaten Stoeckely with murder charges if she testified...and if she did testify, Blackburn knew that would mean an acquittal for MacDonald.
The big question is why there was such determination to convict MacDonald. The Army didn't even charge him after the article 32 hearing. Could it be as simple as the fact that because they botched the investigation so badly, and many people voiced their unhappiness with that (especially Fred Kassab), that the government, of which the Army is a part, decided to to after MacDonald? Morris points out a lot of interesting 'coincidences' throughout his book that lead this reader to think that may be the case. He also points out some interesting things about the Kassabs; after supporting MacDonald for years, they suddenly turn on him when he wants to move away...Mildred threatens him and Fred becomes obsessed that MacDonald is guilty...and we find out Mildred wasn't very complimentary about her own daughter, yes raved about MacDonald...I've always felt the Kassabs were a bit strange, and the information Morris shows in his book simply confirms that. It all makes me feel that without a government embarrassed that their botched investigation was seeing the light of day, and without the Kassabs self righteous motives, MacDonald would never have spent one week, leg alone all these years, behind bars. The worst tragedy is that justice has not been done for Colette, the kids, and for MacDonald.
