Historic Trial Transcripts

In the early morning of February 17, 1970 dispatchers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina received an emergency phone call from army captain, Dr. Jeffrey R. MacDonald reporting a stabbing in his home. When military police officers arrived at his house they found Jeffrey's wife Colette and his daughters Kimberly and Kristen dead in their bedrooms.
MacDonald told investigators that he was awakened by Colette and Kimberly’s screams. When he attempted to go to their aid he was attacked by three male intruders. A fourth, female intruder stood nearby with a lighted candle chanting, "Acid is groovy, kill the pigs."
An Army Article 32 hearing into MacDonald's possible guilt was convened on July 5, 1970 and on October 13, 1970 issued a report recommending that charges be dismissed against him.
After reading the Article 32 hearing transcript, Freddie Kassab, MacDonald's stepfather-in-law noted numerous inconsistencies in MacDonald's testimony and pursued legal action against him.
On January 24, 1975, almost five years after the murders, Jeffrey MacDonald was indicted by a grand jury in North Carolina.
On July 29, 1975 double jeopardy and speedy trial arguments were denied and allowed the trial date of August 18, 1975 to stand.
On January 23, 1976 a panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the indictment dismissed on speedy trial grounds.
The indictment was reinstated by the US Supreme Court on May 1, 1978. On October 22, 1978, the Fourth Circuit rejected MacDonald's double jeopardy arguments and, on March 19, 1979, the Supreme Court refused to review that decision.
The murder trial began in July of 1979 in the Federal courthouse in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is the unabridged trial transcript of Jeffrey Robert MacDonald, convicted in 1979 of murdering his two young daughters and pregnant wife in 1970.