No Retrial for Dr. MacDonald

U.S. District Court Judge Franklin Dupree today denied a request by Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald for a new trial in the slayings of his pregnant wife and two young daughters in February, 1970.

MacDonald’s attorneys argued that he deserved a new trial because two “repugnant” women had admitted killing the former Green Beret’s family, but a prosecutor said the “bizarre” confessions were beyond belief. MacDonald is serving three life sentences.

The case recently was the basis for a television miniseries, “Fatal Vision.”