Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Thomas Whitaker AP/PA Images

Death row prisoner who hired hitman to kill his family given last-minute reprieve

His father appealed for his life.

TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG Abbott last night issued a last-minute reprieve for a death row prisoner who hired a gunman to kill his family after his father, whom he sought to murder, pleaded for his son’s life.

Thomas Bartlett “Bart” Whitaker, 38, had been one of three men awaiting execution Thursday in three different US states.

Another, Eric Branch, was executed as scheduled in Florida for the 1993 murder of a student.

In a proclamation explaining his decision on Whitaker, Abbott wrote that the prisoner “must spend the remainder of his life behind bars as punishment for this heinous crime.”

The governor said he had taken into consideration the fact that “the person who fired the gun that killed the victims did not receive the death penalty, but Mr Whitaker, who did not fire the gun, did get the death penalty.”

He added: “Mr Whitaker’s father, who survived the attempt on his life, passionately opposes the execution of his son. Mr Whitaker’s father insists that he would be victimized again if the state put to death his last remaining immediate family member.”

‘Thankful’

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice later issued a statement quoting Whitaker’s reaction to the news.

“I’m thankful for this decision, not for me but for my Dad,” he said. “Whatever punishment I might have received or will receive will be just.

“I deserve any punishment for my crimes, but my Dad did nothing wrong. The system worked for him today, and I will do my best to uphold my end of the bargain.”

Kent Whitaker had moved heaven and earth for years to try to get mercy for his son, whom he forgave from his hospital bed.

Bart Whitaker was sentenced to death for hiring the hitman who killed his mother and brother and wounded his father in 2003. The gunman also shot him in the arm to provide a cover story for the family slaying.

Police had originally assumed the shooting was a botched robbery, although the fact that only Bart’s cell phone had been taken raised suspicions.

Bart returned to live with his wounded father for seven months before it emerged that it was the son who hired the gunman.

Kent, a devout Christian, said he had initially been “mad at God” after being shot in the thorax by the masked assailant who took the lives of his wife Tricia, 51, and his 19-year-old son Kevin.

“I was wrestling with my faith,” he said. “But God met me in the hospital room on the night of the shootings and helped me arrive at a ‘miracle’ forgiveness for everyone involved.”

“I live with the extent of the loss every day and am aware of how much it has cost me — and am completely aware that all of that loss was the result of decisions made by my son,” he said.

“But God helped me reach that complete forgiveness and I think He did that to help me rebuild my relationship with my son.”

© AFP 2018 

Read: Armed policeman at Parkland school ‘never went in’ to confront shooter

Read: Australia deputy PM who had affair with staffer finally bows to pressure and resigns

Author
View 29 comments
Close
29 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Heffernan
    Favourite Brian Heffernan
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 8:23 AM

    I was listening to Radio 1 yesterday morning and you’d think Mother Teresa had just passed away.

    90
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Joseph McDermott
    Favourite John Joseph McDermott
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 8:40 AM

    Lol.
    Instead of Al Capone.?

    64
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dingleberrycity
    Favourite Dingleberrycity
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 7:43 AM

    The characters are all dying off….

    81
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Joseph McDermott
    Favourite John Joseph McDermott
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 8:39 AM

    “IT’S UNLIKELY ANY other former government press secretaries will be mourned as publicly as PJ Mara has been over the last 24 hours, but then he was much more than that.”
    If that statement is true what does it say about our society.?
    The only thing most good and decent people will remember P.J for is the famous press conference where he tried to gag Vincent Browne,when he insisted on asking questions about the source of wealth of leaders of the Soldiers of Destiny:
    https://youtu.be/F6tQN6H_tVY

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Joseph McDermott
    Favourite John Joseph McDermott
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 8:42 AM

    It’s off the Wall.! all this mourning for these so called “characters”..

    53
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Maggie
    Favourite Maggie
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 11:25 AM

    Don’t worry Bertie is here to stay unfortunately

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Delaney
    Favourite James Delaney
    Report
    Jan 17th 2016, 1:42 AM

    Bertie was on tv yesterday talkin bout PJ. Bertie seemed much reder in tge face & especially his honger. Wonder if Cowen & homself are boozing buddies.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colin Forbes
    Favourite Colin Forbes
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 8:10 AM

    Characters?! More like chancers!

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Joseph McDermott
    Favourite John Joseph McDermott
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 8:48 AM

    I would use stronger terms than chancers, but one should not speak ill of the dead-nor of all the suicides which have occurred under the reign of Fianna Fail not to mention the long long waiting lists for housing; or hospital procedures today, for those who cannot afford private health insurance.
    I have no doubt that PJ’s family are very well provided for..

    40
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William Kelly
    Favourite William Kelly
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 8:51 AM

    No need to speak ill of the dead. Their record of “joint enterprise” in the corruption of our politics, & carpet bagger stroking of the economy,TACA, tents, brown envelopes, etc. will never be erased. Mara may well have been the clean face of the regime, but he loyally defended the indefensible.

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Prince of Burren
    Favourite Prince of Burren
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 9:19 AM

    Showtime as the article refers to. These guys think they are playing a game when it comes to election have they ever wondered the trail of destruction they have left our country in for our children and grandchildren and many more generations to come, refraining from making comments on Mr. Mara rip

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark Dunne
    Favourite Mark Dunne
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 8:09 AM

    Scrap Saturday will never be the same again :(

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Nah
    Favourite Joe Nah
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 10:18 AM

    ‘Political strategist – genius – shaper of the political landscape etc, etc,…..’

    So we have ‘Mara’ to thank for the stinking political culture ordinary citizens have had to endure for the last thirty years?

    Thanks a bunch – no doubt Dunphy will be tearing up on the Marian Finnucane show at some stage this week-end.

    Once again the political and media cosies are disappearing up their own asses – all pals together at the end of the day…..

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Kelly
    Favourite James Kelly
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 9:25 AM

    It would be nice to observe PJ Mara as a throwback to another era but he is not. His style, his tactics, his nudge nudge wink wink persona is still very much alive in the mainstream political parties where honest open transparent debate is to be closed down , scrutiny of waiting lists etc etc is not to be encouraged far less dealing with the myocardial of causes including of course self interest mainly in the medical and insurance sectors. Oh no, KENNY and his ilk need people like Mara as they are simply not up to the job themselves no matter how much native cunning and strokes they think they have in the locker room.
    RIP Mr Mara, you’re legacy is safe

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Donal O Neil
    Favourite Donal O Neil
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 3:13 PM

    They are cunning linguists

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Owen McDermott
    Favourite Owen McDermott
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 9:03 AM

    Much ado about very little – very uninspiring – like the current group of morons I suppose.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat Redmond
    Favourite Pat Redmond
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 10:38 AM

    Didn’t Fionnuala O’Kelly, aka Enda Kenny’s, wife, work for years with Meara and learnt from the master. Spot the similarities in strategy?

    Happy, clappy, photocalls : whatever you do say nothing much and keep smiling; hang out at international leader photo calls; stay out of controversies, leave the minister to bat, then let Enda sail in for victory when the government has to cave in; stay on message with rehearsed sound bites, no matter what’s put to you; give party opponents a busy portfolio but shaft them when there’s too much heat and it isn’t going away. At election time, promise taxpayer’s money to the loudest pressure group or key voter demographic at election time. And the leadership heave against Enda was handled with classic Haughey manoeuvres. Meara always acted the joker well. Mrs K stays in the shadows.

    FF PR is alive and well, just getting better and better at FG. Plus ca change. High five!

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Delaney
    Favourite James Delaney
    Report
    Jan 17th 2016, 1:44 AM

    Mrs Kenny was Charlies Secretary.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Joseph McDermott
    Favourite John Joseph McDermott
    Report
    Jan 16th 2016, 10:55 AM

    And RTE this week carried the press release/threats from Irish Water that the citizens who have boycotted the charges will be hounded through the courts and judgements lodged against their properties.etc.
    How dare this gang in power continue to threaten half the nation because they think they have bought the other half with borrowed money and taxes.!
    RTE carried the “propaganda” that more than half their customers had paid.
    However as one third of their registered customers have private wells and a private supply; when this group are removed from the statistics/lies of Irish Water, then I believe that we will find out the real truth some day-that far less than 50% of the people who are being threatened have paid-or will pay.
    I hope the long grass will reveal an enormous number of angry people in the coming election.!

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Delaney
    Favourite James Delaney
    Report
    Jan 17th 2016, 1:47 AM

    I met PJ in my mid teens in the kate 70s – He seemed to be a nice man, a character definately & was interested in the views of young people. A great operator without doubt – having to deal with contraversaries one after the other.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Next upNext up:
      News in 60 seconds