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Crimetown

Introducing | Morally Indefensible

Crimetown

Gimlet

Government, Society & Culture, News

4.614.6K Ratings

🗓️ 18 August 2020

⏱️ 4 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

1979 is the year that Ex-Green Beret Doctor Jeffrey MacDonald is convicted of the murders of his pregnant wife and two young daughters. It’s also the year he meets a new friend in famous journalist Joe McGinniss. Joe agrees to write a book about Jeff’s case. That book becomes a smash bestseller and a TV limited series watched by over 65 million people, but the story it tells isn’t quite the story Jeff expected and that sets off a series of events that ruin both men’s lives…Who’s the real bad guy here, the journalist or the murderer? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is a story about friendship.

0:05.0

It was this bond that was occurring and it was unmistakable and we were best friends.

0:11.0

A friendship that bloomed during the hot summer of 1979.

0:14.0

When a famous doctor named Jeffrey McDonald,

0:17.0

and we'll need lab here for bar level and a CDC.

0:20.0

Metaphamous journalist.

0:21.0

Ladies and gentlemen, will you welcome please Joe McGinnis.

0:23.0

Joe McGinnis.

0:24.0

Joe McGinnis.

0:25.0

Name Joe McGinnis.

0:26.0

I like Joe.

0:27.0

We talked about the same things in the New York mix, the Aggies and the Nets, football.

0:31.0

Two friends who would go jogging together.

0:34.0

And this is the beginning of the running room and you know you sort of get this camaraderie after a while.

0:38.0

That summer, they did just about everything together.

0:42.0

We drank together.

0:43.0

I mean we did the class and buddy routine of all times.

0:47.0

And with all this time together, Jeff and Joe hatched a plan.

0:51.0

You see Jeff have been accused of a horrible crime.

0:54.0

Reporter Joe McGinnis spent three years investigating Jeff McDonald, who granted him total access.

0:59.0

And Joe was going to prove a miniscence.

1:01.0

So that McGinnis might write the definitive book about it.

...

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