Jim Blackburn, the prosecutor who won the conviction of Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald in the case that inspired the book "Fatal Vision," says some of the news coverage of the John Edwards case reminded him of his own fall from grace. After entering private practice, Blackburn admitted in 1993 that he had stolen $230,000 from his law firm to cover lies he made to clients. Blackburn lost his law license and went to prison. In time, he paid the money back.
One of Blackburn's lawyers was his friend Wade Smith. Blackburn and Smith were on opposite sides in the MacDonald case. Upon receiving Smith's advice, Blackburn confessed fully. Blackburn said Smith told him: "Take their best shot and don't whine. Then you get your life back." Blackburn wrote a book about his experiences, "Flame-out."
Blackburn said it was best that his secrets were revealed. "If it hadn't blown apart, I'd still be trying to control it," he told me last week. "Blowing apart was the best thing that happened."
While noting some similarities in news coverage of his fall and Edwards', Blackburn declined to give Edwards advice. Read more of Blackburn's comments here.
Comments
Two very different cases
Wed, 09/03/2008 - 08:32 — DebrahI'm sure that Jim Blackburn can see a few similarities between his case and that of John Edwards'. Embarrassment, chief among them.
Both were high profile, successful attorneys who behaved like many of the criminals they have defended.
That's pretty much where the similarities end.
I don't remember the intricacies of Blackburn's case; however, he seems to have found humility as a result of his "fall from grace".
And unlike Edwards, he didn't take the entire Democratic Party and many gullible people from all over the country on a phony and fraudulent ride the way John and Elizabeth Edwards did. His crime was less comprehensive.
The thing that people must remember is that if any attorney had to start telling the truth tomorrow, he/she would be out of business.
However, some are more dishonest than others and they carry the tools of their trade into their personal lives.
When you need one, a good attorney is worth his or her weight in gold and a bad one---comprising the bulk of the profession---is basically a licensed thief.
John Edwards is in a particularly odious category to which few can lay claim.
He not only screwed the public, but his family as well.
Blackburn was gracious with his comments, but he didn't descend into the same abyss as Edwards.
Thank you
Tue, 09/02/2008 - 08:38 — robdarichIf every cockamamie schemer allowed full and open disclosure, there'd be a severe downturn in the economy and in the faithfulness expressed by the common idiot.
However, it'd be a wellspring of advancement for everyone and halt the continued actions of evil-doing masterminds. IE: wonderous benefits could be imagined if Jim Black resigned just a little sooner and one can imagine how great NC'd be if everyone acted with honor.
Blackburn should get an award. The ability to stop when one's in too deep is what NC needs... yesterday, last year and perhaps, for a very long time.