TOPIC: Counsel

Brian Murtagh

Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice and co-prosecutor at the 1979 trial.  Murtagh continues to be at the forefront in this case as evidenced by his presentation at MacDonald's parole hearing in 2005, and his co-authorship of every single government response to legal motions filed by the MacDonald defense team.

James Blackburn

Assistant U.S. Attorney and co-prosecutor at the 1979 trial.  Blackburn is currently a motivational speaker who frequently lectures at various legal seminars.

John De Pue

Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice and co-author of government responses to various legal motions filed by the MacDonald defense team since 1989.

George Anderson

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina during the MacDonald trial in 1979.

Victor Woerheide

Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice during the Grand Jury hearings from 1974-1975.  Woerheide garnered an indictment in 1975, but died of a heart attack later that same year.

Clifford Somers

Lead counsel for the Army during the Article 32 hearings.

Bernie Segal

Defense attorney for MacDonald from 1970-1982.  Segal was lead counsel at the Article 32 hearings, Grand Jury hearings, and at the 1979 trial.

Wade Smith

Defense attorney for MacDonald during the 1979 trial.  Smith presented the opening statement and assisted in the presentation of closing arguments for the defense at trial.

Brian O'Neill

Defense attorney for MacDonald from 1983-1989.  O'Neill was lead counsel at the 1984-1985 appellate hearings.

Harvey Silverglate

Defense attorney for MacDonald from 1989-2004.  Silverglate was lead counsel at the 1989, 1990, 1992, and 1998 appellate hearings.

Tim Junkin

Defense attorney for MacDonald from 2005 to the present.  Junkin was lead counsel and co-author of several defense motions in 2006.