Gary Plauché
Gary Plauché | |
|---|---|
 Plauché in 1984 | |
| Born | Leon Gary Plauché November 10, 1945 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | October 20, 2014 (aged 68) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Killing of Jeff Doucet |
| Spouse | June |
| Children | 4 |
Leon Gary Plauché (November 10, 1945 – October 20, 2014) was an American man known for publicly killing Jeff Doucet, a
Kidnapping of son by Doucet
Plauché, a native of
On March 1, 1984, Jody was returned to his family in Louisiana. In an interview with a news television crew, Gary, having heard reports that Doucet had sexually assaulted his son, stated that he felt a sense of helplessness.[5]
Doucet's killing by Plauché
On March 16, 1984, Doucet was flown back to Louisiana to face trial. He arrived at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport and was led in handcuffs by police officers through the airport at around 9:30 p.m., where Plauché was waiting for Doucet.[5]
An employee of the local ABC affiliate, WBRZ-TV, had told Plauché when Doucet would be arriving at the airport.[6]: 81 A news crew from WBRZ was waiting for Doucet and had set up their cameras to record his arrival. Opposite the news crew was a bank of payphones, where Plauché waited while talking to his best friend on a telephone. He wore a baseball cap and sunglasses so that no one would recognize him.[5]
As Doucet was escorted through the airport, he passed the news crew who were taping the scene. He then walked past Plauché, who fired at the right side of Doucet's head at point-blank range. Doucet fell to the floor, bleeding from a wound close to his right ear. Plauché placed the telephone receiver down before a police officer restrained him and removed the gun from his hand as the other attended to Doucet.[7] The officers who grabbed hold of Plauché recognized him. They kept him pinned against the bank of telephones, asking him, "Gary, why? Why, Gary?"[5] The incident was captured on ENG videotape. Doucet fell into a coma, and died from the gunshot wound the next day.[8][9]
Aftermath
Plauché was initially charged with
Psychological reports helped Plauché's case after it was learned that Doucet had abused Jody months prior to the kidnapping. The psychiatrist Edward P. Uzee examined Plauché and determined that he could not tell the difference between right and wrong when he killed Doucet. Plauché's defense team argued that he was driven to a
The video of Plauché killing Doucet has been featured on many television programs and documentaries, including the 1994
At age 67, Plauché gave an interview where he stated that he did not regret killing Doucet and would do so again.[11]
In August 2019, the book "Why, Gary, Why?": The Jody Plauché Story was released by Jody.[6] In 2024, Jody appeared in an interview for the Mirror in which he stated that he was happy with his life and regarded his father as "the greatest dad of all time".[12]
Death
Plauché suffered a stroke in 2011.[4] He died in 2014 at a nursing home after another stroke, at the age of 68.[13]
See also
References
- ^ "Father of Kidnapped Son gets Revenge-1984 Remember those moments on TV?-Jeffrey Doucet bites the bullet". Toluna. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ Harris, Art (March 29, 1984). "What Price Vengeance? A Louisiana Town Weighs the Issue In Slaying of Accused Kidnaper". Washington Post. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
- ^ https://x.com/jplauche/status/1763227775899426884?s=46
- ^ a b "A father's justice". ESPN. October 10, 2012. Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Father of Kidnapped Son gets Revenge. YouTube. July 2, 2006. Archived from the original on December 24, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-948903-21-9.
- ^ "VICTIM'S FATHER SHOOTS ATTACKER - HD". efootage.com. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
- ^ "Kidnapping Suspect Dead". The New York Times. AP. March 17, 1984. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ a b "Judge suspends killer's sentence". The Bulletin. No. 227. Bend, Oregon. UPI. August 27, 1985. p. A-2. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ "Man Sentenced in Killing Of Suspected Kidnapper". The New York Times. AP. August 27, 1985. Archived from the original on January 28, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ E:60 "A Time To Kill". 2013. Event occurs at 12 mins 45 secs.
- ^ Hassel, Jeremiah (March 17, 2024). "'My life is great 40 years after my dad killed my rapist on live TV'". The Mirror US. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ Schmaltz, Trey (October 22, 2014). "Family: Gary Plauche has died". WBRZ.com. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Archived from the original on November 5, 2018.