Narrator: WHEN FBI AGENT MARGO BENNETT
MARRIED A FELLOW FBI HOT SHOT,
THE TWO SEEMED DESTINED FOR A LIFE OF INTRIGUE.
I HAD NO DOUBT THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE A GREAT FUTURE.
CERTAINLY, SPARKS WERE FLYING.
Narrator: BUT BEFORE IT WAS OVER,
BULLETS WOULD BE FLYING, TOO.
HE HAD DEVISED THIS CRAZY, CRAZY SCHEME.
THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
WE HAVE TWO QUALIFIED FBI AGENTS HERE,
AND THEY'RE GOING TO WAR.
Narrator: AND AFTER SHE EMERGED FROM A SECRET AFFAIR,
MARGO WOULD DISCOVER THAT THE MOST DANGEROUS CRIMINAL
SHE EVER FACED LIVED RIGHT UNDER HER VERY OWN ROOF.
I KNEW... I KNEW... THAT HE WAS GOING TO COME BACK.
I KNEW I WAS GONNA DIE.
Narrator: WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
GROWING UP IN ATHENS, GEORGIA,
MARGO BENNETT KNEW HER CAREER GOAL
WAS TO SERVE AND KEEP THE PEACE.
Bennett: I BECAME A POLICE OFFICER.
AND A FRIEND OF MINE SAID, "YOU SHOULD TRY FOR THE FBI."
THAT'S WHERE I REALLY FOUND MY NICHE,
AND IT GAVE ME THE SATISFACTION
OF KNOWING I WAS DOING SOMETHING GOOD.
Narrator: IN THE WINTER OF 1982,
WHILE 29-YEAR-OLD MARGO WAS FINISHING UP
HER FBI FIELD TRAINING IN ATLANTA,
SHE MET ANOTHER NEW RECRUIT, GENE BENNETT.
Bennett: MY COLLEAGUE SAID,
"MARGO, I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO GENE BENNETT.
STAY AWAY FROM HIM. HE'LL TRY TO GET IN YOUR PANTS."
HE HAD THIS SWAGGER. VERY CONFIDENT.
HE WAS ALREADY DOING UNDERCOVER WORK,
WHICH WAS ALMOST UNHEARD OF, SO HE WAS A BOY WONDER.
Narrator: IN A SINGLE NIGHT WORKING UNDERCOVER,
GENE HELPED BRING DOWN DOZENS OF CRIMINALS
AND RECOVERED MORE THAN $8 MILLION IN SMUGGLED GOODS.
THE FBI WAS IMPRESSED...
AND SO WAS MARGO.
IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST ANYONE CAN DO.
HE HAD REALLY TAKEN TO THE WORK, AND HE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
Rother: SO GENE ASKED HER OUT.
AND SHE INITIALLY TRIED TO SAY NO,
AND HE WAS JUST VERY PERSISTENT.
Narrator: ALMOST INSTANTLY, THE SPARKS STARTED FLYING.
BUT SOON MARGO WAS TRANSFERRED TO KANSAS CITY.
AFTER TWO YEARS OF LONG-DISTANCE DATING,
SHE KNEW THERE WAS ONLY ONE WAY
THE AGENCY WOULD BRING THEM BACK TOGETHER.
GENE AND I BROACHED THE TOPIC OF MARRIAGE.
I PRETTY MUCH SAID TO GENE, "OKAY. NOW IS THE TIME.
WE'RE EITHER GONNA DO THIS OR WE'RE NOT."
AND SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT I PROPOSED TO HIM.
Narrator: IN THE WINTER OF 1984,
MARGO AND GENE TIED THE KNOT
IN A HUGE CHURCH WEDDING IN ATLANTA.
Bennett: I HAD NO DOUBT THAT GENE WAS THE PERSON
I WAS MEANT TO MARRY,
THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE A GREAT FUTURE.
Rother: SHE WAS JUST REALLY THRILLED TO BE WITH GENE,
AND GENE WAS THRILLED TO BE WITH HER,
AND IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE GONNA LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
Narrator: FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS,
LIFE FLEW BY FOR THE FBI'S GOLDEN COUPLE.
BUT ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER OF 1986,
WHILE MARGO WAS EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT,
GENE APPROACHED HER WITH AN IDEA FOR A SCAM.
Bennett: HE SAID HE WAS JUST TALKING TO HIS INFORMANT
AND THAT HIS INFORMANT HAD THIS GREAT IDEA,
AND IT INVOLVED USING THE RELOCATION SERVICE
TO MAKE A PROFIT ON A HOUSE.
Narrator: THE FBI HELPS AGENTS RELOCATE
BY PAYING THEM THE EQUITY ON THEIR HOUSE
AND THEN SELLING THE HOUSE FOR THEM.
THE IDEA WAS THAT WE WOULD ASSUME OWNERSHIP
OF A HOME THAT THE INFORMANT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED
AS IF WE HAD LIVED THERE
AND USE THAT HOUSE TO SELL IN THE RELOCATION SERVICE.
Narrator: GENE TOLD MARGO
THEY WOULD SPLIT THE PROFITS WITH THE INFORMANT.
Bennett: MY RESPONSE TO IT WAS THAT HIS INFORMANT WAS NUTS,
THAT IT WAS CRAZY,
THAT THERE WAS NO WAY WE WOULD DO THAT.
ALL RIGHT. FINE. FORGET I SAID ANYTHING.
Narrator: GENE LET THE IDEA GO.
A MONTH LATER, MARGO GAVE BIRTH TO A BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL,
AND LIFE SEEMED BACK ON TRACK.
Bennett: GENE WAS A GREAT DAD.
HE WAS THE FIRST ONE TO CHANGE HER DIAPERS.
HE DOTED ON HER.
Narrator: BUT LITTLE DID MARGO KNOW THAT THIS PROUD FATHER
WOULD BECOME HER MORTAL ENEMY.
10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, MARGO AND GENE WOULD FACE OFF
IN A SCENE STRAIGHT OUT OF A BEST-SELLING CRIME NOVEL.
IT ALL STARTED ON JUNE 23, 1996, WITH A LATE-NIGHT PHONE CALL.
MY PASTOR CAME ON THE PHONE,
AND HE SAID THAT HE NEEDED MY HELP,
THAT THERE WERE MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION,
A MARRIED COUPLE,
THAT WERE HAVING A DOMESTIC DISPUTE.
Narrator: AROUND 11:30, MARGO RUSHED TO THE CHURCH.
Bennett: I PULLED IN... EVERYTHING WAS DARK...
AND GOT OUT AND WALKED UP TO THE FRONT DOOR.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE SANCTUARY DOOR FLEW OPEN,
AND THIS FIGURE CAME OUT WEARING A SKI MASK.
HE HAD A GUN.
Narrator: MARGO HAD WALKED INTO A TRAP
SET BY HER VERY OWN HUSBAND.
AND I KNEW RIGHT AWAY IT WAS GENE.
I KNEW I WAS GONNA DIE.
Narrator: IN OCTOBER OF 1986,
10 YEARS BEFORE FBI AGENT MARGO BENNETT
FOUND HERSELF CAUGHT IN HER HUSBAND'S TRAP,
SHE AND GENE WERE PREPARING TO MOVE TO WASHINGTON, D.C.,
WITH THEIR BABY DAUGHTER.
MY JOB WAS TO DO BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS
ON COURT APPOINTEES.
GENE'S JOB WAS TO DO BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS
ON WHITE HOUSE APPOINTEES.
IT WAS A PRESTIGIOUS POSITION.
Narrator: BUT JUST BEFORE THE MOVE,
GENE BROUGHT UP THE HOME-RELOCATION SCAM AGAIN.
THIS TIME, HE WOULD NOT BACK DOWN.
Bennett: I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT.
AND GENE'S RESPONSE WAS,
"DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON YOUR WAY OUT."
SIGN IT OR GO.
Narrator: TO SAVE HER MARRIAGE,
MARGO WENT THROUGH WITH THE SCAM.
BUT IT WASN'T THE PAYDAY GENE EXPECTED.
GENE HAD BEEN HOPING TO MAKE $100,000 ON THIS HOUSE,
BUT HE ENDED UP WITH ONLY $17,000.
Narrator: WHEN THE COUPLE LEFT FOR D.C. IN JANUARY OF 1987,
MARGO HOPED IT WOULD END THERE.
Bennett: I FELT THAT ONCE WE MOVED,
GENE WOULD GET ON A DIFFERENT PATH
THAN THE ONE HE WAS ON.
Narrator: THAT SPRING, MARGO WAS OFFERED HER DREAM JOB...
A TEACHING POSITION AT THE FBI ACADEMY IN QUANTICO, VIRGINIA.
SHE WAS THRILLED.
BUT ONCE AGAIN,
HER HUSBAND BECAME INVOLVED IN SHADY DEALS ON THE SIDE.
ONE OF THE RINGS THAT GENE HAD GIVEN ME WAS A GOLD COIN
THAT HAD DIAMONDS AROUND THE FACE OF IT,
AND IT WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WHILE I WAS TYPING,
SO I TOOK IT OFF,
AND I PUT IT IN MY PURSE IN A LITTLE POUCH.
Narrator: ODDLY, WHEN MARGO LOOKED FOR HER RING
A COUPLE DAYS LATER, IT WAS GONE.
WHEN I WENT TO TELL GENE THAT I HAD LOST THE RING,
I REALLY THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA BE UPSET ABOUT IT.
BUT INSTEAD, HE TOLD ME THAT OUR INSURANCE WOULD COVER IT.
Narrator: WITHOUT BLINKING, GENE FILED A CLAIM
AND RECEIVED A CHECK FOR ALMOST $12,000.
THE FOLLOWING CHRISTMAS,
HE SURPRISED MARGO WITH AN IDENTICAL RING,
FAMILIAR SCRATCH MARKS AND ALL.
I WAS WORRIED THAT THIS WAS THE SAME RING
THAT WE HAD GOTTEN AN INSURANCE PAYMENT ON.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT FOR A FACT, BUT MY HEART SUNK.
Narrator: BY THE TIME THEIR SECOND DAUGHTER WAS BORN
IN JANUARY OF 1989,
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE COUPLE HAD GROWN.
Bennett: I WAS HOPING THAT WITH THIS OTHER CHILD,
OUR FAMILY WOULD BECOME MORE COMPLETE
AND THAT IT WOULD BE A WAY OF PULLING US BACK
INTO WHERE WE WERE.
Narrator: BUT IT WASN'T MEANT TO BE.
Rother: HE ENJOYED THE UNDERCOVER WORK.
HE ENJOYED PRETENDING TO BE A CRIMINAL.
HE ENJOYED THAT SO MUCH
THAT IT WAS STARTING TO SEEP INTO HIS LIFE.
Narrator: BY THE SUMMER OF 1990, AFTER SIX YEARS OF MARRIAGE,
MARGO HAD HAD ENOUGH,
BUT SHE WASN'T READY TO BREAK HER FAMILY APART.
Bennett: I WAS TELLING MYSELF
THAT "WHEN THE GIRLS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL,
"I'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
"I'LL WAIT 10 YEARS.
I'LL WAIT, AND I'LL JUST BE UNHAPPY FOR 10 YEARS."
Narrator: MARGO STAYED IN THE MARRIAGE.
BUT IN JUNE OF 1991,
HER LOVE LIFE TOOK A SURPRISING TURN.
CRIME NOVELIST PATRICIA CORNWELL HAD COME TO QUANTICO
TO RESEARCH HER NEW BOOK.
Bennett: WHEN I WAS GETTING TO KNOW PATRICIA...
I CALLED HER PATSY... WE WOULD GET TOGETHER FOR LUNCH.
WE WOULD SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER,
AND SHE CAME TO MY HOUSE FOR DINNER
ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS.
Narrator: SOON, MARGO SENSED AN ATTRACTION BETWEEN THEM.
AND IT WASN'T LONG
BEFORE THEIR FRIENDSHIP BECAME SOMETHING MORE.
Bennett: I BEGAN TO SENSE
A DIFFERENT KIND OF CLOSENESS FROM HER.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS MISSING IN MY LIFE.
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE I WAS A DRY SPONGE
AND SHE WAS THROWING WATER ON IT.
Narrator: BY APRIL OF 1992,
MARGO AND PATSY WERE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER.
BUT WITH HER UNFINISHED BUSINESS AT HOME,
MARGO COULDN'T GO ON WITH THE AFFAIR.
WE AGREED WE SHOULD STOP THIS AND JUST BE FRIENDS,
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
Narrator: BUT THE AFFAIR CHANGED MARGO'S OUTLOOK
ON HER MARRIAGE.
AND TWO MONTHS LATER,
SHE TOLD HER HUSBAND SHE WANTED A DIVORCE
AND TEMPORARY CUSTODY OF THE GIRLS.
Bennett: GENE WAS STUNNED.
I DON'T BELIEVE HE THOUGHT I WAS HEADING IN THAT DIRECTION.
HE TOLD ME HE WAS OKAY WITH ME MOVING INTO AN APARTMENT,
BUT THE KIDS WEREN'T COMING WITH ME.
AND AT THAT POINT, SHE REALIZED IT'S GONNA BE ALL-OUT WAR.
Narrator: SO MARGO WENT TO THE FBI
AND TOLD THEM ALL ABOUT GENE'S HOUSE-FRAUD SCAM.
IN MARCH OF 1993,
GENE AND TWO OF HIS ACCOMPLICES WERE ARRESTED
AND CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF FRAUD.
I FELT, LIKE, A HEAVINESS ABOUT ME
BECAUSE I WAS GONNA BE VERY INVOLVED IN THE CASE.
I WAS GONNA BE TESTIFYING AGAINST MY CHILDREN'S FATHER.
Narrator: BY JUNE, MARGO WAS PREPARED TO TAKE THE STAND.
BUT FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE TRIAL,
GENE HAD ANOTHER PLAN IN STORE FOR MARGO.
HE ABSOLUTELY FLIPPED.
SHE WAS ISOLATED, HANDS AND FEET TAPED.
AND I REALIZED THAT I MIGHT NOT LIVE THROUGH THIS.
Narrator: ON JUNE 19, 1993,
FIVE DAYS BEFORE HIS TRIAL FOR FRAUD,
MARGO BENNETT'S ESTRANGED HUSBAND, GENE,
HAD THE CHILDREN FOR THE WEEKEND.
HE ASKED MARGO TO PICK THEM UP AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING.
Bennett: I PULLED DOWN IN THE DRIVEWAY
AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR.
THE GARAGE DOOR CAME UP,
AND HE WAS CARRYING THEIR BOOK BAGS.
WHEN HE GOT CLOSE TO ME, HE DROPPED THE BOOK BAGS.
Narrator: THAT'S WHEN MARGO REALIZED
SHE'D WALKED INTO A TRAP.
Bennett: I SAW THAT HE HAD A TASER IN HIS HAND.
THROUGH MY HEAD WAS GOING, "GET OUT.
GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT RIGHT NOW."
AND I TOOK OFF RUNNING.
HE CAUGHT ME, AND HE PULLED ME BACK INTO THE GARAGE.
HE WAS WRESTLING TO HOLD ME DOWN,
AND I WAS FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE.
Narrator: MARGO WAS QUICKLY OVERCOME.
GENE WAS USING THE TASER ON ME, ON MY HEAD.
I GAVE UP.
I COULDN'T FIGHT... I COULDN'T FIGHT IT ANY LONGER.
HE GAGGED HER AND BLINDFOLDED HER
AND STUCK HER INTO THE TRUNK OF HER OWN CAR.
I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, "HOW AM I GONNA GET OUT OF THIS?"
I WAS PRAYING TO JUST FIND A WAY OUT.
Narrator: AFTER DRIVING FOR NEARLY AN HOUR,
GENE OPENED THE TRUNK AND DELIVERED A BOMBSHELL.
HE SAID, "HERE'S THE DEAL.
THEY'VE GOT THE GIRLS."
DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? I HAD TO DO THIS.
Narrator: GENE TOLD MARGO
THAT THEIR KIDS WERE BEING HELD HOSTAGE
BY HIS ACCOMPLICES UNTIL SHE AGREED TO CHANGE HER TESTIMONY.
HE MADE HER THINK THAT THEY WERE IN THIS TOGETHER,
THAT THEY HAD TO FIGHT THE KIDNAPPERS.
Bennett: HE SAID THAT IF I COULD CONVINCE THEM
THAT I COULD GET ON THE STAND AND LIE
AND BE CREDIBLE ABOUT IT,
THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO LET ME DO THAT.
I TOLD HIM I COULD DO IT.
Narrator: GENE HELD MARGO CAPTIVE
UNTIL IT WAS TIME FOR HER TO TESTIFY FIVE DAYS LATER.
ON JUNE 24th, MARGO STUNNED PROSECUTORS
WHEN SHE TOOK THE STAND AND REVERSED HER TESTIMONY.
WHEN THE JUDGE CALLED A RECESS,
MARGO PHONED HER GOOD FRIEND JOHN HESS.
Hess: THERE WAS A SENSE OF ALMOST PANIC IN HER VOICE.
AND SHE JUST BLURTED OUT THAT SHE HAD BEEN
IN THE CLUTCHES OF GENE.
SHE WAS STILL CONCERNED
THAT MAYBE HE HAD BEEN TELLING HER THE TRUTH
ABOUT HER CHILDREN HAVING BEEN KIDNAPPED.
AND I SAID, "FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, MARGO, YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE.
HE'S LYING. YOU HAVE GOT TO TELL THE TRUTH."
Narrator: MARGO TOLD HER ATTORNEY WHAT HAD HAPPENED
AND SOON LEARNED THAT HER KIDS HAD BEEN STAYING
WITH GENE'S BABYSITTER THE WHOLE TIME.
I KNEW THAT I HAD BEEN HAD.
I HAD BEEN TOTALLY BROKEN DOWN BY SOMEONE THAT I ONCE TRUSTED.
IT WAS LIKE, "WHAT ELSE CAN THERE BE?"
Narrator: A NEW TRIAL WAS SET.
BUT THIS TIME, GENE MADE A PLEA DEAL.
HE WAS SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN PRISON
AND RESIGNED FROM THE FBI.
GENE WAS CHARGED WITH AND CONVICTED OF FRAUD
AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
HE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED IMPROPER CONTACT WITH A WITNESS,
BUT THE IDEA OF KIDNAPPING WAS NOT BROUGHT UP.
MY RESPONSE WAS,
"IT SOUNDS LIKE MY LIFE REALLY WASN'T WORTH A WHOLE LOT,"
TO KNOW HE WAS GETTING A YEAR.
I ENDED UP RESIGNING AND LEAVING.
I USED THE TIME THAT GENE WAS GONE
TO HEAL EMOTIONALLY AS MUCH AS I COULD.
Narrator: IN MARCH OF 1995, GENE WAS RELEASED.
BUT MARGO COULDN'T BREAK FREE FROM HIM.
THEY STILL SHARED JOINT CUSTODY OF THEIR GIRLS,
AND MARGO FEARED HE WASN'T FINISHED WITH HER YET.
AFTER HE GOT OUT, I GOT A JOB AT A POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I NEVER WENT ANYWHERE WITHOUT A CAN OF PEPPER SPRAY
AND MY GUN.
MENTALLY, I WAS JUST KEEPING MYSELF ON ALERT.
I KNEW THAT HE WAS GOING TO COME BACK.
I JUST KNEW IT.
Narrator: WHEN THEIR CUSTODY BATTLE FOR THE KIDS
GOT UNDER WAY, GENE SNAPPED ONCE AGAIN.
ON THE NIGHT OF JUNE 23, 1996,
MARGO WAS SUMMONED TO HER CHURCH BY THE PASTOR.
SHE ENTERED THE CHURCH EXPECTING A DOMESTIC DISPUTE
BUT INSTEAD FOUND HERSELF WITH A GUN TO HER HEAD.
I KNEW RIGHT AWAY IT WAS GENE.
THIS TIME, SHE WAS READY FOR HIM.
SHE HAD HER PEPPER SPRAY. SHE HAD HER GUN.
AND THIS TIME, SHE WAS ON HER GAME.
AND SO I DOVE INTO THE PASTOR'S OFFICE.
I WENT AROUND THE CORNER OF HIS DESK.
GENE KEPT TRYING TO COME IN THE ROOM.
Narrator: MARGO REACHED INTO HER PURSE FOR HER GUN.
BUT AS SHE LOOKED UP,
SHE SAW THAT GENE HAD RAISED THE STAKES.
Rother: MARGO SAW HER MINISTER IN THE NEXT ROOM
WITH A BAG OVER HIS HEAD, HANDCUFFED TO HIS CHAIR,
AND A BAG OF EXPLOSIVES AROUND HIS WAIST.
AND GENE SAID, "DO YOU WANT TO DIE?
DO YOU WANT US ALL TO DIE?"
Bennett: I REALIZED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO QUIT.
HE WAS NOT GONNA GO AWAY.
AND I TOLD MYSELF, "I'M GONNA HAVE TO SHOOT.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO SHOOT HIM TO GET US OUT OF THIS."
AND THE NEXT TIME GENE POPPED HIS HEAD AROUND THE CORNER,
I FIRED.
Narrator: ON THE NIGHT OF JUNE 23, 1996,
MARGO BENNETT FIRED A BULLET
STRAIGHT AT HER ESTRANGED HUSBAND, GENE.
I MISSED HIM. I MISSED HIM BY JUST A FRACTION.
BUT IT WAS ENOUGH TO LET HIM KNOW
THAT I WAS WILLING TO TAKE THE SHOT.
WELL, HE BACKED OFF.
I WAS YELLING AT GENE TO LEAVE, JUST GO.
THINGS GOT REALLY QUIET.
Narrator: MARGO CALLED 911,
AND POLICE ARRIVED WITHIN MINUTES.
BUT GENE WAS GONE.
WHEN WE WENT OUTSIDE THE CHURCH,
THEY CUT THE FANNY PACK OFF OF THE PASTOR'S WAIST,
AND ULTIMATELY WE LEARNED THAT IT WAS PLAY-DOH.
Narrator: AND IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG
FOR OFFICERS TO TRACK GENE DOWN.
HE WENT HOME, BACK TO HIS HOUSE, AND INDEPENDENTLY CALLED 911
TO REPORT THAT MARGO WAS TRYING TO KILL HIM.
Narrator: HIS HOME SURROUNDED, GENE REFUSED TO COME OUT,
AND HE TURNED UP THE DRAMA ON HIS 911 CALL.
AS PART OF THIS CRAZY ELABORATE SCHEME,
HE HAD COME UP WITH THIS IDEA
THAT HE HAD BEEN AN UNDERCOVER FOR SO LONG
THAT HIS BRAIN HAD SPLIT.
HIS PSYCHE HAD DEVELOPED THIS NEW PERSON NAMED EVIL ED,
WHO HAD COME UP WITH THIS CRAZY PLAN TO KILL MARGO.
[ GUNSHOT ]
[ SIRENS WAILING ]
Narrator: AFTER A FOUR-HOUR STANDOFF,
GENE FINALLY SURRENDERED.
BUT EVEN IN CUSTODY,
GENE WASN'T DONE TRYING TO DESTROY MARGO.
THIS TIME, IN THE MEDIA,
EXPOSING THE PATRICIA CORNWELL AFFAIR.
HE HATED ME BECAUSE IT WAS MY FAULT.
IN HIS MIND, IT WAS MY FAULT HE WENT TO PRISON.
IT WAS MY FAULT HE LOST HIS CAREER WITH THE FBI.
I WAS GONNA PAY FOR THAT.
Narrator: IN JANUARY 1997, GENE WENT TO TRIAL.
BUT HIS TEMPORARY-INSANITY DEFENSE DIDN'T HOLD UP.
Hess: HE WAS NOT INSANE.
INSANITY, FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT,
MEANS YOU DON'T KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG
OR YOU'RE INCAPABLE OF CONTROLLING YOUR ACTIONS.
AND THE JURY DIDN'T BUY THAT.
Narrator: GENE BENNETT WAS FOUND GUILTY OF NINE CHARGES,
INCLUDING ABDUCTION AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.
ALTHOUGH THE JURY RECOMMENDED 61 YEARS BEHIND BARS,
THE JUDGE SENTENCED HIM TO ONLY 23.
Bennett: THE JUDGE FELT BECAUSE OF GENE'S MILITARY SERVICE
AND BECAUSE OF HIS STELLAR CAREER IN THE FBI
THAT THERE WAS STILL SOME POSITIVE ABOUT HIM
AND THAT HE DESERVED THE OPPORTUNITY
TO HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE.
Narrator: IN THE SUMMER OF 1997,
MARGO AND GENE'S DIVORCE BECAME FINAL.
MARGO GOT FULL CUSTODY OF THE KIDS.
Bennett: I WAS VERY RELIEVED.
THE KIDS AND I COULD PULL OUR LIVES BACK TOGETHER.
WE COULD MAKE A FUTURE FOR OURSELVES,
AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT ANYMORE.
Narrator: TODAY, 15 YEARS LATER,
MARGO LIVES NEAR HER DAUGHTERS IN CALIFORNIA
AND IS ENJOYING LIFE AS A GRANDMOTHER.
Bennett: THE EVENTS OF MY LIFE CERTAINLY HAVE SHAPED
WHO I AM TODAY.
THEY HAVE MADE ME REALIZE THAT THERE IS A CORE IN ME
THAT WON'T CRUMBLE, THAT I AM STRONGER THAN I THINK.
Narrator: MARGO HASN'T SPOKEN TO GENE SINCE HIS ARREST
BUT KNOWS THE DAY WILL COME
WHEN SHE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIM ONCE MORE.
I AM NOT GOING TO WASTE PRECIOUS TIME WORRYING ABOUT THAT.
IT MEANS THAT I'VE GIVEN UP, AND I'M NOT GONNA GIVE UP.
I'M NOT GIVING UP.