Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry (2010–…): Season 2, Episode 4 - Gunning for Love - full transcript

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.