TV students producing 'Victims' Voice' Show

For nine long years, Jacqueline "Jacque" MacDonald went on an all out search to find the killer of her daughter, Debi Whitlock.  MacDonald made her daughter’s death known to America by putting her face on billboards, milk cartons and pizza boxes and going on the popular investigative show, America’s Most Wanted, “just trying to get that one tip that will bring this monster to justice,” MacDonald has said.
    A major lead in Whitlock’s case came in on November 11, 1996 when Michael Warnell gave a tip that eventually led authorities to Scott Fizzell -- later convicted in the murder of Debi Whitlock.
    Since June 6, 1996, Jacque has hosted and produced a show called "Victims’ Voice," a Fresno based show where victims and the families of the victims can tell their stories and offer information in order to try and solve the murders.
   In September 2009, Modesto Junior College television professor Carol Lancaster-Mingus, heard about the show’s cancellation in Fresno and decided to take on the project with her students as a community effort to bring justice and to murder cases.
     “She came to me after she had read the book,” said MacDonald. “She wanted to get her class involved. She thought it would be beneficial for both the community and her class.”
      “The show (Victim’s Voice) has been on local programming for 13 years and it has helped out so many people,” said McDonald.  “I’m only as good as the people who helped. I would like to thank (the producers) Carol Lancaster-Mingus, Jaeson Amarillas and the rest of her crew for helping out with production. Without them, this show wouldn’t be put on.”
       “It’s a great privilege for me to work on this project,” said Amarillas, Associate Producer and Director of Victim’s Voice. “It’s a great opportunity for the department (Pirates Television) to give back to the community.”
     “So far, we have made a new graphic opening for the introduction and redesigned the set.” said Amarillas. “We have plans to have one show per semester where the location takes place at a crime scene.” Victim’s Voice is influenced by mainstream television shows such as “America’s Most Wanted.”
     “[Pirates Television] does two shows per month in the studio,” said Amarillas. “The first episode features two cold cases with police and the victim’s families, and the [second episode] is going to be a special about domestic violence and gangs.”
     The Victim’s Voice can be seen on Thursday nights at 8 p.m.. and Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. on Comcast Channel 26.

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3 comments

Angela Dove

Wed Nov 18 2009 09:19

Losing my stepmother was devastating, but I'm so thankful to Jacque for finding justice for our family and for finally clearing my father's name. The fact that Jacque has continued to dedicate her life to helping others in the survivors' community is astounding--and a blessing to so many! Writing her story (No Room for Doubt: A True Story of the Reverberations of Murder) was an honor, and if it helped save "The Victims' Voice" in some small way, I can only say that Jacque would have found a way to continue on anyway. That's just Jacque! --Angela Whitlock Dove (www.AngelaDove.com)

Sean Fornelli

Fri Oct 23 2009 19:02

This is great. I was friends with Angela Dove back when this happened. It was an awful experience on many levels.

Carol Lancster Mingus

Fri Oct 23 2009 18:49

Nice article Jon and I know Paul also worked hard in getting the shows on this site! This is just the begining of a great collaboration between the students of MJC Journalism and Prirates Television!

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