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James Moulton and Anne Durand

Questions re. Moulton and Durand:

a) Where are these two today?

b) Where was James Arthur Moulton from?


Excerpt from the 2000 book Rough Trade by Steve Jackson:

 




Most inmates portray themselves as `battered' victims                                                                       Ginny McKibben, Denver Post, 12 Sep 1993

 

CANON CITY - Nowhere is the struggle for identity more desperately waged than among women in prison.

Still, many inmates quickly and willingly embrace one wide description: They portray themselves as victims of incessant battering who fought back and are being punished for it.

Psychologist Lenore Walker claims inmates like Anne Durand, Lori McLuckie and Donna Avery are classic examples of the "battered woman syndrome."

Walker, an author and highly paid expert witness in criminal cases where women are on trial, has built a national reputation through her theories about relationships, abuse and what causes some women to snap.

"The women I am talking about are women who have, in a broader context, killed in order to stay alive themselves," Walker said.

Since the mid-1980s, Walker's "battered woman syndrome" has been used successfully to win acquittals or reduced charges in numerous trials. Juries also have rejected it in some cases, such as the murder trial of Jennifer Reali. She shot and killed her lover's wife in a darkened Colorado Springs parking lot, then tried to claim abuse by her own husband as a defense at her trial.

Durand, 37, is one of the women whom Walker portrays as a victim of horrible domestic circumstances. Durand says she was under the sway of an evil boyfriend, Jim Moulton, when she helped him rob and murder a man at an Interstate 25 rest stop north of Pueblo. Durand says Moulton attacked the victim in the bathroom. The man ran into the parking lot with his pants below his knees and blood on his face. Durand then picked up her boyfriend's gun and shot the stranger.

"I don't know how many times I shot him. I was in fear for my life," she says.

In a 1986 plea bargain that reduced the charges against her from first-degree murder to conspiracy to commit murder, Durand was sentenced to 48 years in prison.

She later pleaded guilty to charges that she conspired in the murder of her 3-year-old daughter, Deara Whalen. She blames Moulton for killing the child as the three walked in the mountains of Gilpin County on May 10, 1985, Walker said.

Moulton is serving two life sentences for first-degree murder in the killings.

Asked why she didn't quickly implicate him in her daughter's death, Durand replied: "I have learned over the years that I am a woman who loves too much."

Walker maintains that Durand feared for her life and was in shock when the crimes were committed. 

By the time police arrested her, Durand was too immersed in grief to summon a defense, Walker said.
Then, like many battered women, Durand caved in on advice from her defense attorney that she should plead guilty to reduced charges, Walker said.

Prison social worker Henry Ybarra sees danger in explanations that allow inmates to absolve themselves of responsibility.

By attributing their crimes to abusive relationships, inmates are hampering themselves by not dealing realistically with their problems and their own behavior, Ybarra said.

"We try to redirect that kind of thinking and focus on how they can become productive citizens and change their self-concept. We teach them to care (more) about themselves before going into relationships," Ybarra said... 


 

 

Comments

  1. While no suspects are being sought in this case, longtime residents will recall perhaps the town’s most sensational crime for generations – the shooting and decapitation of New Ipswich woodcutter John Timothy Whalen, whose headless body was found by a teenage girl riding her horse near Pratt Pond in December 1984.

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  2. I remember most of these people. I remember the woodcutter Tim Whalen, tall with a lot of fluffy red hair back when we all wore it long. He was one of those pot smoking with beer-in-hand types that were always around back in the 70's & 80s.
    I remember his dad, a nice guy who I saw often at the Wilton Recycling Center.
    I remember Jimmy Moulton when he lived in Greenville. He was a relatively little guy, married to Debbie, who was one of those soft spoken motherly types with fluffy blonde hair. I always felt sorry for her, as Jimmy was sleeping around with other married women I knew on Pleasant Street. I worked with her and the guy she now lives with in nearby Massachusetts, at Oil Recovery Systems , in an old chair factory on Mill Street.
    I don't remember Tim's "wife", Anne Durand, or their little girl. I probably saw them with Tim in passing or at the Greenville Inn or at Lizotte's Market (Greenville was a small town, less than 2000 pop but had more stores and restaurants than the more rural next door New Ipswich), but never spoke to her...so have no remembrance at all now, more than 30 years after.
    I remember Pratt Pond, used to canoe there, but stayed away after Tim's body was found as the two are forever linked in my mind. I also remember where it was reported that Tim's head was found, not far from the Mass. border.
    Anyway..the more I write about this, the more these people's faces come to mind, so I will stop. I just google their names every so often to see if there is any "news" and there rarely is.

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    1. Joanie, I am Tim's sister and I miss him more than words can say. I just want to say that my Dad missed Tim til his dying day. And, me and my 5 remaining brothers will miss him the rest of our lives. He was very loved and cared about by all his siblings and many relatives.

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  3. When I was in college, my brother and his friends stole a bunch of pot plants they had growing next to our property. This was before Whalen got killed. They lived in the red apartments next to Barry's General Store in Highbridge. When they found their pot missing, both of them were walking in the field above our house like angry hornets - one with a huge hunting knife and the other with a chrome .45 handgun. I just ignored them - but I'll remember it forever. Moulton was known as "Mad Dog". These were NOT good people.

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    1. Moulton was NOT Mad dog! You are sadly mistaken and as far as I'm concerned, Moulton is another Charles Manson.

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  4. Thank you for providing the interesting background.

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  5. Jimmy Moulton was a scumbag! Yes I worked with Deb at oil recovery systems. Jimmy never amounted to anything. He was my neighbor growing up. He used to come in to work checking up on them daily. All the while bumming around town doing nothing all day. They had two beautiful daughters together. I don't believe Deb ever told the children what their father had done. Deb was a quiet kind woman not deserving of what happened! Jimmy's father was deceased at the time of the murders. His mother was totally traumatized by his horrible actions. I believe Jimmy killed Tim over a small amount of drug money. Decapitating him with a large hunting knife. Bringing the head to New Ipswich and bearing it. There is no reason for Jimmy turning out the way he did. His parents raised him in the right manner. Jimmy is the perfect description of the phrase " Bad seed "! And as far as the battered women's theory goes that is a bunch of malarkey! No mother would attempt to kill or let a creepy boyfriend kill her own flesh and blood over the fear of her own safety! I would gladly give my life for my own child! I hope they both rot in hell for what they've done. With Satan cramming a pitchfork up their ass and giving it a twist daily! I always wondered what happened to Joanie The beautiful soft spoken hippie like woman. She was the perfect poster child for the music festival Woodstock! Isn't it ironic that they are imprisoned in Texas one of the toughest prisons in the United States of America! Karma don't you think!? I hear that when his time is up in Texas he will be brought back to New Hampshire take that bitch!!

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    1. Anne is out of prison on parole. What do you think of that?

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    2. Where was she paroled to ?

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  6. My condolences to the Whalen Family. Tim was a great man. He was as kind,as he was tall. One time my car broke down on the back road to new Ipswich. Afraid to call my father the so called mayor of Greenville. Looking out from underneath of my hood, I see a tall red haired man. Asking me if I needed help? It was Tim, I replied yes could you give me a ride home to my brothers garage. He gave me a ride.not really knowing him,we talked and laughed about my dad. Tim was the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back without blinking an eye. So sad he was taken in the prime of his life. I know that his daughter is in his arms in heaven.

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  7. I remember when this happened. When I saw the name Anne Durand , I was shocked. I knew Anne very well and grew up with her in Plymouth. I wonder where she is now , still in prison ? Where ? Paroled ?

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    1. She is still in prison i was there with her and lori mcklucki i always liked anne she was good to me and helped md a lot

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    2. Anne is an inmate in Colorado still.

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  8. Anne and I were very close growing up. Is she still in the same prison ? What state .

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    1. She is in Pueblo, Colorado at La Vista Correctional facility

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    2. Nope. Denver Women's Correctional - she is now on parole

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    3. Is she still in the Demver facility or has she been released ? I am an old childhood friend , and would like to contact her.

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  9. Drugs. ..drugs and money... take the innocent

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  10. I was friends with Timmy in the early 80:s.I went to his funeral Both Jimmy and Anne were there, Jimmy was a Pallbearer at Timmy's funeral, he should have climbed in the casket with him.It was very obvious that Anne was at least 7 months pregnant.Ive never heard mention of what happened to the baby. Does anyone know? Sorry to Timmy's family for their loss. He was a good guy and very funny.

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    1. Anne gave up the baby in Colorado after giving birth. The lawyer she went to, tried to get her to let him place Deara. She said NO! My Mother got a letter from the lawyer verifying this information. That baby was another girl.

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  11. Will Anne be paroled before she discharges her number in 2024?

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  12. I hope they will NEVER EVER be set free. They destroyed the lives of so many by taking their loved ones away from them. Death is 2 good for them and they should stay in prison and never a chance to be free again. Just sayin.

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  13. I haven't looked up any info on this in years, never really thought about doing so for many reasons but I am one of deb and Jim's daughters. We were told things about what happened but what I read here is nothing I ever heard before. There is a lot of things that happened from his birth that many ppl don't know about but that is no excuse by any means. To update a little bit yes he is still in prison in CO. I just lost my mother deb this year and we lost her husband john which someone spoke about a bf above same guy she married him and he helped raise us as well as my grandmother jims mom... she is still alive and kickin at 86yrs old.if all that is true I'm so sorry for the loss of the family. I have always been curious if maybe there were other kids out there...

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    1. I am Tim's sister and I am so sorry for your sister. I have prayed for you for many, many years. The children that Anne had are my brothers. He had 3 girls. If you want truthful answers I am here. Don't know if you ever looked up inmates in Colorado prisons, but you can see both Anne and Jim's pretty recent photos. God BLess.

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  14. Anne Durand is a manipulating conniving deviant who begs for sympathy based on battered women's syndrome.....she showed no mercy to her own baby. I was in prison with Anne and she belongs there.

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    1. You are so right! I am Tim's sister. I would love to have conversation with you. God bless.

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  15. Thank you, thank you for your words about Anne. I would love to connect with you.

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  16. Big Tim and Anne helped my boyfriend move from NH to VA. I had met Tim at George's house in Greenville and was quite fond of him. We were devastated to learn that Jimmy killed Tim and ran off with Anne, and later killed her daughter. My experience with all 3 of them was in 1981 and it's always stayed with me. My condolences to Tim's family. He was a really nice guy. May Jimmy rot in hell.

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  17. Where James M., Deb and their children living in Towsend when this happened...my dad told me about this tragedy and said they were living in a trailer in our backyard when James ran away with his girlfriend..I think he said James M. Was a cousin or of some relation to my maternal grandfather Joseph Poudrier.

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  18. I knew Tim Anne and mad dog for a couple years before he was killed. In all honesty, Tim may have been a good brother, maybe even a good father but at the time I met him he was not a good person. He was a drug dealer. I am no one to point fingers. My boyfriend at the time was also a drug dealer and they dealt together. Anne from the half a dozen or more interactions I had with her was a good mother. I would never have believed that she could do that to her children, but that is what drugs does to people. Tim was scary and so was mad dog and I had quite a few interactions with both of them mostly unpleasant. Mad dog cut my boyfriends neck with a piece of glass a month before Tim was killed. I had called the police because of that phone call the police had their names as being at our house. So once they identified the body, they came to speak to my boyfriend to rule him out. when we saw the news that told about the discovery of the body, but that it was not identifiable yet my boyfriend and I immediately knew that it was Big Bird, also known as Tim Whalen The description and the location was enough. But we had no idea who would’ve done that to him and were completely, and totally shocked when the news came out about Anne & Jims murder charges. I remember, saying to my then, husband, where are the children because the article didn’t even mention them. I was distraught and wanted to know where are the kids? It was revealed that one the oldest, who was seven was left in New Hampshire thank the Lord and then we heard about Deara, but I also said to my husband where is the baby because I knew there was one because I was pregnant at the same time. it’s a very sad story for all the people involved especially the innocent kids. I hope the older and younger children are doing well.

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    1. Thank you for the glimpse into that time. As you said, such a sad story for the children.

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