The Grit and Resilience of Jim Blackburn

Full Title: From Prosecuting Jeffrey MacDonald to Serving Time to Serving Others: The Grit and Resilience of Jim Blackburn
Speaker: Jim Blackburn interviewed by Geoff Hulse

Join Geoff Hulse as he interviews Jim Blackburn. From reaching the pinnacle of success in his professional life to facing events that would ultimately end his career, Jim’s journey is one of resilience, redemption, and finding purpose. Jim received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law and then became famous as the young attorney who prosecuted Jeffrey MacDonald for the murder of his wife and children in 1970 at Fort Bragg. The story is the subject of the national bestselling book and TV mini-series, Fatal Vision. After the trial, Jim joined a private law firm in Raleigh and became a prominent attorney with a thriving law practice.


Several years ago, Jim Blackburn’s fall from grace in the practice of law made the front pages of virtually every newspaper in North Carolina. What did not make the front page was Jim’s diagnosis of severe depression, which nearly cost him his life. His subsequent imprisonment, and later waiting tables in a very public restaurant to survive, is the basis of his true story about redemption and the resiliency of the human spirit. Blackburn documented these experiences in his book, Flame-out. Today, he shares his journey in another successful career, through speaking engagements to many varied groups in several states and teaching Bar approved CLE courses on Ethics and Professionalism and Mental Health issues.


Geoff Hulse is a renowned criminal defense attorney in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and the surrounding areas. He is the recipient of The North Carolina Bar Association’s John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award. The award program honors North Carolina attorneys who have demonstrated exemplary service to the legal profession. He also received the 2023 Cornerstone Award from the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce for his dedication to the Goldsboro community. He is a member of the Wayne Community College Board of Trustees. He received his Juris Doctor from Campbell University School of Law in 1985.

Видео The Grit and Resilience of Jim Blackburn канала Foundation of Wayne Community College