Local News in Brief : ‘Fatal Vision’ Suit Over

The Los Angeles federal court battle between “Fatal Vision” author Joe McGinniss and convicted killer Jeffrey MacDonald has ended with dismissal of a $15-million breach-of-contract suit.

The dismissal comes under terms of a settlement giving $325,000 to MacDonald, who filed a breach-of-contract suit alleging that McGinniss betrayed him by becoming his friend and then writing a book that concluded that he killed his pregnant wife and two daughters at Ft. Bragg, N.C., in 1970. MacDonald says the crime was committed by a gang of drug-crazed hippies.

Still pending is a Superior Court action by the mother and stepfather of MacDonald’s slain wife, seeking an order impounding the $325,000 settlement as well as proceeds from the best-selling book. But on Friday, McGinniss was dropped as a defendant in that case as well.