Griffin Dunne opens up about his family like never before in his candid memoir The Friday Afternoon Club, available now. The actor charts his family’s early years, his relationship with his enigmatic father, Dominick Dunne, and the tragic death of his sister, Dominique Dunne.
Dominique, who starred in Poltergeist and The Shadow Riders, was strangled to death by her ex-boyfriend, John Sweeney, on October 30, 1982. She died five days later at 22 years old. The subsequent trial garnered significant media attention as the Dunne family sought justice for their beloved daughter.
Below, you’ll discover some of the biggest revelations from The Friday Afternoon Club about the final days of Dominique’s life, the trial, and the aftermath.
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Dominick’s final words to Dominique
Each member of the family had the chance to say goodbye to Dominique in the hospital. Griffin wrote, “None of us could hear what the others said, but later, Dad told me he whispered in her ear, ‘Give me your talent.’”
Dominique was taken off life support on November 4, 1982, five days after Dominique was attacked by Sweeney. Griffin said that there was “no chance she’d recover” and the family wished they could have taken her off life support sooner. However, they were not able to do so because of the California judicial system. While on life support, the charges against Sweeney were only voluntary manslaughter. When she died, the charges would be upped to murder in the first degree. “If she had been taken off any sooner, Sweeney’s lawyers could argue that the family had acted prematurely,” Griffin wrote.
Sharon Tate’s mother reached out to Ellen Griffin Dunne
In the wake of Dominique’s death, Doris Tate contacted Ellen Griffin Dunne about joining a support group called Parents of Murdered Children. She called Ellen and said, “I’m afraid you are now a member of a club that no one wants to belong to.”
Tate’s daughter, actress Sharon Tate, was murdered by Charles Manson’s cult members when she was eight months pregnant on August 9, 1969, along with three friends.
Griffin brought his mom to the meeting, and Tate comforted Ellen as she explained what happened to Dominique.
Griffin learned about Sweeney’s first attack from his mother’s testimony
Griffin believed that his mother was taking the stand to discuss the incident when Sweeney assaulted Dominique a month before he killed her. That was actually the second attack.
Ellen recalled Dominique running into her bedroom and “crying so hard she couldn’t even speak.” While holding Dominique, Ellen noticed “tufts of hair had been pulled from her head.” Sweeney tried to get inside, but Ellen threatened to call the police. Ellen didn’t tell anyone about the attack because Dominique “begged” her not to. “To agree with what she asked is a regret I will carry all my life,” Ellen said on the stand.
Ellen was then grilled by Sweeney’s attorney. He alleged that Dominique abused cocaine while pregnant and had an abortion.
Someone offered to kill Sweeney while he was in jail
A man named Leo, an extra in Griffin’s gangster film Johnny Dangerously, told the actor that he had friends in the prison where Sweeney was being held during the trial. According to Leo’s sources, Sweeney told somebody in prison that Dominique got what she “deserved.”
In a roundabout way, Leo told Griffin he could have Sweeney killed. Griffin remembered Leo said, “Something could happen in that private cell that could put an end to this and let you and your family go on with your lives.” Leo explained that he was offering this opportunity to him for Griffin’s mother because he’d like to “spare her any further pain.” Griffin rejected Leo’s offer after some thought because it was something he was “incapable of being responsible for.”
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Griffin confronted Sweeney’s new girlfriend after Dominique’s death
Sweeney was acquitted of second-degree murder, but he was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. He was also convicted of misdemeanor assault relating to the incident with Dominique a month before her death. Sweeney served just three and a half years in prison.
After being run out of Los Angeles following his release from prison, Sweeney moved to Seattle and changed his name to John Maura. Dominick tracked Sweeney down and discovered he was dating a woman named Cathy. Griffin called Cathy to tell her about Sweeney’s history. A day after the phone call, Cathy’s father called to say that she had ended her relationship with Sweeney.
If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233.
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