by John Douglas
Then there’s the argument that rather than killing these guys, we should keep them alive “for study.” I’m not sure what people mean by this; I don’t think they know, themselves. I suppose they mean that if we study enough of them long enough, we’ll figure out why they kill and what we can do to stop them.
Now as it happens, my colleagues at Quantico and I are among the few professionals who actually have studied these people. If anyone has a stake, therefore, in keeping them alive for intellectual reasons, it’s us. And here’s my response to that: If they’re willing to talk to me at all, there is plenty of time during the protracted appeals process. If they’re only willing to talk—as Ted Bundy ultimately was—as a bargaining chip for staying alive longer, then what they tell me is going to be tainted and self-serving anyway. When you tell me we should keep someone like Bundy alive to study, I say, “Fine, keep him alive six hours longer; that’s all I need.” I really don’t think we’re going to get much more beyond that.
I don’t hate these people. Some of them, I even kind of liked. I happen to like Ed Kemper, for example. I got along with him well and we enjoyed good rapport. I respect his mind and his insight. Had he been given the death penalty, I would have been personally sorry and sad to see him executed. But I certainly wouldn’t have been willing to argue the point with the families of any of his victims, because I know what they’ve gone through and continue to go through. Compared to their feelings, mine are irrelevant.
But no responsible discussion of the death penalty can fail to include reflection on the fact that our legal system is imperfect and there is always the chance that the wrong man will be convicted. Inevitably, in any consideration of capital punishment, we must confront the example of David Vasquez. And much as we may hate to admit it, his copping of an Alford plea might have saved his life.
The fact that this was a rare, odd type of case in which the defendant actually confessed, not once, but three times, should not give us too much comfort or reassurance. At the same time, I don’t think this is a valid argument for scrapping the death penalty altogether.
What I think it is a valid argument for is the insistence on an overwhelming amount and degree of proof. And while some might argue that you can never be absolutely sure, I think in the kinds of cases I’m talking about, you can be sure enough that innocent people like Vasquez will not go wrongly to their deaths.
The types of offenders I most want to see face the ultimate penalty are the repeat, predatory, sexually motivated killers. By the time we catch them there is generally a mountain of solid, behaviorally consistent, forensic evidence against them. As with Cleophus Prince, if he did one of the murders, he did all of them. If there isn’t a sufficiently formidable mountain of evidence, then don’t execute. But if there is, as there was against Bell, as there is against Alley and Bernardo and Bittaker and so many others, then do what needs to be done.
As Steve Mardigian puts it, “I would hope that the proof is overwhelming, that there would be no question of being able to support the guilt. From this unit’s perspective, in Vasquez, there would have been questions. They didn’t have the solid physical and lab evidence, and the confession from this type of individual under these circumstances was not enough.”
But I’m confident that the legal minds who have expended so much time and energy on other fine points of our criminal jurisprudence system can come up with a standard that will separate out the David Vasquezes from the Timothy Spencers. It’s also possible that murder could be made exclusively a federal crime, which would make standards of prosecution and proof more consistent. On the other hand, it would probably involve revamping the entire judicial system, because federal courts simply would not be able to handle the volume of cases and trials they’d have to take over from the states.
So how do you prioritize all our concerns and all the things we might wish the criminal justice system to be? To me, it’s innocent potential victims first, victims of violent crime and their families second, and defendants and their families last. First and foremost, I’ll do anything I can to see to it that someone does not become the victim of someone who has already committed a similar crime. Failing that, I want to bring victims and their families to the forefront of the system, to give them the due that is rightly theirs. And then I want to make sure that defendants get a fair trial and convicted felons receive appropriate sentences for their crimes. None of these need be mutually exclusive.
Does this mean I think we need a police state? Of course not. It means simply what it says—that we need to keep our priorities straight if we hope to be a just and civilized society.
Ultimately, no matter what we do with our criminal justice system, the only thing that is going to cut down appreciably on crimes of violence and depravity is to stop manufacturing as many criminals. The courts have a role in this, the police have a role in this, the schools have a role, and so do the churches and synagogues and mosques. But the real struggle must be where it has always been: in the home.
As Sedley Alley’s prosecutor, Hank Williams, observes, “The federal government spends billions of dollars to fight crime, and they have to. But the only real answer is for mommas and daddies to raise their kids right.”
This is easier said than done, but it’s the only factor that’s going to make a real difference.
At the very beginning of this book, I explained that to do what I do and what the people I’ve taught do, you have to be able to put yourself in the head of both offender and victim. When your work on a case is done, you try to get out of the offender’s head as soon as you possibly can. But the fact of the matter is that you never fully get out of the victim’s head, and a part of every victim whose case I’ve ever worked is always with me.
That’s why I feel the way I do and that’s why I’m always trying to get others to make that journey into darkness with me, at least a little bit of the way.
Index
Abbott, Jack Henry, 166, 359
“Abduction of Kristen French, The” (television program), 67
abductors of children, see child abductors
Adam Walsh Children’s Fund, 122, 171, 184
Adam Walsh Child Resource Center, 122
Ad Hoc Committee of Federal Habeas Corpus in Capital Cases (Powell Committee), 258
age:
of assassin-type personalities, 34
of infant abductors, 150
of serial killers, 34, 88-89, 107, 130
of victims, 134
Alaska state troopers, 276-77, 283
Alley, Debra, 227, 240, 246
Alley, Jane, 246, 248
Alley, Lynne, 7, 225-27, 243, 246
Alley, Sedley, 6-9, 225-28, 230, 234-48, 250-52, 259-60, 266-68, 270, 273-74, 364, 367
as Billie, 9, 235, 237, 244-46. 267
as Death, 9, 235, 237, 244-46, 267
trial aftermath for, 249-75
trial of, 29, 238, 243-48
Alt, Rich, 305
American Bar Association’s Victims Committee, 261
American Foreign Service Association Scholarship Program, 275
America’s Most Wanted, 359
Anchorage Police Department, 276-77, 280, 284
Anderson, Terri, murder of, 60, 62
Ankrom, Larry, 17, 36, 41-42, 335
Anthoney, Kirby, 282-93
trial of, 288-93
Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (1996), 269
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 16
assassination-style killing, 33, 34
assassin-type personalities, age of, 34
Arthar, Zillur, 245
Atkins, Susan, 361
Atlanta Child Murders, 23. 278, 332, 343
Axley, W. Fred, 238, 248, 259, 366
Bailey, Alfred, 109, 113
Bailey, Ronald Lloyd, 108-19
Baliles, Gerald, 331
Banks, Peter, 139, 142. 166. 168, 172-73, 178-80
Barbieri, Paula, 347
Barr, William,
265
Battle, Alien, 234. 237, 244, 245
Beckerman, Joseph, 328
bed-wetting (enuresis), 23
Behavioral Science Unit, 6, 88, 342
Bell, James Spencer, 223
Bell, Larry Gene, 100-01, 350, 364, 367
Berkowitz, David (“Son of Sam”, prison interview with, 21, 241
Bernardo, Paul Kenneth, 70-76, 83, 125, 149, 241, 330, 364, 367
relationship with Homolka of, 74-75, 76
Bevan. Vince, 62, 67, 69
Bianchi, Kenneth, 65, 237
Biden, Joseph, 263
Bismarck Tribune, 134
Bittaker, Lawrence, 15, 22, 65-66, 125, 241, 330, 364, 366, 367
prison interview with, 66
black masked rapist, 309, 314, 317, 321, 323
Bloch, Robert, 25
Blunt, Lynn, 116
Boeck, Richard, murder of, 32-36
borderline personality disorder, 117, 235
Boyer, Roger, 61
Branch Davidians, 17, 25
Branchflower, Steve, 287-88
Brennan, William, 256
Brooks, Broggan, 235
Brown v. Allen, 258
Brunner, James, 212, 215
Bugliosi, Vincent, 353, 354
Bundy, Theodore “Ted,” 25, 366
Buono. Angelo, 65, 237
Burgess, Allen, 342
Burgess, Ann, 20, 145, 342
burglars, profile of, 339
Bush, George, 262
Callos, Phyllis, 261
Canadian and American National District Attorneys and Crown Attorneys As sociation, 49
capital punishment, see death penalty
Carpino, Amanda, 59
Carpino, Jacqueline, 59
Carrig, Robert, 297-300
Carrington, Frank, 261-62
Carter, Bobby, 234, 239, 243, 247
Carter, Steve, 325
Cavanagh, Kate, 67, 69, 71
Chancellor. Lee, 262
Chandler. Raymond, xiii
Chapman, Cheryl, 276, 284, 286. 287, 292
Chapman, Ed, 314
Chapman, Paul. 276
CHCH-TV, 67
child abductors, 56, 57-58, 86-120, 113, 143-46, 149
in buildup phase, 145
“fantasy-driven.” 146
of infants, see infant abductors
men as, 149
phases of, 145
in post-abduction phase, 145, 146
profiling of, 160-61
in recovery/release phase, 145, 146-47
“thought-driven,” 146
women as, 149-59
see also child molesters
child molesters, 89, 91, 93, 96, 98, 102, 103, 112-15, 121-61
as abductors vs. nonabductors, 145
child pornography of, 124-25, 127, 137-38, 145
definition of, 123-24
dysfunctional childhoods of, 142, 145
gender of, 149
inadequate type of, 127, 128
incestuous, 138-40
interviews with, 89, 166
introverted, 134-36, 138
as morally indiscriminate, 126-28
as pedophiles, 124-28, 134-42, 165
post-accusation reactions of, 140-42
preferential, 124, 126, 134-42, 146, 165
preferential, types of, 134-37
prison interviews with, 89, 166
profile of, 123-28
repeat violent, prison interviews with, 166
reporting of, 139-40, 169-70
repressed, 126
sadistic, 134-36, 146
seduction-type, 134-36, 138
sexually indiscriminate, 126-27
as sexual predators, 123-28
situational, 124, 126, 129, 134, 135
situational, types of, 126-28, 136
suicide risk of, 142, 146-47 types of, 123-28
Child Molesters: A Behavioral Analysis for Law Enforcement Officers Investigating Cases of Child Sexual Exploitation (Lanning), 126
child obsession disorders, 88, 90, 108
child pornography, 124-25, 127, 137, 145
children:
missing and/or abused, 121-61
molestation of, see child molesters
murdered by nonparent household members, 148
murdered by parents, 105, 147-48, 277
protection of, see children, protection of
violence against, 47-85, 86-120, 152, 158
see also child abductors; infant abductors
children, protection of, 135-36, 138, 139-40, 143-44, 162-89
age-skill chart for, 188-89
baby-sitters and, 177
Buddy System for, 172
Check First for, 172, 176
communication and, 169
at day-care centers, 177
detecting sexual exploitation for, 186-87
for elementary-school-age children, 174
emotional support and, 168-69
empowerment and, 171, 177
inappropriate touching and, 172-74
intervention for, 178-80, 183-84
NCMEC guidelines for parents, 171-77, 184-89
NCMEC safety strategies for children, age-specific, 171, 174-75, 184-89
NO-GO-TELL for, 174
for older children, 176
photos and, 176
reporting offenders and, 139-40, 170
saying “NO” for, 173
self-esteem and, 168, 172, 175,
in single-parent families, 169
Child Welfare Administration, 180-83
Cho, Diane, rape and murder of, 312-13, 318, 325-26, 328
Cho, Mrs., 312
Citizens for Law and Order (CLO), 261
Clabby, Rick, 42
Clairemont murders, 36-41
profile in, 36-38
Clapp, Robert, 226, 229
Clark, Amber, murder of, 38. 41
Clark, Marcia, 353
Clark, Pamela, murder of, 38, 40, 41
Clark, Woody, 39
Clarkson, Chris. 214-15
Clinton, Bill, 269
Coale, John, 302
Cochran, Johnnie, 352
Collins, Gertrude Martinus “Trudy,” 190-212, 219, 221-23, 230-33, 238-39, 243, 247-48, 249-56, 259-70, 272-75, 362-65
Colhns. John Albert “Jack,” 190, 212, 219, 221-23, 230-33, 238-39, 243, 247-48, 249-56, 261-70, 272-75, 362-65
Collins, Stephen Thomas, 192-211, 219, 221-23, 228-32, 250-51, 263, 266, 274-75
Collins, Suzanne Marie, life of, 190-219, 230-31
adolescence of, 200-09
adoption of, 193-94
childhood of, 196-200
early childhood of, 193-96
honor deck membership of, 216-17
in Marine Corps, 209-19
at Memphis Naval Air Station, 212-19
personality of, 195-96
Collins, Suzanne Marie, murder of, 1-9, 13-14, 249-50, 262, 263. 273-75, 293, 363, 364
profile in. 1-6, 240-43
trial aftermath, 249-75
trial in, 235, 238-39, 243-48
computers and profiling, 18, 41
control, serial killers’ need for, 9, 15, 23-24, 45, 53, 75, 106, 129, 132, 147, 244, 285, 297, 318, 319, 326, 343, 346, 347, 350, 352
Coon, Patti, 214-15, 218, 224, 225
Cooney, Manus, 263
Cooper, Greg, 335
Cooper, Janet, 219
Craddock, Samuel, 245
Crime Classification Manual (Douglas, et al.), 342
Crime Summit (1991), 262-63, 265
Crime Victims’ fund, 265
cruelty to animals, 23
Cummings, Dorothy, 226
Dabbs, Deanne, 314
Dahn, Diane, murder of, 39
Darden, Christopher, 350, 353
Davenport, David, 224
Davis, Debbie, rape and mur-der of, 306-08, 314, 318, 328
Davis, Richard Allen, 142-45,147
trial of, 142-44
deat
h penalty, 252, 258-59, 270-71, 272, 364-67
Dershowitz, Alan, 351, 356
deterrence, 361, 365
Devier, Darrell Gene, 45, 291
DeVilliers, Nina, murder of, 60,62
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III), 235, 342
Dickinson, N. Dak. police department, 128-33
Dietz, Park Elliott, 124, 265
Dinkel, Frank, 134
Dinkel, Priscilla, murder of, 128-34
profile in, 128-33
disorganized offenders, 63, 81, 129, 147, 158, 279, 280, 282, 337, 343
DNA testing, 39, 72, 77, 83, 316-17, 326, 328-29, 352
domination, serial killers’ need for, 9, 15, 23-24, 43, 53, 65-66, 71, 75, 129-30, 146, 326
Douglas, Erika, 14, 48, 79, 84
Douglas, Jed, 14
Douglas, John:
first assignment of, 104-05
on forensic psychiatry, 119
illness of, 11
as parent, 47-49, 56, 123, 135, 163, 167-68, 175-76
as unit chief, 15
Douglas, Lauren, 14, 47-48
Douglas, Pam Modica, 14, 48-49, 84, 123, 135, 163
Drake, Sue, 214-15
Dreyer, Joel, 117-19
dysfunctional childhoods:
of child molesters, 142, 145
of serial killers, 23, 36, 102, 144
Easley, Rebecca, 270, 272
“Elegy for a Marine” (Collins), 274
Ellis, Carroll, 254
Elveson, Franchie, murder of, 310
enuresis (bed-wetting), 23
Etter, Steve, 335
Evans, Chris, 59
expert testimony, 41-42, 287-88, 292
Fahey, Helen, 325, 331
Fairfax Peer Survivors Group (FPSG), 254
fantasies of serial killers, 23, 43, 45-46, 49, 52, 56, 63, 64, 68, 75, 81, 90, 94, 124, 125, 126, 130, 137, 139, 145, 146, 240, 287, 300
FBI Academy, 6, 16
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 9,240
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 12, 149, 294
Field, Frances, 303
fire-starting, 21, 23, 323, 326
First Amendment, 125
Fitzpatrick, Bernard, 78, 82
Folger, Abigail, murder of, 361
“Forces of Evil” case, 278
Fortas, Abe, 257
Foust, Kenny, murder of, 32-36
Frankl, Viktor E., xiii
Franklin, Gregory, 225
