Criminal Justice: Felony Murder A person is convicted of murder if it is proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that they specifically intended the death that they caused, intended to foist serious bodily injury upon their victim, or acted recklessly, with no regard for human life (Malani, 2002)
But there are some basic methodological problems with the study of serial murderers. Ball (1989) notes the relative lack of in-depth personal interviews and surveys with those convicted of serial murder: thus he argues that in terms of the basic understanding in existing psychiatric literature, "the fact that the serial murderers themselves tended to refuse cooperation on personal grounds or advice of attorney has made for a necessarily sketchy and somewhat repetitious reliance on those sources that could be mined" (Ball 594)
Basilio (1996) notes this in relation to media represenations of Aileen Wuornos in the late 1990s, where her sexuality was definitely part of the public analysis of the crimes, claiming that commentators had underestimated the relevance overall of "the criminalization of lesbian and gay sexuality in the United States and its effects on sentencing of defendants identified as homosexual." (Basilio 56)
They note that the "disorganized" killer is frequently marked by "social inadequacy and inability to maintain interpersonal relationships" which "increases the likelihood of sexual ignorance as well as the potential for sexual perversions or dysfunctions as part of the homicidal acts." (Canter 294)
After being apprehended, they may be forced to confront the disturbing reality that they have killed human beings, not animals or objects. (Fox and Levin 423) A variation on this observation is offered elsewhere in the literature on serial murder by Heide (1991) who includes homosexuals in the category of frequent victims targeted by serial murders without specific consideration of how homosexuality might impact the serial murderers themselves: "Victims may have symbolic value and are perceived to be prestigeless and in most instances are unable to defend themselves or alert others to their plight, or are perceived as powerless given their situation in time, place or status within their immediate surroundings (such as vagrants, prostitutes, migrant workers, homosexuals, missing children, and single and often elderly women
Thus Husain (1995) claims that "scoptophilia plays a predominant part among the psychopath's attempts at control" where "the execution of dominance-submission patterns, within which the object is necessarily apprehended as a prey" is being accomplished by the serial killer. (Husain 138)
In the case discussed here, a Westfield, New Jersey father executed five members of his family in order to try to avoid debt. This particular crime was not carried out 'in the heat of passion' but with a premeditation that earned the man a determination of purposeful murder as opposed to a manslaughter conviction (State of NJ vs. List, 270 N
Super 169). Reckless Manslaughter In the case discussed where reckless manslaughter is concerned, the individual in question had two altercations with a bouncer in a bar, and then later shot another man, who he then claimed he thought was the bouncer from the bar (State of NJ v. Mauricio, 117 N
Serial killers operate under the belief that they will not be caught (Douglas Olshaker, 1999). It is seldom that law enforcement personnel and behavioral scientists get a first-hand glimpse into the predatory world of a serial killer at the time of their attacks (Arrigo, 2006)
T. Lunde (2006) defined sexual sadism as "a deviation characterized by torture and/or killing and mutilation of other persons in order to achieve sexual gratification (Bell, 2011)
In most, if not all, of serial homicides, a significant motivating factor, along with manipulation, domination and control, is sexual desire and gratification. Serial murders commit homicide because the murders "make them feel fulfilled, and [the murderers] will continue doing them as long as they can" (Douglas & Olshaker, 1999, p
Strangulation is the most personal and intimate of murders in which the killer literally holds their victim's life in their hands. Strangulation gives the killer a sense of control over the situation (Geberth, 1995)
Factors of unknown or mixed origin are paraphilia, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse, alcoholism, a conduct disorder in childhood, animal torture and arson, and rape or other sexual offenses that are committed in adolescence (2009). According to the FBI, "42% of serial killers have suffered severe physical abuse as children, 43% were sexually molested, and a full 74% were subjected to ongoing psychological torture (Schechter & Everitt, 1999, p
Serial killers may be further subdivided into three categories. These categories include the serial homicides of patients by nurses and doctors, the murders of random strangers over long periods of time, and men committing serial sexual homicide (Stone, 2009)
What precisely Pilpel's motives were is impossible to ascertain form the surviving documentation -- was he moved primarily by religious opposition to Rabbi Kohn, was he paid to commit this heinous act, or did he act out of a combination of these two motives? Most likely, although not provable on the basis of the evidence that has so far come to light, he was merely the hired hit man in a conspiracy launched, and paid for, by Herz Bernstein and Hirsch Orenstein, who themselves were motivated by a combination of financial self-interest and religious zealotry. (Stanislawski 112-113) Abraham Ber Pilpel was convicted of murder and both Orenstein and Bernstein were indicted for conspiracy to murder and though Pilpel was found guilty but later the conviction was reversed, Orenstein and Bernstein were both considered to be not guilty
However, it does tease the reader's curiosity such that the reader is inspired to do further research on forensic psychology, and on the individuals mentioned here. Forensic Psychology and Serial Murders Once limited to the wok of treating offenders, usually in an institutional setting, forensic psychology has in the past three decades taken on an expanded role in law enforcement (Horley, J
He thinks that any rational person would be like him and not hurt other people. Does Bill really understand that hurting others is morally wrong? (Nichols, 2002, p
Berkowitz, it was argued, was more psychotic, and for that reason perhaps less aware of his actions as crimes against society or individuals. Berkowitz was known to have started more than a thousand fires, and had a history of cruelty to animals; both manifestations of deeper emotional problems (Schlesinger, 2004, p
1). With a trail of bodies from the west to the east, ending in Florida, Bundy received a lot of press, and a film was made portraying his life (Simpson, 2000, p
For instance, it would be irrational to use this argument to protect an aggressor whose actions clearly threaten the lives of others. Many philosophers have in the past noted that some rights (in some circumstances) can indeed be forfeited (Kurtz, 2008)