Alcoholic drifter Richard Speck stamped his name into the archives of American criminal infamy with the murder of eight student nurses in a Chicago student housing building on July 13, 1966. Even before his murderous rampage, he seemed obsessed with the criminal life, vowing that he would someday make headlines (Bachmann). A vast majority of Speck’s life was spent in prison or on the run, and his early life was no better. Born on December 6, 1941, to Benjamin and Mary Margaret Speck, Richard was one of eight children—three boys and five girls. His parents struggled to make ends meet for the family; his father picked up extra shifts at his various odd jobs. When he was old enough, Richard’s father would take him fishing, a pastime that allowed them a break from a deeply religious and strict wife and mother (Richard Franklin Speck 2011). Richard’s life took its first tumultuous turn in 1947 with the death of his father. Craving the attention his father once provided for him, Richard began acting out at home and at school. His older sisters spoiled and coddled him. His teachers remarked that he acted more like a toddler than a second grader; he needed to be held and comforted constantly (Bachmann). His behavior only worsened after his mother married Carl Lindberg in 1950, and Richard and his younger sister moved with the couple to Dallas, Texas. There he attended J. L. Long Junior High School, dropping out of school without finishing eighth grade at age 15. He became even more troubled—a loner and a poor student. By this point, he had been arrested on multiple occasions for alcohol and drug abuse as well as larceny. At age 19, Speck had the words "Born to Raise Hell" tattooed on his left forearm, though it was clear that this was th... ... middle of paper ... ... 23) (Blanco). He herded the six of them together into the largest bedroom in the apartment. Once they had all taken a seat, Speck lit a cigarette and tried to make light-hearted conversation with the women. He insisted that he wouldn’t hurt them; he only wanted their money, as he hoped to jump a ship on its way to New Orleans. He began collecting money from each nurse. Pamela Wilkening, however, spat at him when he insisted on getting money from her. She said she would “pick him out of a line up” (Fornek). Speck shoved her away as another student nurse, Gloria Jean Davy (age 22), arrived home from a date with her fiancé. Speck waved his .22 at her as well, and she too nervously took a seat with the other nurses (Bachmann). As the night wore on, however, he grew increasingly agitated. He pulled out a switchblade and tore up bed sheets, binding their hands and legs.
“William Henry Furman, a twenty-six-year-old black man with a sixth grade education, was not what most people called a “bad” man,” (Herda 7). Furman was just laid off of his job and was struggling to find work. But there was none. Every job did not pay enough, or was a short term job. Eventually, depressed, hungry, and broke, Furman turned to breaking and entering and to petty thievery by means of survival. Furman was caught a few times and was given a light sentence. He was also examined by a psychiatrist and was determined to be mentally impaired, but not enough to go to a mental institution. But on August 11, 1967, Furman went to rob the house of twenty-nine-year-old William Joseph Micke, Jr. with his wife and five young children. When searching through the house, Furman made too much noise, which alerted Micke. Furman heard Micke walking down the stairs and pulled out his gun that he used for scaring people away. But Micke kept walking downwards. Not wanting to be caught, Furman tried to run away and tripped over an exposed cord. His gun discharged. The bullet ricocheted to the back door. On the other side, a body fell to the floor. William Joseph Micke Jr. was dead. “The police responded to the call quickly and, within minutes, they had apprehended Furman just down the street from the scene of the crime. The murders weapon was still in his pocket,” (Herda 9). Furman tried to plead guilty by insanity and the psychiatrists described him as legally insane. But then, several days later one of the psychiatrists revised their medical opinion. Because he was not insane, the case would go on. The state of Georgia charged him with murder and issued the death penalty. This was because Georgia state law stated that any form of murder is...
"Robert Latimer | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers." Robert Latimer | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. .
Pretty Boy’s early life was normal, he had a loving family. He was born on February 3, 1904 Adairsville, Georgia. He had multiple brothers and sisters. His family moved to a farm in Oklahoma, and were very poor. Because his family were going through a depression, as most of the farmers were during the “Dust Bowl”, he turned to crime to get money. Pretty Boy robbed a post office and stole $350 in pennies; later getting caught. He then realized he liked the life of getting quick, easy money. When Pretty Boy was 20 years old, he married Ruby Hardgraves and moved to St. louis. His son was born while he was in prison for 4 years for
In Andre Dubus’ short story “Killings,” the character Frank Fowler is violently murdered by his girlfriend’s ex-husband. Numerous readers agree that Richard Strout’s death is the result of revenge; however, Frank’s death is rarely examined. Even though his death is the pivotal point that swings the rest of the story into action, his demise is often overlooked because Richard’s death is so prominently analyzed, calculated, and questioned. So what is the origin of Frank’s murder? Although there are numerous reasons why Frank is killed, one apparent cause is his love for Mary Ann. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross from Tim O’Brien’s story, “The Things They Carried,” can certainly attest that the love of a woman is a powerful and blinding emotion. An emotion
During the first therapy meeting that McMurphy attends, Nurse Ratched begins by examining Harding's difficulties with his wife. McMurphy tells that he was arrested for statutory rape, although he thought that the girl was of legal age, and Dr. Spivey, the main doctor for the ward, questions whether McMurphy is feigning insanity to get out of doing hard labor at the work farm. After the meeting, McMurphy confronts Harding on the way that the meetings are run. He compares it to a 'pecking-party' in which each of the patients turn on each other. Harding pretends to defend Nurse Ratched, but then admits that all of the patients and even Dr. Spivey are afraid of Nurse Ratched. He tells McMurphy that the patients are rabbits who cannot adjust to their rabbithood and need Nurse Ratched to show them their place. McMurphy then bets him that he can get Nurse Ratched to crack within a week.
Michael Kirk and Peter J. Boyer. (2000, January 18). The killer at Thurston High. May 5, 2010, by FrontLine: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kinkel/etc/script.html
Dee, C. (2007). Serial killers, up close and personal: inside the world of torturers, psychopaths, and murderers. Berkeley, Calif: Ulysses Press.
"Murder on his Mind" video, I was convinced that Stankos was a psychopath which is also
On the morning of July 4, 1954, Marilyn Sheppard was violently beaten in her home in Bay Village, Ohio, on the shore of Lake Erie. She was four months pregnant and had been felled by 35 vicious blows (Quade). Right away Sam Sheppard was accused of being the victim to do this. Sheppard had told investigators that he had been asleep downstairs and was awakened by his wife’s screams. Sheppard said when he went upstairs and entered the room he was knocked unconscious by the intruder. He denied any involvement and described his battle with the killer he described as “bushy-haired” (Linder). After a police investigation, Dr. Sam Sheppard was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. With the hectic media covering it, they were quick in decision that it was him that committed the murder. This was an unfair trial, ruined a man’s life, and gave him no time for a career.
Berns, Walter. "Getting Away With Murder." Commentary 97.4 (1994): 25. MAS Ultra - School Edition. Web. 14
2011. “Serial Killers and Mass Murderers.” American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 9:
Johnson, Jason B. “ Slain Teen’s family: Cops eyeing 7-10 suspects.” Boston Herald. 7 ,April 1995
This episode of The First 48 documents a case in Atlanta, Georgia where two innocent, young women were brutally murdered by Ardentric Johnson, a 36 year old drug addict whom was living in the abandoned house on Madrona Street where he committed these savage murders. Ardentric Johnson had previous convictions for carrying a concealed weapon, theft, false imprisonment, and battery. In Criminal Justice and English there are concepts like Rehabilitation,Evidence, Pathos, and Logos that help solve bloody murders, just like the brutal case we saw in The First 48: The House on Madrona Street.
Buckman, Adam. “Following Footsteps of a Killer.” New York Post (Nov. 2002): 124: Proquest. Web. 28 Feb. 2014
Richard Speck is without a doubt what is considered a chronic offender having been arrested over 40 times prior to committing the crime for which he is best known; the 1966 murder, rape, and robbery of eight student nurses. His victims were female students between the ages of 19 and 24 who lived together on Chicago's South Side. Speck forced his way into their dorm at gunpoint, rounded the women up, and ordered them to empty their purses before tying them up. He then proceeded to brutalize them. The women were robbed, raped, beaten, and then strangled or stabbed to death (BIO, 2013). Cooper and Smith (2011), tell us that crimes of this nature involving 3 or more victims represent less than 1% of all homicides committed each year (p. 24) and crimes of this nature are more likely to be carried out by use of a gun (p. 27). Additionally, young adults aged 18-24 continue to experience the highest homicide rates, but homicides across the spectrum have fallen since the early 1990s (Cooper & Smith, 2011). Fang, French & McCollister (2010) estimated the cost to process a murder for our court systems was $390,352, the crime victim costs were $737,517, and the criminal’s activities other than the homici...