I’ve been writing about psychopaths since 2013, and I’m getting renewed appreciation for the terror many of the more violent ones inflict on individuals and communities. Before interstates, my mom used to drive me from Boise, Idaho through Spokane, Washington to Seattle for cleft-palate surgeries. I got to know Spokane and over the years have become acquainted with several people there. A true-crime book about a Psychopath and his Mother. So I recently read "Son: A Psychopath and … [Read more...]
“Just Mercy” author addresses issues raised by George Floyd’s death.
In my last blog, I passed along a progressive black man's take on the massive George Floyd protests. It was written by a Harvard Law grad who is a proponent of nonviolence. I'm giving time in today's blog to a moderate black man's take on the issue of racism raised by the protests. Attorney Bryan Stevenson, also a Harvard Law grad, is having a bit of a moment. The movie of his book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption has just been released. It stars Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, … [Read more...]
Ira Einhorn, the Unicorn Killer, dies, but lives on in my book.
One of the murderers in my Privileged Killers and the Psychopaths among us, just died. I've blogged about him from time to time - here for example and with photos here. Tho his death has been widely reported as due to natural causes, he died of longstanding cardiac problems. His death, allegedly, was unrelated to the current coronavirus pandemic. . Nick Arama, writes in NBC Philadelphia that one-time environmentalist: "Ira Einhorn, 79, has died in prison. Susan … [Read more...]
Plea bargains, Prisons, Parole — an after-your-arrest Tutorial with Boston Strangler tie in.
Am close to finishing my latest book, Privileged Killers, where I take plea bargains and parole board decisions to task. These are two phenomena that've dictated court and corrections culture for years. Hopefully this tutorial will help writers, criminology students, true-crime fans, and others understand these topics. Plea bargains are a win-win often. Suspects get to plead guilty to doing something less serious than what they've done in all likelihood. The joke is it's like copping to … [Read more...]
College admission scandal. Now, waiting for the Loughlin shoe to drop.
A quick update in the long broiling college admission scandal. The Huffman shoe has dropped in the scandal. See my Varsity Blues blog about this when the case broke. The Sentence. A judge just sentenced actress Felicity Huffman to 14 days behind bars in a federal prison, a $30,000 fine, one year of supervised release, and 250 hours of community service. For more about what went down today in Boston, go here. Celebs (Huffman in ctr) in college admission scandal. My take on the … [Read more...]
Crime – Serial Killer – Tutorial – Intro, Definitions, Myths.
Writers, esp those writing true-crime books, are often drawn to serial killer stories. And so are everyday people since these stories both horrify and fascinate us frequently. As a service to my fellow writers, I'm providing another tutorial. This one deals with the facts and the myths of serial killers. Hopefully, writers will find them useful for their writing. And other readers may just find them interesting. Some facts. Serial killings account for very few of all murders committed in … [Read more...]
Celebrity privilege. See who are among DUI royalty?
Celebrity privilege is a type of "Special treatment!" We know the latter phrase if we grew up with a sib or if nursery school or kindergarten teachers used it. Parents in the U.S. and early teachers drilled it into our heads—no special treatment, wait your turn, share toys with others. So, it's not surprising that Americans talk about privilege, discrimination, preferential treatment a lot. Preferential crim justice treatment for celebrity privilege? Celebs have long been ordered to … [Read more...]