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MEDICAL SERIAL KILLERS.
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Discusses multiple murders by doctors.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Discusses multiple murders by doctors. Medical profession producing more medical serial killers than all other professions combined. Motives of power, control and financial gain. Analyzes personality characteristics, motivations and actions of medical serial killers. Constructs profile of a medical serial killer. Case study of Dr. Harold Shipman.
Paper Introduction:
MEDICAL SERIAL KILLERS
Introduction
...I will prescribe regimen for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone. To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug, nor give advice which may cause his death..." (The Hippocratic Oath, cited in Geringer, 2000, p. 1)
For many people, the realization of the existence of medical serial killers is particularly frightening since they are under the Hippocratic Oath to heal their patients, not participate in their death. In spite of the medical community’s assertion that medical serial killers are extremely rare (Kinnell, 2000, p. 15
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With Shipman's insistence of his innocence, the public and expertscontinue to be mystified by the cause of his violence. V. How doctors can kill. As an extension of this theory that serial killers' behavior is on theextreme end of the spectrum of normal human behavior, Lifton (1986)proposed that doctors who engage in serial killing utilize thepsychological mechanism of "doubling" to accommodate their need to kill.Derived from his study of Nazi doctors, Lifton (1986) contended that thistheory would be applicable to any doctor who engages in serial killings.According to this theoretical model, these doctors possess a prior self-thetypical individual, as well as a doubled self-the serial murderer. Furthermore, he isan intelligent and charismatic individual who has an acute interest inpolice work. The French doctor, Dr. Edme Castaiang, who also forged wills, convinced his wealthy female patient to give him power of attorney and then poisoned her and her friend in 1892 (Kinnell, 2 , p. . The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. Profile of a Medical Serial KillerTheoretical Perspectives Based on their extensive review of serial killers throughout history,researchers specializing in the field of serial killers have createdtheories to explain medical professionals' need to kill repeatedly.Lawrence Miller, a police psychologist in West Palm Beach, Florida,suggested that serial killers' killing behavior is an extreme version ofthe typical hunting behavior that is characteristic of males. (1997). (2 1). What would have been suicidal tendencies in most people were converted into a rage that could only be managed by his killings ("Ramsland, 2 1, "Motives: Part 2," pp. 1594). Selecting the dead. Many ofShipman's explanations to account for his presence at the homes of healthpatients such as calls to his office to report their illness or thecollection of blood samples for ageing studies all proved to be unfoundedupon further investigation (Ottley, 2 1, "Litany of Lies," pp. (1999). London: Warner. It is important tonote that the doubled self of the medical serial killer is also likely toredefine the murderous actions in order to justify them (Lifton, 1986). T. Furthermore, the deaths typicallyoccurred in clusters at specific times of the day. Shipman's development as a young child was heavily influenced by hismother's sense of superiority. Scientific interest in human anatomy: Medical serial killers such as Dr. H. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. Essentially, the doubled selfshields the doctor from any feelings of guilt by being the primaryperpetrator of the killings. 1594), this profession has produced more serialkillers than all other professions combined (Whittle & Ritchie, 2 ;Hickey, 1997). The patients were usually found dead in a chair, fullyclothed, instead of lying ill in their bed in their night clothes (Ottley,2 1, "Early Warnings," p. New York: Basic Books.Ottley, T. Afterinforming Grundy's daughter, Angela Woodruff, of her death, Shipman toldher that a post mortem was not needed and tried in vain to persuade her tocremate her mother. Finally, a briefexamination of the social and institutional factors that have facilitatedthe perpetration of the crimes by medical professionals will also beprovided. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. (2 1). (2 1). In this study, only the motives of medical serial killers who tookadvantage of their role and position to kill will be presented. 1). Angela investigates. Desire for power and self-aggrandizement: According to Holmes and Holmes (1996), serial killers often kill after experiencing a period of intolerable depressive feelings. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. According to thetestimony of families and friends who found Shipman at the death scene,Shipman would claim that he had called the ambulance and then cancelled itafter determining the deaths of the victims. 4). When they realize their fantasy, the serial killersexperience the euphoric sensation of triumph that propels them to anotherkilling in order to reproduce the same feeling. Washington, D.C.: Wadsworth.Holmes, R. 2-3). Shipman's crime would have gone unnoticed if Shipman had not forge acopy of Grundy's will and send it to her solicitors, which left 386, pounds to him in her will. His doubled self's re-enactment of the death scene of his mother with each of his killings alleviated the original feelings of abandonment experienced by his original self who saw his mother die at the age of 17. When presented with a search warrant, Shipman did not displayany fear or surprise. The enthusiastic doubler: This medical serial killer derives tremendous pleasure from his ability to kill without getting caught. in "Profile of a KillerDoctor," 2 , p. What is most significantabout Miller's perception is that the serial killers do not suffer from aneurological disease; rather, their pathology differs from typical males"only in terms of degree, not the nature of the act" (qtd. A diary of death. Angels of death: The doctors. (2 2). In fact, in contrast to serial killers whotried to manipulate and torture their victims, Shipman allowed his victimsto die tranquilly in the comfort of their homes. Murder most rare. (1998). The successful implementation of their methodical plan also convinces them of their omnipotence. (2 1). Retrieved October 9, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminology/doctors/4.htmRamsland, K. Thus, the doublingmechanism should not be regarded merely as an adaptive tool in these cases;in fact, it provides a justification for medical serial killers to committheir evil actions ("How Doctors Can Kill," p. By making no great effort in concealing his crimes, Shipmanwanted to be prevented from committing his crimes (Ottley, 2 1, "Why," p.1). Only by enacting their fantasies will they be able to lift themselves up from the psychological low to prove their uniqueness and superiority. Thus, with this medical self that is able todepersonalize and dehumanize their patients, medical serial killers areable to make the smooth transition of occupying two conflicting roles ofhealers and killers without succumbing to their conscience (Lifton, 1986). Based on the accounts of other witnesses,Shipman also derived tremendous pleasure from informing the families oftheir loved ones' death. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/Ottley, T. (2 1). Other psychologists proposed that as with other serial killers,Shipman was unable to control a compulsive desire to kill. Although they begin their killingspree with methodical planning, serial killers will deterioratepsychologically as they are driven to increase their levels of crime, thusdevoting less time to preparation in order to satisfy their insatiable needto recreate their violent fantasies (Iserson, 2 2). Because members of the public and the medicalcommunity are unwilling to confront the frightening reality that doctorswhose duty and obligation is to treat and heal the sick would kill them,they often give these medical serial killers the benefit of the doubt andthe license to continue their killing spree. 1; Ottley, 2 1, "Selecting the Dead," pp. (2 ). The cybertrail. After analyzing Shipman's medicalnotes at the Grundy's death scene, Grenville noted that Dr. Shipmandetermined Grundy's death quickly without even bothering to examine thebody for signs of life or revive the patient. BBC News. 1594). As a professional group, doctors are more susceptible to the doublingmechanism than other professionals because they are expected to cultivate amedical self that enables them to maintain a calm demeanor in the face ofgruesome images such as skeletons and corpses. (2 1). Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/17.htmOttley, T. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/11.htmOttley, T. The choice of insulin that was naturallyproduced by the body would have been a wiser decision. She wassentenced to life imprisonment in 1984 for killing 11 children. Certainly, they are also able toobtain medical supplies and utilize equipment to kill or revive theirvictims. 1). Angels of death: The doctors. Prescription for murder: The true story of mass murder Dr. Harold Frederick Shipman. She typically injected heart medication into sickinfants and then tried to revive the infants in order to present herself asa heroine (Kelleher & Kelleher, 1998). A wealthy and socially active widow who was knownfor helping in the community, Grundy's absence triggered the attention ofher friends who found her fully clothed and dead. During thesearch, Shipman even showed the investigators his Old Brother manualportable typewriter and claimed that Grundy had borrowed it on occasions-ahighly improbably story. According to Ottley (2 1), Shipman's attraction to the medicalprofession and his re-enactment of the scenes of his crimes with elderlyvictims could be traced back to his mother's illness. (2 ). 1). 2). Furthermore, he is able to reconcile his two selves and lead a "normal" life. Watching Vera die. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. Serial homicide by doctors: Shipman in perspective. 1-2).Essentially, Shipman's execution of his plans was not highly meticulous,thus not only demonstrating his inefficiency as a serial killer, but also agrandiose belief of his invincibility. Accustomed to scenes ofdeath, doctors use this self to adapt to the stressful and competingdemands of their work. Demon doctors: Physicians as serial killers. According to one theory, each of hiskillings is a re-enactment of his mother's death in order to alleviate hisfeelings of loss and abandonment that tormented him. A killer's childhood. Retrieved October 9, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminology/doctors/7.htmStewart, J. M., & Holmes, S. (2 1). Attracted primarily toaggressive and violent role models, serial killers derive pleasure fromforging sadomasochistic relationships that provide them with absolutepower. Thus, in spite of his avid participation inteam sports, Shipman did not forge any significant friendships with hispeers. Raising the dead. Shipman, who had visited Grundy a few hours earlier, was the lastperson to see her alive. (2 1). The plot thins. Although she was not ill, Shipman stated that hevisited Grundy to collect blood samples for his studies on ageing. . in Iserson, 2 2, "Introduction").Therefore, serial killers are characterized by a sadistic propensity anddrawn to violence, torture and death. Internal conflicts: In his psychological assessment of Dr. Harold Shipman who was convicted of 15 murders in 2 1, Dr. Chris Missen, head of forensic psychology at Anglia Polytechnic University, stated that Shipman had a doubled self that was characterized by extreme self- pity. What he did not realize was that thecomputer's hard drive recorded when he made all the alterations to thepatients' records. 1; Ottley, 2 1, "Cash for Ash," p. The public's perception of doctors as healers, not killers,essentially enables medical serial killers to inflict harm on many victimsbefore they are discovered. Sadistic pleasure in violence: The medical serial killers in this category derive tremendous pleasure from perpetrating violent deaths. 1-2). . According to District nurse Marion Gilchrist,one of the witnesses, Shipman's only regret at the time of his arrest wasthat he had not managed to have Grundy cremated: "If I have had hercremated, I wouldn't be having all this trouble" (qtd. However, in some cases, as the killingscontinue, the delicate balance of power will shift as the original self isso overwhelmed that it gives way to the evil doubled self (Lifton, 1986). 2). The morphine factor. Only two of these categories are pertinent to thisdiscussion: . Furthermore, in this perverse connection, the original self alsobenefits from the acts of the doubled self such as increased self-esteemand sense of power. (2 1). However, telephone recordsrevealed that no calls were ever made to the emergency services. 2-3). Compared to the record of most generalpractitioners, Shipman's record contained a disproportionately higher rateof deaths among elderly patients. 1-2). In spite of his beliefs about his computer knowledge,Shipman's failure to know this aspect about computers contributed to hisdownfall (Ottley, 2 1, "The Cybertrail," p. In addition, Lifton (1986) categorized medical serial killers intothree different groups. Case Study: Dr. Harold Frederick Shipman Currently serving 15 consecutive life sentences, Dr. Harold Shipmanearned the title of being the most prolific serial killer in history forallegedly murdering 4 patients (Ottley, 2 1, "Raising the Dead," pp. Harold Shipman by following the trail of his crimes, the officialinvestigation and his trial will not only highlight his techniques, butalso identify distinctive aspects of his life and personality that mighthave accounted for his pathological need to kill. Being a doctor, Shipman should have been aware ofthe fact that morphine was one of the few toxins that could be traced inthe body issue for centuries. Thus, it is little wonder that history is replete with documentedinstances of multiple murders by doctors, which confirms that individualswith a pathological desire to wield the power of life and death are drawnto the medical profession (Kinnell, 2 , p. Whiletypical males exhibit this hunting behavior through social and professionalactivities such as hunting, entrepreneurial ventures and team sports,serial killers possess a craving for violence and power that is driven by aperverse fantasy. C., & Ritchie, J. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. In spite of the rocky beginning to his medical career in which he wascaught with over-prescribing pethidine for his own usage and forgingdocuments, Shipman was able to charm his way into Donneybrook MedicalCenter at Hyde by displaying his self-confidence and persuading the medicalcommunity that he had overcome his drug problem. Most importantly, serial killers possess sociopathic traitsthat hamper their ability to form positive relationships with others.Because they do not have the capacity to love, serial killers only forgerelationships with others based on potential gains. Back in business. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.Iserson, K. Angels of death: The doctors. Furthermore, hospitals with the availablesupply of drugs and elderly and sickly patients provide them with an idealenvironment for committing crimes that can be easily concealed (Ramsland,2 1, "Motives: Part 1," p. (2 1). When Shipman triedto explain the presence of the morphine in Grundy's body by claiming thatGrundy, along with his other dead patients who were highly respectedmembers of the community, were morphine addicts, he further undermined hisown credibility. 1-2). in Ottley, 2 1,"The Trial: Week 2," p. Cash for ash. According to Iserson (2 2),the typical serial killer is male, white and aged from 25 to 34. 1). Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/26.htmProfile of a killer doctor. During his mother'sillness, Shipman spent all of his time after school at home with his motherand witnessed the doctor's alleviation of his mother's suffering with theadministration of morphine. With regards to female serial killers who constitute less than onepercent of females (Iserson, 2 2), Kelleher and Kelleher (1998) provided aslightly different image. Financial benefits: These doctors typically kill their elderly patients for financial benefits. 1594).Medical serial killers also included women such as Linda Burfield Hazzard(Iserson, 2 2), Genene Jones (American, 1978-1982) and Terri Rachals(American, 1985-1986) (Kelleher & Kelleher, 1998). (2 1). Instead of regarding their victims as human beings, medical serial killers perceive their victims' pain and suffering as the sole means of restoring their self- belief. Believing that Harold was her only childwho possessed the potential to succeed in life, Vera, Shipman's mother,sought to elevate him above his peers by determining with whom he couldplay and how he should dress. (2 , January 31). Among the variousconflicting theories proposed, three theories provide the most likelyexplanations for his actions. New York: Dell.Kinnell, H. Shipman projected thefaçade of a caring and committed doctor and succeeded in order to win theadmiration of his peers, as well as the trust of his patients-the peoplewho mattered. His choice of the morphine drug could also stem from his desire torecreate the scene of his mother's death. (2 1). Nonetheless, what convinced authorities of Shipman's guilt and theneed to expand their investigation of Shipman's other dead patients was thetoxicologist's report on the cause of Grundy's death. British Medical Journal, 321(726), 1594.Lifton, R. Litany of lies. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the personalitycharacteristics, motivation and actions of some of these infamous medicalprofessionals in order to construct a composite profile of a medical serialkiller. Each of them waspuzzled by the similarities in the characteristics of the patients and thedeath scenes. 1). Contrary to the typical motives of doctors who enter theprofession to heal and assist patients, these doctors are attracted to theprofession because they are motivated by the power, control and potentialbenefits such as financial gain. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. 1). Hospitals and medicalcenters should adopt a vigilant attitude towards doctors with a blemishedrecord who display characteristics highlighted in this paper. While his doubledself performs the killings, his original self holds onto his sense ofmorality and rejects the actions of the doubled self. One example of a female medical serial killer is Genene Jones, a 27-year-old vocational nurse who worked with terminally ill children. . Summary What is most disturbing about this case is that in spite of hisobvious inefficiencies, Shipman still managed to kill many of his patientsbefore his actions were investigated thoroughly. 1). Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/14.htmOttley, T. According to a clinical audit commissioned by the Department ofHealth, Professor Richard Baker of the University of Leicester estimatedthat Shipman was responsible for the deaths of a minimum of 236 patientsduring his 24-year stint at Hyde. His subordinates saw another side to Shipman--his sarcasticand abusive self (Ottley, 2 1, "Back in Business," p. Although Lifton's theory aptly explains the behavior of medical serialkillers, Ramsland (2 1) believed that theory does not fully account forthe medical serial doctors' choice of a killer as a double self. During the police investigation, detectives also uncovered furtherevidence of Shipman's guilt after analyzing his computer. He was included in 132 of the wills. It isimportant to note that they are not suffering from any mental disorderssuch as dissociative identity disorder or a schizoid type of psychosis inwhich the individual has a split personality. Retrieved October 9, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminology/doctors/2.htmRamsland, K. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. (1996). Dr. Richard Badcock,the forensic psychologist who interviewed Shipman, believed that Shipman'scrimes did not bring him pleasure; rather, they were an attempt to resolvean internal anxiety that was suppressed within him (cited in "Profile of aKiller Doctor," 2 , p. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/13.htmOttley, T. However, when Pollard contacted the police who searched Shipman'srecords in a covert operation, no action was taken against Shipman becausethere was no discrepancy between the causes of death and the treatments.At the time, the police did not know that Shipman had rewritten thepatients' medical records after killing them. In spite ofthe medical community's assertion that medical serial killers are extremelyrare (Kinnell, 2 , p. G. In addition, theprevious symptoms of the patients did not cohere with the patients' medicalrecords. Furthermore, during his early adolescence, Shipman grew furtherapart from his peers in order to spend time with his mother who hadcontracted terminal lung cancer (Ottley, 2 1, "A Killer's Childhood," pp.1-2). Because medicalprofessionals commit murders for a wide variety of reasons, it is importantto note that this analysis of medical serial killers will exclude doctorswho commit euthanasia and those who kill for political objectives such asthe Nazi and the Japanese doctors involved in ethnic cleansing andbiological warfare respectively. Because murderscan be easily hidden under the guise of natural deaths, female medicalserial killers are able to wield the power of determining the life anddeath of their vulnerable patients. Furthermore, Woodruff noted that Grundy who was a meticulouswoman was unlikely to sign such a poorly prepared document. In the past, Shipman had been able to convince most ofthe patients' families to cremate their loved ones in order to eliminatethe evidence of the cause of their death (Ottley, 2 1, "AngelaInvestigates," pp. Thus, the analysis of the personality traits of some medical serialkillers, their motivation and the case studies in the following sectionsmay fill in the missing pieces of the profile of a medical serial killer.Characteristics In spite of their diversity, medical serial killers share the commoncharacteristics exhibited by serial killers. Rather, the doubling processis an adaptive mechanism that enables all human beings to survive throughchallenging living conditions. One of the primaryreasons that Shipman was shielded from suspicions was his position as aphysician. (2 1). Only bycreating necessary safeguards, conducting thorough investigations of pastrecords and acknowledging the reports of other employees will medicalserial killers be halted before they claim more victims. In fact, Shipman even modified Grundy's records toindicate her addiction to morphine (Ottley, 2 1, "The Morphine Factor," p.1; Ottley, 2 1, "Selecting the Dead," pp. J. In this strange symbiotic relationship, the doctor canstill cling onto the illusion that he is a good-hearted and compassionatedoctor by holding onto his original self. Therefore, the public and especially the medical communitywill need to modify their presumption that all doctors are compassionateindividuals who goal is to heal their patients. . Within the theoretical frameworkdiscussed earlier in the paper, Shipman could be a conflicted doubler whowas overwhelmed by the struggle of power between his original and doubledself. However, because he is unable to come to a definite resolution of the situation, he persists with his killing spree. in Ramsland,2 1, "How Doctors Can Kill," p. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2 /the_shipman_murders/the_shi pman_files/611 ...Ramsland, K. Because of the inadequate intervention by the authorities, Shipman wasallowed to continue with his killings unchecked. Essentially, Shipman'smedical notes indicated that Shipman did not practice standard medicalprocedures (Ottley, 2 1, "The Trial: Week 2," p. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/3.htmOttley, T. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/8.htmOttley, T. Motives: Part 1. Their killings of people enable them to perform various types of experiments that would not have been permitted (Ramsland, 2 1, "Motives: Part 2," p. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. W. Even with these exclusions, there stillremain individual medical serial killers whose crimes have been documentedsince the 19th century: Dr. Thomas Neill Cream (British, 1892), Dr. HarryHoward Holmes (American, 1892-1896), Dr. Donald Clark (American, 1967), Dr.Arnfinn Nesset (Norwegian, late 197 s), Dr. Harold Shipman (British, 2 ),Dr. When her mother died, Shipman was left with asense of abandonment and irreplaceable loss because she was the only onewho elevated him above others and cultivated his sense of superiority.More significantly, he was also left with the image of a comforting sceneof a patient whose pain subsided with an injection of morphine. In a deliberate obtuse exchange, Shipman wouldmake the family members guess that their loved ones had died withoutshowing any compassion (qtd. Becauseshe was extremely mobile and moved throughout the state of Texas,authorities suspected that Jones could have murdered as many as 46 peoplefrom 1978 to 1982. 3). Why? More specifically, the detailed exploration of the case study ofDr. Early warnings. From another perspective,psychologists argued that Shipman was the typical sociopathic serial killerwho believed that his crimes would never be discovered (Ottley, 2 1, "TheMorphine Factor," p. Shipman's killing spree was finally ended with his murder of KathleenGrundy on June 24, 1998. 1). Most significantly, what enables serial killers to persist in actingout their violent impulses is captured aptly by Ronald Markman, a forensicpsychiatrist: "They lack the internal prohibitions, or conscience, thatkeep most of us from giving full expression to our most primitive, andsometimes violent impulses" (qtd. Although Shipmanshared many characteristics of a sociopathic killer such as his sense ofsuperiority, he did not display a craving for violence and obvious displayof power over his victims. Furthermore, they tend to exhibit impulsive behavior as they aregoverned by a constant desire to seek out new sources of stimulation. 2). 1). Swango, the experimenter. Nonetheless, for most people including Pollard, the coroner, who hadworked extensively with Shipman, the most likely explanation was one thatconformed to the profile of a medical serial killer: "...he simply enjoyedviewing the process of dying and enjoyed the feeling of control over lifeand death, literally over life and death" (qtd. Most female medical serial killers kill an average of eightindividuals within a one to two-year period. Although it may seem incredible that Shipman was allowed to continueproviding care for patients in spite of these suspicious indicators, it isimportant to note that Shipman's deaths did arouse the suspicion the localundertaker, Alan Massey, Dr. Susan Booth who countersigned cremation formsfor Shipman's patients and the coroner John Pollard. While the authorities waited for the results of the test, the policeconducted a search of the doctor's home and offices immediately beforeShipman could hear about Grundy's postmortem and destroy or hide theevidence. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/7.htmOttley, T. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. Michael Swango (American, 199 s) and others (Kinnell, 2 , p. Holmes are motivated to enter the medical profession in order to satisfy their curiosity about the human anatomy. (2 1). The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. Because she was a solicitor, Woodruff saw thatthe will was poorly typed and worded; thus, it was most likely a fakedocument. H. Blind faith: How the medical establishment let a doctor get away with murder. He mostlikely comes from a lower to middle class background. As mentionedbefore, he was a conflicted doubler whose evil self had begun to take overhis self. Apparently,Shipman who believed that he was a computer expert had modified hispatients' records on his computer. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. According to these authors, female serialkillers who act alone such as those in the medical profession are highlysystematic, cautious, controlled and organized individuals who appearsocially well-adjusted. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/9.htmOttley, T. In addition to his indifference to his victims, testimony by Dr. JohnGrenville and other witnesses also revealed how Shipman did not make ameticulous effort to conceal his crime. As with the other cases,Dr. Retrieved October 2, 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial6/swango/Hickey, E. 1). (2 1). 1-2). Nonetheless, the police hadfailed to conduct a thorough investigation by failing to check Shipman'sprevious record. The pathological need to controlthe power of life and death is evident in her behavior.Motivation One of the most intriguing aspects of the study of medical serialkillers is to uncover their underlying motives for killing innocent people. Profiling violent crimes: An investigative tool (2nd ed.). Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/6.htmOttley, T. (2 1). The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. Known as the angels of death, female medicalserial killers generally start their killing spree at the age of 21 andcommit their crimes in a treatment setting such as a nursing home, hospitalor any place that deals with deaths on a regular basis. (2 1). (2 1). Forensic scientists would later find that it wasthe machine used for the production of the fake will (Ottley, 2 1, "ThePlot Thins," p. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/1 .htmOttley, T. One of the prime examples is Dr. Michael Swango who stated that his fantasy was a fatal accident and revealed that he got an erection at the prospect of informing parents of the death of their child he had killed (Ramsland, 2 1, "Motives: Part 2," p. ReferencesGeringer, J. The dark side of Dr. S: The world's most prolific serial killer. To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug, nor give advice which may cause his death..." (The Hippocratic Oath, cited in Geringer, 2 , p. Based on thesesuspicions, Grundy's body was exhumed in order to conduct a post mortem sothat her tissue and hair samples could be obtained and analyzed (Ottley,2 1, "Angela Investigates," p. In this section, the significant events of his life, his methods ofkilling, his responses towards his victims and the unraveling of his crimeswill be presented and analyzed to provide an insider's glimpse into thelife and mind of a medical serial killer. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/18.htmOttley, T. The conflicted doubler: With both selves struggling for domination, this medical serial killer experiences feelings of guilt. Tucson: Galen.Kelleher, M., & Kelleher, C. Grundy's bodycontained high levels of morphine, indicating that her death occurred justthree hours after the administration of the dose. This scenewould be recreated in his numerous killings of elderly women ("Ottley,2 1, "Watching Vera Die," p. More than just the ability to charm their potential employers, medicalserial killers such as Swango was facilitated by the medical communityperpetrate his crimes because of institutional factors. While the motives for medical serial killers will most likely eludeinvestigators and specialists for years to come, what is clear is thatmedical serial killers will continue to harm innocent victims unless theyare stopped. If they had contacted the General Medical Council, thepolice would have known about Shipman's past drug abuse and forgery andconducted a more extensive investigation (Ottley, 2 1, "Cash for Ash," p.1). In spite of theirmeticulousness and care, these female medical serial killers often sabotagethemselves by bragging about their perpetration of the crimes. Michael Swango: Doctor of death. 1). The trial: Week two. According to DetectivePostles, Shipman's use of the drug morphine to kill his patients was one ofhis primary mistakes. For example, anotherprominent medical serial killer in recent decades, Dr. Michael Swango, wasable to work in seven different hospitals for two decades, even after hehad been convicted of poisoning his peers and accused of harming patientsby nurses and patients (Ramsland, 2 1, "Swango, The Experimenter," pp. Psychologists who analyzed Shipman sought to understand the reasonsunderlying Shipman's poor choice of a deadly drug to kill his patients andproduction of the incriminating typewriter. Callous behavior. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/12.htmOttley, T. Serial murderers and their victims. They experience excitement and thrill from watching the patients die and the responses of others to save them. Retrieved October 9, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminology/doctors/3.htmRamsland, K. Even though manynurses and patients provided accounts of Swango hurting patients at OhioState University, the head of the Neurosurgery and other physicians decidedto dismiss these claims after a minor investigation for fear of lawsuitsagainst them (Stewart, 1999). MEDICAL SERIAL KILLERS Introduction ...I will prescribe regimen for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone. Angels of death: The doctors. (1986). 1-4): . Their self-esteem and reason for existence are dependent on their feelings of superiority and perfection above all human beings. For example, during the 195 s, Dr. John Bodkin Adams, a doctor and a forger of prescriptions, killed possibly 4 elderly female patients. Most significantly, Shipman was usually attending the patients atthe time of their deaths (Ottley, 2 1, "A Diary of Death," p. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.Whittle, B. 1). in Ottley, 2 1, "Callous Behavior," p. 1) For many people, the realization of the existence of medical serialkillers is particularly frightening since they are under the HippocraticOath to heal their patients, not participate in their death. The Nazi doctors. In this case, the medical serial killer has erected a self that allowshim to kill without remorse even though he has a complete awareness of hisactions and command of behaviors of his original self. (2 1). Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/19.htmOttley, T. Some psychologists believedthat Shipman had wanted to be caught. Motives: Part 2. While Nazidoctors were at first coerced to play the killer roles by politicians,civilian medical doctors are under no such pressure. 1). Ramsland(2 1) provided a comprehensive discussion of the motives of medical serialkillers that will be supported by other sources ("Motives: Part 2," pp. His carelessness with clues was more a reflection ofhis sense of superiority, a belief that he would never be caught than hisdesire to be stopped (Ottley, 2 1, "Why," p. Instead, he showed his arrogance and contempt forthe police, displaying the typical trait of a serial killer who believedthat he was better than anyone else and could never be caught. Apart from the presentations of the investigators' findings, thetestimony of key witnesses such as Woodruff, and the confirmation of theforgery of Grundy's will, the testimony by other witnesses during his trialwould produce a disturbing image of Shipman who showed no empathy orremorse towards his victims. Retrieved October 2, 2 2, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial8/shipman/2.htmOttley, T. (2 1). (2 , December 23).
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