# BTK Killer Confesses in Court. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 28, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135 "2005-06-28T02:22:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/61 "2005-06-29T15:05:48Z")
> [@Q.N. Jones](#): > > I just loved how Rader is whining in the press about how his wife is divorcing him. Hey, he should be happy to be a free man—the Brides of the Serial-Killers are already lined up to date him, I’m sure. (I think the Mendendii have been married three or four times each by now) ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/62 "2005-06-29T15:08:41Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Hey, he should be happy to be a free man—the Brides of the Serial-Killers are already lined up to date him, I’m sure. (I think the Mendendii have been married three or four times each by now) He probably just hasn’t realized this yet. Although he is not as cute as the Menendezeseses or a Ted Bundy, you’re right–he will likely have a decent number of willing nutters going after him. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/63 "2005-06-29T15:17:24Z")
> [@Q.N. Jones](#): > > He probably just hasn’t realized this yet. Although he is not as cute as the Menendezeseses or a Ted Bundy, you’re right–he will likely have a decent number of willing nutters going after him. We both had it wrong—the plural of Menendez is “Menendi.” There was actually a trashy TV show on this weekend about “Crazy Women With No Self-Esteem Who Marry Jailhouse Romeos.” “Oh, Billy-Jim-Jack is a _whole diff’ernt person_ than he was when he ax-murdered those 28 orphans and their kittens!” ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/64 "2005-06-29T15:22:55Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > “Oh, Billy-Jim-Jack is a _whole diff’ernt person_ than he was when he ax-murdered those 28 orphans and their kittens!” “An’ actually, I don’t believe he really did do those things. He got the kindest eyes, and he writes me the nicest letters. He got the soul of a poet–he could never hurt no one!” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/65 "2005-06-30T12:05:29Z")
> [@Q.N. Jones](#): > > “An’ actually, I don’t believe he really did do those things. He got the kindest eyes, and he writes me the nicest letters. He got the soul of a poet–he could never hurt no one!” I actually heard something similar on Montel. The man was in prison as a confessed serial killer of 7 people, and his bride kept saying “He’s innocent because I know he didn’t do it.” Some serial killer act compulsively, and compulsions can go away. Ever have a complusion to eat a certain type of food for days or even weeks on end, and just get sick of it? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/66 "2005-06-30T12:19:14Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Ever have a complusion to eat a certain type of food for days or even weeks on end, and just get sick of it? Somehow I don’t think Hannibal Lecter gets tired of liver. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/67 "2005-06-30T12:28:41Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Somehow I don’t think Hannibal Lecter gets tired of liver. 🙂 Oh, even Hannibal Lecter liked to change it up. When he got tired of liver, he switched to sweetbreads. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/68 "2005-06-30T12:34:05Z")
> [@Q.N. Jones](#): > > he switched to sweetbreads. Then allow me to rephrase my SAR. Somehow I don’t think Hannibal Lecter ever became tired of Long Pig. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/69 "2005-06-30T12:36:27Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Some serial killer act compulsively, and compulsions can go away. According to the experts (profilers), this doesn’t happen. (See the books of John Douglas and Roy Hazelwood.) Maybe once in a blue moon, I’ll give you that. If the killers reach old age without getting caught, sometimes they stop because they can’t physically control victims anymore, but not because they don’t have those same desires. But what is motivating these women to start corresponding with killers in the first place? Why are they so sure, with so little evidence, that their guy is the rare exception to the rule? And then bet their futures on that, despite the astronomical odds? Sorry, that still sounds majorly fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/70 "2005-06-30T13:12:33Z")
> [@Q.N. Jones](#): > > But what is motivating these women to start corresponding with killers in the first place? The profiler Thomas Harris studied for Red Dragon studied how killers will “turn” a woman to participate in murders. I believe Karla Homolka is an example. I’ve wondered if that was the basis for Clarice Starling in _Hannibal_ and women becoming fascinated with serial killers in reality. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/71 "2005-06-30T13:52:15Z")
> [@Q.N. Jones](#): > > But what is motivating these women to start corresponding with killers in the first place? Why are they so sure, with so little evidence, that their guy is the rare exception to the rule? And then bet their futures on that, despite the astronomical odds? Sorry, that still sounds majorly fucked up. “Majorly fucked up” pretty much sums it up. According to the TV show I saw (interviews with fucked-up women and the prisoners they love, and with psychiatrists), it pretty much boils down to “absolutely no self-esteem” and “great whacking gobs of denial.” ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/72 "2005-06-30T14:40:42Z")
The serial groupies are nuts but what really chaps my hide are the Christian types spouting about “forgiveness”. Nice respect for the victims jackasses! What’s that you say? He should serve his sentence? Ah, so you’re a hypocrite too! Impressive! Meanwhile Rader is keeping up on his bible study every morning. Good thing too because I think he jumped a few chapters in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/73 "2005-06-30T14:45:20Z")
> [@Pedro](#): > > The serial groupies are nuts but what really chaps my hide are the Christian types spouting about “forgiveness”. Nice respect for the victims jackasses! Could you clarify? What exactly are the Christian types “spouting” that is disrespectful to the victims? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/74 "2005-06-30T14:47:39Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s that you say? He should serve his sentence? Ah, so you’re a hypocrite too! Impressive! Why? Yes, he should be forgiven. he did a terrible thing, and did it in a way that wrongs the entire nation, not just his victim. And he should accept his punishment. No mortal is beyond saving, although I admit I don’t see many serial killers repenting. ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/75 "2005-06-30T14:50:31Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > I don’t know why, but I find this stuff oddly fascinating. I say keep him alive and study him. Pure sociopaths have got to make for an interesting case study. Even better, let’s test out drugs and chemicals on him instead of using innocent animals. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/76 "2005-06-30T15:00:19Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Could you clarify? What exactly are the Christian types “spouting” that is disrespectful to the victims? That he deserves forgiveness of course. **smiling bandit** I’m not going down that road because it’s pointless. I’ll just say that I can neither agree nor respect your views on this. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/77 "2005-06-30T15:04:57Z")
> [@Pedro](#): > > That he deserves forgiveness of course. Are they saying that he _should_ be forgiven or that he _deserves_ forgiveness (i.e., that forgiveness is owed to him)? ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/78 "2005-06-30T15:08:12Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > Even better, let’s test out drugs and chemicals on him instead of using innocent animals. I think this is an absolutely disgusting sentiment and that such actions would be about as moral as Dennis Rader’s crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/79 "2005-06-30T15:09:33Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Are they saying that he should be forgiven or that he deserves forgiveness (i.e., that forgiveness is owed to him)? I’m not sure. Whichever the bible says. What’s the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135/80 "2005-06-30T15:15:49Z")
> [@Pedro](#): > > I’m not sure. How can you not be sure? You said that the Christian groups spouting about forgiveness were chapping your hide. Surely, you’ve actually heard specific instances of this? And if you’re going to call them hypocrites over it, I assume you actually listened to what they were saying so you could understand their position well enough to know that they’re not living up to it. > [@Pedro](#): > > What’s the difference? To say that someone deserves forgiveness implies that they’ve earned it; that it’s owned to them. Saying that they should be forgiven doesn’t make this implication: I can think someone should be forgiven–because forgiveness is good on its own merits–even if they don’t deserve it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/btk-killer-confesses-in-court/310135.md?page=5)