Criminal Poisoning: Investigational Guide for Law Enforcement, Toxicologists, Forensic Scientists, and Attorneys by John H. Trestrail Page A
Authors: John H. Trestrail
Ads: Link
46%. This indicates that there is a slightly greater chance of males having multiple victims, but it might not be a significant difference between the genders ( see Fig. 3-11 ).
As can be seen from this chapter’s discussion of the poisoner, much more needs to be determined about this type of criminal offender. Remember, one can be a famous poisoner or a successful poisoner, but not both! To be able to lift the veil of secrecy that surrounds poisoners, it will take a concentrated and coordinated effort on an international scale to examine commonalities and possible cultural differences in the use of poison as a weapon for murder.
3.12. REFERENCES
American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 4th ed., Text Revision. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, 2000, 714–717.
Douglas JE, Burgess AW, Burgess AG, et al: Crime Classification Manual . Lexington Books, New York, 1992.
Glaister J: The Power of Poison . William Morrow, New York, 1954, pp. 153–182.
Hubbard FM: http://en.thinkexist.com/quotations/when_you_consider_what_a_
chance...)
Rowland J: Poisoner in the Dock. Arco Publications, London, 1960, pp. 230–237.
Schonberg H: New York Times , October 8, 1972.
62
Criminal Poisoning
3.13. SUGGESTED READING
Kelleher MD, Kelleher CL: Murder Most Rare: The Female Serial Killer. Praeger, Westport, CT, 1998.
Pollack O: The Criminality of Women . Greenwood Press Publishers, Westport, CT, 1978.
Sparrow G: Women Who Murder: Crimes and the Feminine Logic Behind Them. Abelard-Schuman, New York, 1970.
Thorwald J: Proof of Poison. Thames and Hudson, London, 1966.
Victims
63
Chapter 4
Victims
“Most signs and symptoms associated with natural disease can be produced by some poison, and practically every sign and symptom observed in poisoning can be mimicked by those associated with natural diseases.”
—L. Adelson
Most often the victim of poisoning will appear rather natural in death. In effect, poisoning is murder in slow motion, because it may take a long period of time, depending on the dose and the poison that has been selected as the weapon. Two major factors that determine lethality of a substance are (1) concentration and (2) duration of exposure.
4.1. WHO GETS POISONED?
Poisoning murders can be classified into a number of groupings, depending on the motive for homicide. There can be a suicidally motivated parent who wishes to take the children with him or her. A good example of this type of killing is the case of Johanna Maria Magdalena (“Magda”) Goebbels and her husband, Joseph (Third Reich propaganda minister), who, in 1945, used cyanide to murder their six children in Hitler’s Berlin bunker, as the Allied forces approached and the end of the Third Reich was near. Another example is the case of the parents at “Jonestown,” Guyana who participated in the mass suicide there.
Another type of poisoning death is an unintentional homicidal poisoning (manslaughter). This type of poisoning might result from an accidental drug overdose, as in the death of comedian John Belushi. Another interesting incident is the 1954 British case of Arthur Ford, who in his wish to sexually arouse two of his female office coworkers accidentally killed them with his use of cantharides (Spanish Fly).
From: Forensic Science and Medicine: Criminal Poisoning, Second Edition By: J. H. Trestrail, III © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ
63
64
Criminal Poisoning
A death may also result from administration of a harmful substance to a child in order to stop what is deemed improper behavior (e.g., bed wetting, nail biting, or not following parental instructions). Several manslaughter deaths from the administration of powdered black pepper ( Piper negrum ) have been documented, and in one case this administration resulted in the aspiration death of a child (Cohle, Trestrail, Craham, et al, 1988).
One of the more discussed abnormal psychological conditions is what has
As can be seen from this chapter’s discussion of the poisoner, much more needs to be determined about this type of criminal offender. Remember, one can be a famous poisoner or a successful poisoner, but not both! To be able to lift the veil of secrecy that surrounds poisoners, it will take a concentrated and coordinated effort on an international scale to examine commonalities and possible cultural differences in the use of poison as a weapon for murder.
3.12. REFERENCES
American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 4th ed., Text Revision. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, 2000, 714–717.
Douglas JE, Burgess AW, Burgess AG, et al: Crime Classification Manual . Lexington Books, New York, 1992.
Glaister J: The Power of Poison . William Morrow, New York, 1954, pp. 153–182.
Hubbard FM: http://en.thinkexist.com/quotations/when_you_consider_what_a_
chance...)
Rowland J: Poisoner in the Dock. Arco Publications, London, 1960, pp. 230–237.
Schonberg H: New York Times , October 8, 1972.
62
Criminal Poisoning
3.13. SUGGESTED READING
Kelleher MD, Kelleher CL: Murder Most Rare: The Female Serial Killer. Praeger, Westport, CT, 1998.
Pollack O: The Criminality of Women . Greenwood Press Publishers, Westport, CT, 1978.
Sparrow G: Women Who Murder: Crimes and the Feminine Logic Behind Them. Abelard-Schuman, New York, 1970.
Thorwald J: Proof of Poison. Thames and Hudson, London, 1966.
Victims
63
Chapter 4
Victims
“Most signs and symptoms associated with natural disease can be produced by some poison, and practically every sign and symptom observed in poisoning can be mimicked by those associated with natural diseases.”
—L. Adelson
Most often the victim of poisoning will appear rather natural in death. In effect, poisoning is murder in slow motion, because it may take a long period of time, depending on the dose and the poison that has been selected as the weapon. Two major factors that determine lethality of a substance are (1) concentration and (2) duration of exposure.
4.1. WHO GETS POISONED?
Poisoning murders can be classified into a number of groupings, depending on the motive for homicide. There can be a suicidally motivated parent who wishes to take the children with him or her. A good example of this type of killing is the case of Johanna Maria Magdalena (“Magda”) Goebbels and her husband, Joseph (Third Reich propaganda minister), who, in 1945, used cyanide to murder their six children in Hitler’s Berlin bunker, as the Allied forces approached and the end of the Third Reich was near. Another example is the case of the parents at “Jonestown,” Guyana who participated in the mass suicide there.
Another type of poisoning death is an unintentional homicidal poisoning (manslaughter). This type of poisoning might result from an accidental drug overdose, as in the death of comedian John Belushi. Another interesting incident is the 1954 British case of Arthur Ford, who in his wish to sexually arouse two of his female office coworkers accidentally killed them with his use of cantharides (Spanish Fly).
From: Forensic Science and Medicine: Criminal Poisoning, Second Edition By: J. H. Trestrail, III © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ
63
64
Criminal Poisoning
A death may also result from administration of a harmful substance to a child in order to stop what is deemed improper behavior (e.g., bed wetting, nail biting, or not following parental instructions). Several manslaughter deaths from the administration of powdered black pepper ( Piper negrum ) have been documented, and in one case this administration resulted in the aspiration death of a child (Cohle, Trestrail, Craham, et al, 1988).
One of the more discussed abnormal psychological conditions is what has
Similar Books
