John Wayne Gacy’s childhood was rough. Young boys usually look up to their fathers, and Gacy’s father was no role model. He was an alcoholic who beat Gacy on a regular basis. Gacy even had to watch as his father beat his mother. Gacy’s beatings were so brutal that he was in the hospital regularly from suffering from blackouts from seizures. This medical condition was never diagnosed, so his father always accused Gacy of faking his illness, even when he was lying helpless on his hospital bed. Gacy was also bullied in school because he was overweight due to a heart condition.
When Gacy grew up and began being charged with assault, there were many cases where he was examined for psychological problems. On September 3rd, Gacy was ordered to have a psychiatric evaluation where he was examined for seventeen days. The doctors concluded that Gacy had antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), and that treatment was unlikely to help. They said that Gacy would most likely struggle and his behavior would ultimately bring him to repeated conflict.
In the year before Gacy’s final trial, Gacy spent over 300 hours undergoing psychological tests at the Menard Correctional Center to determine whether he was mentally competent to stand trial. Gacy attempted to convince the doctors that he had a multiple personality disorder. His lawyers went to trial to plead not guilty for Gacy’s charges because of his multiple personality disorder, and had other doctors from Gacy’s past come in to testify that Gacy was a “paranoid schizophrenic” who suffered from a multiple personality disorder. After Gacy’s execution, his brain was removed and examined by Dr. Helen Morrison, who had interviewed Gacy and several other serial killers to try and find common personality traits of these violent killers. An examination of Gacy’s brain, however, showed no abnormalities.
When Gacy grew up and began being charged with assault, there were many cases where he was examined for psychological problems. On September 3rd, Gacy was ordered to have a psychiatric evaluation where he was examined for seventeen days. The doctors concluded that Gacy had antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), and that treatment was unlikely to help. They said that Gacy would most likely struggle and his behavior would ultimately bring him to repeated conflict.
In the year before Gacy’s final trial, Gacy spent over 300 hours undergoing psychological tests at the Menard Correctional Center to determine whether he was mentally competent to stand trial. Gacy attempted to convince the doctors that he had a multiple personality disorder. His lawyers went to trial to plead not guilty for Gacy’s charges because of his multiple personality disorder, and had other doctors from Gacy’s past come in to testify that Gacy was a “paranoid schizophrenic” who suffered from a multiple personality disorder. After Gacy’s execution, his brain was removed and examined by Dr. Helen Morrison, who had interviewed Gacy and several other serial killers to try and find common personality traits of these violent killers. An examination of Gacy’s brain, however, showed no abnormalities.
"John Wayne Gacy." Wikipedia. N.p., 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne_Gacy>.