Jeffrey Dahmer : biography
Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (May 21, 1960 – November 28, 1994) was an American serial killer and sex offender, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal who committed the rape, murder and dismemberment of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991, with many of his later murders also involving necrophilia and cannibalism. Dahmer was convicted of 15 of these murders on February 15, 1992 and sentenced to 15 terms of life imprisonment.[Murder In Mind issue 5. ISSN 1364-5803 p. 32]
On November 28, 1994, Dahmer was beaten to death by a fellow inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution, where he had been incarcerated.
Trial
Dahmer was indicted on 17 murder charges, later reduced to 15. Dahmer was not charged in the attempted murder of Edwards. His trial began on January 30, 1992. With evidence overwhelmingly against him, Dahmer pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial lasted two weeks. The court found Dahmer sane and guilty on 15 counts of murder and sentenced him to 15 life terms,, TIME Magazine, May 18, 1992 totaling 957 years in prison, which was the maximum penalty available as Wisconsin abolished capital punishment in 1853. At his sentencing hearing, Dahmer expressed remorse for his actions, and said that he wished for his own death. In May of that year, Dahmer was extradited to Ohio, where he entered a plea of guilty for the murder of his first victim, Stephen Hicks.
Media portrayals
- In 1992, Hart Fisher published a comic book titled Jeffery Dahmer: An Unauthorized Biography Of A Serial Killer. Collector’s Item Issue, which the Milwaukee Sentinel described as "lurid and error-ridden." The publication sparked protests both in MilwaukeeJohnson-Elie, Tannette. "Dahmer comic book in demand in city" Milwaukee Sentinel May 14, 1992; pp. 1, 13A. and in Fisher’s home town of Champaign, Illinois.Williams, Celeste. "Comic book on Dahmer sparks protests" Milwaukee Journal June 14, 1992. Dahmer’s victims’ relatives filed a lawsuit against Fisher (sometimes called "Fischer" in press reports) and his Boneyard Press for exploiting their loved ones’ names and likenesses for profit without compensation,Read, Ben. "Victim’s kin file suit over Dahmer’s comic." Milwaukee Sentinel August 6, 1992. but a court eventually ruled that since the victims were dead at the time of publication, "name or likeness" laws were not applicable.Sheard, Chester and Cole, Jeff. "Comic book lawsuit dismissed: Court rules Dahmer-based cartoon won’t infringe on victims’rights" Milwaukee Journal August 20, 1994. In the wake of the lawsuit, Fisher eventually published sequels The Further Adventures of Young Jeffy Dahmer, Dahmer’s Zombie Squad and Jeffrey Dahmer vs. Jesus Christ.. Hart later discussed the controversy and confronted several family members of Dahmer’s victims during two lively appearances on both The Jerry Springer Show and Sally Jesse Raphael.
- The film Jeffrey Dahmer: The Secret Life was released in 1993, starring Carl Crew as Dahmer.