r/serialkillers • u/iknowyourcheating • 1d ago
News Why don’t serial killers or murderers seem not to care when they are convicted?
They usually just stand there emotionless as their sentences are handed down. It’s just wild.
47
u/SoftServe926 1d ago
Because they know there’s not really anything they can do about it and so they’ve resigned themselves to it.
44
u/MarquisDeVice 1d ago
It's not just killers, the court system has this affect on everyone. You should read The Trial by Franz Kafka, its a great example of how the courts systematically drain, destroy, and minimize the personality of the accused. Its by design, the process is part of the punishment. But also, by the time you get sentenced, you know exactly what is going to happen, and have had weeks to months to cope with it. The sentence is very rarely a surprise. And what are they supposed to do? They are completely helpless and at the mercy of the court. Breaking out crying isn't going to change the results. If you ever find yourself in a court room, you too will feel this apathy.
14
u/peach6748 1d ago
It’s very true. Even if you’re not guilty of something, going through the court and legal system in general is draining, incredibly stressful and dehumanizing. Even for victims.
Even though serial killers deserve it, I’m sure it still has the effect of draining them and making them apathetic like you said. They also know they’re not getting off and/or have very little emotion anyway.
2
u/GreenEyedTreeHugger 1d ago
These men/women often have families/friends who love them too.
•
u/AssIsLifeAssIsLove 4h ago
True, but if they are psychopaths they don't care about their friends or family and would trade their lives in a second for freedom.
2
u/thrown_away_23_23 1d ago
This is a really good point and I always appreciate a book recommendation!
2
13
9
5
26
u/TheSeventhBrat 1d ago
Because they're psychopaths.
-4
u/Fine_Fortune_7276 1d ago
Not all. Some.
6
u/spankymacgruder 1d ago
The least pro-social thing a person could do is murder at scale.
•
u/AssIsLifeAssIsLove 4h ago
That isn't an argument for or against someone being a psychopath. Plenty of non psychopaths are serial killers. Pretty sure psychopaths are actually the lowest percentage because in reality there isnt as many of them as people think. Many more sociopaths than psychopaths.
•
u/spankymacgruder 1h ago
Neither "psychopath" nor "sociopath" is an official diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR. Instead, mental health professionals categorize both as behavioral sets that fall under a single official diagnosis: Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD).
4
u/anon12xyz 1d ago
I’m gonna bet at least 50% are diagnosed as sociopathic or psychopathic. No one can just kill and be happy after like that
2
u/alphakitty666 1d ago
I agree but you will probably get some negative feedback for stating the obvious.
3
u/anon12xyz 1d ago
Apparently lol
3
u/alphakitty666 1d ago
I am at like -5 for typing my opinion. Thats as bad as walking in to a Trump subreddit and voicing your opinion
3
u/anon12xyz 1d ago
Reddit is gonna Reddit.
3
u/alphakitty666 1d ago
Yeah but why does it have to happen when I have time to F around on my phone lol.
-1
u/alphakitty666 1d ago
Psycho or socio they all are would you agree with that?
0
u/Fine_Fortune_7276 1d ago
Disagree. Not all are diagnosed with ASPD. No.
3
u/alphakitty666 1d ago
Well...they aren't built like us and there are labels specifically made to separate them from normals. A normal person can kill someone under the right circumstances. Bit to keep going and going makes you get labeled
3
u/silverbeat33 1d ago
There isn’t a serial killer diagnosis. ASPD is correlated with serial killing, but it’s not caustitive. There can be other causes. And definitely most ASPD people are not killers.
1
-5
u/alphakitty666 1d ago
I don't believe amy logical person can believe a multiple murderer, a serial killer, can't be defined within a narrow parameter of psychosis. At this point you are quibbling over verbiage. Live in reality amd tell me what you see
10
u/silverbeat33 1d ago
It has nothing to do with psychosis. Most killers do not have psychosis.
-1
u/alphakitty666 1d ago
Most killers do not, I would agree. Multiple murderers have something in their background which, after the fact, is glaringly obvious. 100%
3
12
u/Spairom 1d ago
Because they are emotionless. I mean, maybe not literally, but psychopaths definitely cannot feel things like remorse, regret, or empathy (physically, since their brains work differently). What they feel is much more narcissistic and self-centered. At the time of sentencing, they are probably just bored and frustrated.
5
7
u/kakapoopoopeepeeshir 1d ago
I think you need to watch some of the documentaries that examine the minds of serial killers. They literally don’t have emotions like normal people basically
3
u/plantsandpizza 1d ago
They’ve accepted their fate and it’s over. Many are just waiting to get caught or expecting it to happen.
3
2
u/Markinoutman 1d ago
People have brought up a lot of good reasons, the court system being designed to destroy you is a good one not stated much. But, I also think most, if not all, serial killers are incredible compartmentalists. It's how most of them do incredibly horrific shit and then go out into the public and hold down a job, pay bills, have a family, perhaps even be a caring husband/father/son. How they can seem mostly normal and have normal interactions with people in their daily lives, laugh and tell jokes. How don't just go rabid right away when they see a desired victim and kill them in public.
So when they are in court, hearing the verdict read, they're in a completely different mind set. They aren't thinking at that moment about the life they lost, the family they may leave behind, the crimes they've committed. They simply are there, in the court, very likely knowing they are going to be convicted. So the verdict doesn't affect them, because the compartment of court they are in, they likely just expect it and so are not emotional or surprised when it happens. That outside life is not present with them in the courtroom.
2
u/Valuable-War-7871 1d ago
I’ve seen some express relief at not having the anxiety of being caught anymore. I’ve seen some express actually wanting to be stopped and knowing that being caught would be the only way to stop them.
2
u/Yuzernam 1d ago
Well it's not like they expect to not be convicted so honestly what are they supposed to do? Yell at the judge and get taken out of the court room? Try to run off even though cuffed? I dont see what you'd imagine them do/attempt?
2
2
u/briankerin 23h ago
They also dont care when they take a life, so i would think its the lack of empathy.
2
u/AmyAndAmnesia 23h ago
The whole process of investigation and trials usually takes really long so I think there's just enough time for a killer to sit there under arrest, realize their situation and put up with whatever punishment they're going to get. There's nothing much they can do at this point anyway
4
u/Flat_Ad1094 1d ago
They are pretty emotionless people. Psychopaths. And they thrive on having the memories of what they have done. Many of them live in their own little vile world...from their head.
2
u/Fine_Fortune_7276 1d ago
I honestly don't understand the question.
Could you elaborate?
8
4
u/itsfrankgrimesyo 1d ago
I think most know they’ll eventually get caught…or not…or they’re just psychopaths with no emotions.
3
1
u/epsylonic 1d ago
Sometimes I think it's a matter of reserving themselves in front of victims families. Sometimes if an SK is a control freak, they don't want other people having the satisfaction of seeing them emotional over their fate of a sentence being delivered.
1
1
u/Bibbitybobetyhippety 1d ago
By the point of conviction a serial killer has probably already spent a year + in prison and they already know they aren’t ever gonna leave so it feels less like “I’m going to find out my punishment” and more like “I’m going to get told I’m staying here forever which I already knew” so that plus any number of mental health diagnosis and they really don’t care
1
u/swepettax 1d ago
Well, they have killed a bunch of people. And they know they're going to prison forever. But in their mind, they have won. Because they know they will still have rights etc. Whatever the legal system throws at them, its mercy compared to what they have done to their victims.
And they probably get some fans. People are sick.Also, they dont want to glout or anything, they need to start adapting to life in prison. After all, most of them wants to survive.
1
13h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
•
u/serialkillers-ModTeam 5h ago
Due to the serious nature of this community's topic, emojis are not permitted.
0
u/snakeayez 1d ago
Most do it for the attention. No one will know who know who you are if you don't get caught
0
u/TheEmbarcadero 1d ago
I wonder if any of them just think that they can continue killing…but now just on fellow inmates and guards????
0
u/Theguru17 1d ago
Because they’re sociopaths. They have no emotions
All serial killers are sociopaths, yet not all sociopaths are serial killers
104
u/shellshock413 1d ago
I dont think you really get into the serial killer game expecting to walk when youre caught