Plausibility of Kosminski

[lynn cates]

serial killing profile

Hello Tom.

"Serial killer profiling is a fad relic of the late 20th century"

Right you are. As also that bloody stupid "CSI" business (or whatever it is called).

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

vast numbers

Hello (again) Tom.

"But the fact that the 'key points' of the standard profile fit literally every suspect put forth, from D'Onston to Druitt to the Kozmeister, should tell us a thing or two."

Yes. Not to mention vast numbers of East End LVP males in general.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

shamans r us

Hello Michael.

"I think criminal profiling is as useful as psychiatric analysis and marriage counseling."

I entirely agree. I recall studying psychology in the 1980's. The big scandal (according to the text) was that the African tribal shaman enjoyed a success rate in treatment 1% above that experienced by trained psychotherapists.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

oracles

Hello Maria. Yes, those profiles are, when you get down to it, oracular.

Cheers.
LC

[Garry Wroe]

Having seen a number of posts relating to the killer’s psychopathology, I’ll here provide a brief outline of my own thinking on the issue.

To begin with, I do not consider Stride to have been a Ripper victim, so discount the Berner Street crime in order not to contaminate any evaluation of the series as a whole. Thus we have Nichols and Chapman, who were immobilized, killed and mutilated beneath the windows of occupied rooms; Eddowes was similarly despatched close to the normally vigilant George Morris; and finally Kelly, who was slain in a room containing broken windows (thereby allowing for the transmission of sound) in a court full of neighbouring residents. Not once did the killer lose control of a victim, and neither did any neighbour or passer-by discern anything of a crime until the offender had departed the scene.

Each of the victims was a low-risk individual, killed in the early hours whilst under the influence. Each was desperate for money, presumably exhausted, and thus less able to put up any meaningful resistance. It is also relatively certain that the killer engaged both Chapman and Eddowes in precrime conversation. Neither woman beat a hasty retreat or apparently suspected anything untoward.

These are not the behaviours or thought processes of a man in the throes of a serious psychotic illness. The decision to kill whilst the streets were largely deserted, the victim selection and control, as well as the unerring capacity to kill quickly, silently and undetected are the hallmarks of an offender in full control of his faculties. A schizophrenic might have got lucky once, twice at a stretch, but the notion of him committing four successive murders under what were increasingly difficult circumstances is so unlikely that it can be all but entirely discounted.

Again, it must be stressed that schizophrenia is a psychotic illness. The sufferer becomes detached from reality and thus lacks the capacity to exert the kind of planning and control that are clear components of the Ripper crimes. It has been suggested that a schizophrenic might have perpetrated these crimes whilst experiencing a lucid period. This, however, is unlikely. Had he killed during a period of relative mental stability, any relapse would have eroded all self-restraint, resulting in further killings, but of a more barbarous nature than had been the case hitherto.

In my experience, the crimes of the schizophrenic are easily distinguished from his psychopathic counterpart. More to the point, the psychotic serialist tends to be a paranoid schizophrenic who for years has exhibited a fixation with blood and a propensity towards violent outbursts. We see none of this in the case of Aaron Kosminski. In fact, the medical reports suggest that Kosminski was a hebephrenic rather than paranoid schizophrenic, and there is every indication that he was an essentially benign individual who had no history of violence or haematic preoccupation.

Much about this case is enigmatic. But of one thing we may be certain: Aaron Kosminski was not Jack the Ripper.

[Jonathan H]

Joseph who?

To Lynn

Yes, and as you say it may not be either.

But Macnaghten, arguably did think it was a sighting of Druitt and thus went to great lengths to bury it, in fact obliterate Lawende and his 'Jack the Seaman' sighting from existence.

The critical Ripper witness witness about whom, Macnaghten must have been very aware of, up close and personal, in 1891 and 1895.

[Garry Wroe]

You make a really good point about how come other police did not know about this and that.

To my mind Jonathan, it's pivotal. If there was no concensus amongst the senior officials, there could have been no compelling case against any of the 'suspects'.

[Garry Wroe]

Please accept my apology. I shouldn't have made such assumptions or come off as rudely as I did.

No problem, Rob. Please see above for my own thinking on the case.

[Jonathan H]

To Garry

Oh, I agree.

But then why do you think that Anderson and/or Swanson thought [presumably] Aaron Kosmisnki was the Ripper.

In fact strongly believed this to be the case.

There are a number of interpretations possible, and I have my own. I am just asking what you think the most likely explanation.

[mariab]

Hello Lynn.
I'm glad we agree. I'll email you about research tomorrow-ish, when I get done with a couple conferences. I'm in Lille, finishing up with another conference (on the creative process) presently.

[GregBaron]

Some fine posts...

To begin with, I do not consider Stride to have been a Ripper victim, so discount the Berner Street crime in order not to contaminate any evaluation of the series as a whole. Thus we have Nichols and Chapman, who were immobilized, killed and mutilated beneath the windows of occupied rooms; Eddowes was similarly despatched close to the normally vigilant George Morris; and finally Kelly, who was slain in a room containing broken windows (thereby allowing for the transmission of sound) in a court full of neighbouring residents. Not once did the killer lose control of a victim, and neither did any neighbour or passer-by discern anything of a crime until the offender had departed the scene.

Each of the victims was a low-risk individual, killed in the early hours whilst under the influence. Each was desperate for money, presumably exhausted, and thus less able to put up any meaningful resistance. It is also relatively certain that the killer engaged both Chapman and Eddowes in precrime conversation. Neither woman beat a hasty retreat or apparently suspected anything untoward.

These are not the behaviours or thought processes of a man in the throes of a serious psychotic illness. The decision to kill whilst the streets were largely deserted, the victim selection and control, as well as the unerring capacity to kill quickly, silently and undetected are the hallmarks of an offender in full control of his faculties. A schizophrenic might have got lucky once, twice at a stretch, but the notion of him committing four successive murders under what were increasingly difficult circumstances is so unlikely that it can be all but entirely discounted.

Again, it must be stressed that schizophrenia is a psychotic illness. The sufferer becomes detached from reality and thus lacks the capacity to exert the kind of planning and control that are clear components of the Ripper crimes. It has been suggested that a schizophrenic might have perpetrated these crimes whilst experiencing a lucid period. This, however, is unlikely. Had he killed during a period of relative mental stability, any relapse would have eroded all self-restraint, resulting in further killings, but of a more barbarous nature than had been the case hitherto.

In my experience, the crimes of the schizophrenic are easily distinguished from his psychopathic counterpart. More to the point, the psychotic serialist tends to be a paranoid schizophrenic who for years has exhibited a fixation with blood and a propensity towards violent outbursts. We see none of this in the case of Aaron Kosminski. In fact, the medical reports suggest that Kosminski was a hebephrenic rather than paranoid schizophrenic, and there is every indication that he was an essentially benign individual who had no history of violence or haematic preoccupation.

Much about this case is enigmatic. But of one thing we may be certain: Aaron Kosminski was not Jack the Ripper.

Excellent post Garry. I'm sure many people here agree with you. I'd also add that cops, vigilantes and most of Whitechapel were looking for him - including the door to door searches - and he managed to avoid detection there as well.

"Serial killer profiling is a fad relic of the late 20th century"

Right you are. As also that bloody stupid "CSI" business (or whatever it is called).

Hi Tom and Lynn,

I wouldn't throw profiling to the curb. It's a tool, perhaps not that effective of one - especially with serial killers - but it will improve and just be part of a modern arsenal. Human behavior is certainly difficult to predict.

Lynn, if you're talking about buxom blondes riding up in pink sports cars accompanied by blaring rock music to save the day on television, yes CSI is absurd. Real life CSI, however, puts people behind bars every day, albeit "with some difficulty" concerning serials...


Greg

[lynn cates]

Kos

Hello Garry.

"Much about this case is enigmatic. But of one thing we may be certain: Aaron Kosminski was not Jack the Ripper."

Well, I can't disagree there.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

subterfuge

Hello Jonathan.

"But Macnaghten, arguably did think it was a sighting of Druitt and thus went to great lengths to bury it, in fact obliterate Lawende and his 'Jack the Seaman' sighting from existence."

Quite possibly so. And I can certainly agree about Mac's subterfuge as well.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

thanks

Hello Maria. Thanks.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

that's it!

Hello Greg.

"Lynn, if you're talking about buxom blondes riding up in pink sports cars accompanied by blaring rock music to save the day on television, yes CSI is absurd."

That's the one.

Cheers.
LC