Ripperoo: Gilles de Rais and Locusta

[DVV]

Hi all,
Just to point out two minor inaccuracies I found reading an article from Ripperoo, reproduced here (dissertations: A summarized history of forensic science):
1- about Gilles de Rais: "he was strangled to death and burned by the church after a trial"
No, he has been hanged, and then burned; and there was 2 trials: one by the church, then a "civilian" trial (sorry again for broken English) sentenced him to death (the judge being Jean de Malestroit if my memory is correct)

2- about Locusta in ancient Rome: "strangled to death and burned by the church after a trial in 69 ad"
Of course not: that occured at the time of the (pagan) Emperor Galba, and the Church was then a mere group of parias.
Perhaps one of these mistakes comes from retyping for casebook.

[sdreid]

Hi DVV,

As I recall, Locusta was first raped by a trained giraffe in an arena and then she was torn apart by wild beasts.

[DVV]

Hi,
and thanks for this. Obviously a pagan sentence, so! (I was just checking Suetone, but found no reference to her in Galba's chapter).

Amitiés,
David

[sdreid]

Hi David,

That's the account in Newton's Encyclopedia of Serial Killers - first edition. The second edition has a much more abbreviated entry about her.

[George Hutchinson]

The second edition has a much more abbreviated entry about her.

'Locusta : Giraffe-f***er'

PHILIP

[Sam Flynn]

As I recall, Locusta was first raped by a trained giraffe

...and died of oxygen deprivation whilst trying to give him a love-bite.

[Suzi]

Blimey!!! what an image!!...I'm tantalised by the phrase 'trained' giraffe!!! Now there's a job description for the passport!!!