Stephen H. Kessler
| Stephen H. Kessler | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Stephen H. Kessler 1935 (age 80–81) |
| Criminal charge | Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Committed |
| Motive | Insanity |
| Conviction(s) | not guilty by reason of insanity |
Stephen H. Kessler is a person who was known as the "LSD Killer".
Education
He attended Harvard College and graduated class of '57,[1] and was enrolled in Downstate Medical School in 1964, but was asked to leave because of his unstable behaviour.[2]
Trial
He was arrested in April 1966[3] and tried for murder in October, having apparently stabbed his mother-in-law 105 times. Headlines trumpeted him as a "Mad LSD Slayer" and "LSD Killer", based on a statement made during his arrest that he had been "flying for three days on LSD".[4] His LSD usage, a month prior,[5] was not mentioned during the trial proceedings. His drug use was revealed as having been "one-and-a-half grains of phenobarbital" and "three quarts of lab alcohol".[6][7]
Psychiatrists testified that he actually suffered from chronic paranoid schizophrenia and he was found not guilty by reason of insanity.[8]
He was later committed to Bellevue Hospital for mental tests.
References
- ↑ Stevens, Jay (1988). Storming heaven : LSD and the American dream (1st Perennial Library ed.). New York: Perennial Library. ISBN 0-06-097172-X.
- ↑ "Trials: Two States of Mind". Time Magazine. November 3, 1967. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- ↑ "NY Man 'Flying On LSD' Kills Mother-in-Law". The Daily Republic. Mitchell, South Dakota. 12 Apr 1966. p. 2. Retrieved 12 September 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "A Slaying Suspect Tells of LSD Spree: Medical Student Charged in Mother-in-Law's Death". New York Times. 12 April 1966. p. 1.(subscription required)
- ↑ Stafford, Peter; technical editor, Jeremy Bigwood ; [foreword by Andrew Weil ; introduction by Dan Joy] (1992). Psychedelics encyclopedia (3rd expanded ed.). Berkeley, CA: Ronin Pub. p. 62. ISBN 0914171518.
- ↑ Grinspoon, Lester; Bakalar, James B. (1998). Psychedelic drugs reconsidered (2nd print ed.). New York: Lindesmith Center. p. 173. ISBN 0964156857.
- ↑ Stafford, Peter; technical editor: Jeremy Bigwood; foreword by Andrew Weil; introduction by Dan Joy (1992). "The LSD Family". Psychedelics encyclopedia (3rd expanded ed.). Berkeley, CA: Ronin Pub. p. 62. ISBN 0914171518.
- ↑ ANDERSON, F. DAVID (October 26, 1967). "Jury Acquits Kessler in LSD Murder". New York Times. p. 57. Retrieved 17 December 2012.(subscription required)
External links
- ANDERSON, F. DAVID (October 10, 1967). "MURDER SUSPECT TELLS OF LSD USE; He Says He Can't Recall if He Killed Mother-in-Law". New York Times. p. 37. Retrieved 17 December 2012. (subscription required (help)).
- "Jury Told Kessler Took an LSD Cube Before the Slaying". New York Times. October 12, 1967. Retrieved 17 December 2012. (subscription required (help)).
- "1967 Press Photo Stephen H. Kessler found not guilty by reason of insanity". Historic Images. Retrieved 12 September 2016.