Literature of the Macabre, Public Speaking, and Debate
Ms. Jenner
True Crime
Edgar Allan Poe was, on at least a couple of occasions, inspired by real life crime. Now you will
take the stage in a courtroom for the trial of the century! Create an opening statement for
either the prosecution or the defense. In this opening statement, at the very least, you must hit
on the following points:
Describe the defendant. Who is he/she? What are the personality traits and personal
background that suggest innocence or guilt? (Be sure to the information that supports
your case.)
Describe the victim/s. (If there are many victims, focus on a couple or their shared
characteristics.)
Suggest a motive or lack thereof: What was the possible motivation for committing the
crime? Was the defendant sane? Was the defendant under the influence of drugs,
alcohol, or other controlled substances?
Below is a list of infamous killers. Be sure to have your true crime approved, as you will need a
wealth of credible sources to gain information for your opening statement.
David Berkowitz aka “Son of Sam”: Killed six people in New York City in the 1970s
Lizzie Borden: Killed her parents with an axe
Ted Bundy: Confessed to over 30 murders of young women
Jeffrey Dahmer: Serial killer and sex offender; murdered 17 men and boys
Charles Cullen: NJ serial killer; murdered patients while working in hospitals
Albert Fish aka Gray Man, Werewolf of Wysteria, the Brooklyn Vampire, the
Boogeyman: Serial killer, child molester, and cannibal.
Ed Gein: Murderer and grave robber; inspiration for several fictional stories, such as
Norman Bates in Psycho, Jame Gumb of Silence of the Lambs, and Leatherface from The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Lindbergh Kidnapping: Abduction and murder of a young boy from East Amwell, NJ
Timothy McVeigh: Responsible for the Oklahoma city bombing.
Menendez Brothers: Convicted of killing their parents; the brothers grew up in
Princeton, NJ
Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow: Notorious outlaws, robbers, and criminals during the
Great Depression
Scott Peterson: Convicted of killing his pregnant wife
Dorothea Puente: Cashed social security checks of the elderly staying in her boarding
home, then killed those who complained
Dennis Rader aka BTK killer (“Bind, Torture, Kill”): Killed 10 people in Kansas and taunted
the police with letters to news outlets regarding the murders
O.J. Simpson: Tried for killing his ex-wife
Michael Skakel: A Kennedy, who was convicted for killing his next door neighbor twenty-
seven years before the trial
Aileen Wuornos: A prostitute, who preyed on truck drivers
Andrea Yates: Drowned her own children in the family bathtub