Harold Shipman Research Paper

Harold Shipman, aka Dr. Death, is the most prolific serial killer in the history of the United Kingdom (2020). Additionally, Shipman was a medical doctor practicing in the UK during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s and is best known for the suspected murder of around 250 of his patients. Shipman’s mother died from lung cancer Early in his life (Sharma, 2022). Some believe that seeing his mother receive morphine shots to ease the pain of cancer is what got him interested in medicine. In 1976, early in his career, Shipman was charged with writing fake prescriptions to himself for painkillers (2000). Shipman was found guilty and was monetarily fined and fired from his job due to the conviction (Sharma, 2022). Ultimately, he set up his own practice and

A team of forensic psychiatrists attempted to interview Shipman, but he refused to participate in their evaluation process. This lack of participation forced the team to rely on second-hand information about him (Soothill & Wilson, 2005). Some speculation as to the motive was that Shipman was attempting to exact some form of vengeance due to the death of his mother. Another possible motive for the murders was that Shipman was practicing euthanasia or mercy killing (2000). Still, another motive some have offered was that Shipman could glean some sick pleasure from his actions as, in his mind, he was removing the elderly population from being burdens, and as their doctor, he had the ultimate power of life and death. Gaining pleasure from his actions could be seen similarly to his previous drug addiction. According to Dame Janet, the pleasure of dominance over a life could prove intoxicating and create a feeling as powerful as any drug, which is a form of addiction (2002, para. 21). With Shipman forging the will of Kathleen Grundy, some believe Shipman’s motive to be financial gain (Soothill & Wilson, 2005). Dame Janet concluded that “if one defines motive as a rational or conscious explanation for the decision to commit a crime, I think Shipman’s crimes were without motive” (2002, para. 10). Regardless of motive, the fact that Shipman took advantage of his patient’s trust in him as their physician makes his crimes even more

A simple post-mortem blood examination by a coroner would have shown morphine evidence in the victim’s blood, as morphine stays in the body for many years after death (2003). Even before this, had the General Medical Council removed Shipman’s certification for forging prescriptions and being a drug addict instead of giving him a warning letter and a small fine, Shipman would not have been able to commit the crimes he committed. Therefore, had the deceased’s blood been checked as a standard practice, there would have been enough physical evidence to convict