Jeffrey Dahmer, a sex offender, and serial killer was charged and convicted of murdering 17 males between the years of 1978 and 1991. Dahmer was known to rape, dismemberment, and eventually indulge in consuming his victims through cannibalism. In his trial, Dahmer plead insanity due to his childhood upbringing and his uncontrollable impulses to killing. Jefferey Dahmer no doubt had a complicated childhood. His mother, Joyce Dahmer, suffered from severe depression and attempted suicide. Jeffery’s father, Lionel Dahmer, was absent in Jefferey’s life, as he was always working. Joyce and Lionel frequently argued, and eventually separated. At one point, Jefferey was left living by himself for three months. At an early age, Jefferey Dahmer was …show more content…
Jefferey Dahmer was a lifelong alcoholic. In his teenage years, Jefferey started consuming large amounts of alcohol to cope with his sexuality. He repeatedly attended class in high school and college drunk and incoherent. In 1978, Jefferey Dahmer committed his first murder. During the time Jeffery’s parents left him living alone, Jefferey was overcome with a sense of loneliness. Dahmer picked up Steven hicks, a hitchhiker, and took him back to the Dahmer’s house for a beer. Once Hicks expressed his desire to leave, Dahmer struck him in the back of the head with a 10 lb. dumbbell. After the murder, Dahmer dissected Hicks and scattered his remains in the backyard. The neglect, interest in animal corpses, and alcoholism Jefferey experienced all correlates to his killings. In his trial, Jefferey Dahmer plead insanity. Insanity is represented by “The Devil Made Me Do It” defense, which argues the defendant does not deny the actual crime but denies that it was done with criminal intent. For example, Dahmer could not differentiate between right and wrong pertaining to murder. Dahmer’s corrupt childhood was used as evidence to demonstrate how neglect and alcohol controlled his decision