Serial Killer Michael Ross, The Roadside Strangler

The story of confessed serial killer Michael Ross is a tragic tale of a young man who came from a farm he loved, and a childhood filled with parental abuse, although he could not remember the experiences. It is also a tale of this same man who, driven by sexually violent fantasies, brutally raped and murdered eight young girls. And finally, it is a tragic tale of a judicial system that is riddled with imperfections in its responsibility of deciding life or death. Michael Ross - His Childhood Years Michael Ross was born on July 26, 1959, to Daniel and Pat Ross in Brooklyn, Connecticut. According to court records, the two married after Pat had discovered she was pregnant. The marriage was not a happy one. Pat hated farm life, and after having four children and two abortions, she ran off to North Carolina to be with another man. When she returned home, she was institutionalized. The admitting doctor wrote that Pat talked of suicide and of beating and striking her children. Michael Ross sister has said that as a child, Ross took the brunt of his mothers anger. It is also suspected that an uncle of Ross who committed suicide may have sexually molested Ross while babysitting him. Ross said he remembered very little about his childhood abuse although he never forgot how much he loved helping his father around the farm. Strangling Chickens After his uncle had committed suicide, the job of killing sick and malformed chickens became eight-year-old Michaels responsibility. He would strangle the chickens with his hands. As Michael got older, more of the farm responsibilities became his, and by the time he was in high school, his father depended a lot on Ross help. Michael loved farm life and met his responsibilities while also attending high school. With a high IQ of 122, balancing school with farm life was manageable. By this time, Ross was exhibiting antisocial behavior, including stalking young teenage girls. Ross College Years In 1977, Ross entered Cornell University and studied agricultural economics. He began dating a woman who was in ROTC and dreamed of someday marrying her. When the woman became pregnant and had an abortion, the relationship began to falter. After she had decided to signup for a four-year service commitment, the relationship ended. In retrospect, Ross said as the relationship became more troubled he began to have fantasies that were sexually violent. By his sophomore year, he was stalking women. In his senior year at college, despite being engaged to another woman, Ross fantasies were consuming him, and he committed his first rape. In that same year, he also committed his first rape and murder by strangulation. Ross said afterward he hated himself for what he did and tried to commit suicide, but lacked the ability to do it and instead promised himself he would never hurt anyone again. However, between 1981 and 1984, while working as an insurance salesman, Ross had raped and killed eight young women, the oldest being 25. The Victims Dzung Ngoc Tu, 25, a Cornell University student, killed May 12, 1981.Paula Perrera, 16, of Wallkill, N.Y., killed in March 1982Tammy Williams, 17, of Brooklyn, killed Jan. 5, 1982Debra Smith Taylor, 23, of Griswold, killed June 15, 1982Robin Stavinksy, 19, of Norwich, killed November 1983April Brunias, 14, of Griswold, killed April 22, 1984Leslie Shelley, 14, of Griswold, killed April 22, 1984Wendy Baribeault, 17, of Griswold, killed June 13, 1984 The Search for a Killer Michael Malchik was assigned chief investigator after the murder of Wendy Baribeault in 1984. Witnesses provided Malchik with both the description of the car -- a blue Toyota -- and the person who they believed kidnapped Wendy. Malchik began the process of interviewing a list of blue Toyota owners which brought him to Michael Ross. Malchik testified that during their initial meeting, Ross enticed him to ask more questions by dropping subtle hints that he was their man. By now, Ross was living in Jewett City as an insurance salesman. His parents had divorced and sold the farm. During the interview with Malchik, Ross told of his past two arrests on sex offenses. It was at this point Malchik decided to bring him to the station for questioning. At the station, the two talked like old friends: discussing family, girlfriends, and life in general. By the conclusion of the interrogation, Ross confessed to the kidnapping, rape, and murder of eight young women. The Judicial System: In 1986 Ross defense team moved for a dismissal on two of the murders, Leslie Shelley and April Brunais, because they were not murdered in Connecticut and not within the jurisdiction of the state. The state said that the two women were murdered in Connecticut, but even if they hadnt been, the murders began and ended in Connecticut which granted the state jurisdiction. But then a question of credibility came up when the state produced a statement by Malchik claiming that Ross gave him directions to the crime scene. Malchik claimed that somehow the directions were left out of statements, both written and taped two years earlier. Ross denied ever giving such directions. Evidence in Rhode Island The defense produced cloth matching a slipcover in Ross apartment which was found in the woods in Exeter, Rhode Island, along with a ligature used to strangle one of the girls. The defense also produced a taped statement of Ross offering to take the police to the crime scene, although Malchik stated he did not recall such an offer. Possible Cover-Up Superior Court Judge Seymour Hendel exploded during the closed hearing, accusing the prosecutors and police of purposely misleading the court with lies. Some of the counts against Ross were removed, however, the judge refused to reopen the suppression hearing on Ross confession. When sealed records were opened two years later, Hendel retracted his statements. In 1987, Ross was convicted of the murders of four of the eight women he confessed to having killed. It took the jury 86 minutes of deliberations to convict him and only four hours to decide on his punishment -- death. But the trial itself faced a lot of criticism in regards to the Judge who presided over it.   Imprisonment During the next 18 years that he spent on death row, Ross met Susan Powers, from Oklahoma, and the two were engaged to be married. She ended the relationship in 2003 but continued to visit Ross up until his death.   Ross became a devout Catholic while in prison and would pray the rosary daily. He was also accomplished at translating Braille and helping troubled inmates. In the final year of his life, Ross, who had always been opposed to the death penalty, said he no longer objected to his own execution.  According to Cornell graduate Kathryn Yeager.  Ross believed that he had been forgiven by God and that he would be going to a better place once he was executed. She also said that Ross did not wish for the victims families to suffer any more pain. Execution Having waived his right to appeal,  Michael Ross was scheduled to be executed on  January 26, 2005, but an hour before the execution was to take place, his lawyer obtained a two-day stay of execution on behalf of Ross father. The execution was rescheduled for  January 29, 2005, but early in the day was postponed again as a question into Ross mental capabilities came into play.  His lawyer said Ross was incapable of waiving appeals and that he was suffering from death row syndrome. Ross was executed by lethal injection on May 13, 2005, at  2:25 a.m., at  Osborn Correctional Institution  in  Somers, Connecticut.  His remains were buried at the Benedictine Grange Cemetery in Redding, Connecticut. After the execution, Dr. Stuart Grassian, a  psychiatrist  who had argued that Ross was not competent to waive appeal, received a letter from Ross dated May 10, 2005, which read Check, and mate. You never had a chance!

The Tell-Tale Heart and Symbolism - 1208 Words

Like many of Edgar Allen Poes works, The Tell-Tale Heart is full of death and darkness. Poe used many of the real life tragedies he experienced as inspiration for his gothic style of writing. Poe dealt with many aspects of death and madness in his stories, madness again is playing a key role in the plot. In this short story Poe used literary devices such as point of view and symbolism to give it a more dramatic effect and add to the madness the narrator portrays. Poes use of the point of view device is very evident in The Tell-Tale Heart. The madman that speaks through the entire story talks in an unreliable first person view. Because of the mans obvious madness you are not sure what is taking place in the†¦show more content†¦The chilling feeling that the eye gave him planted in him, the thought to kill the old man, and after thinking about it day and night, that is what brings the narrator to his mad state. He is so obsessed with it that he goes into the old mans room every night at midnight to slowly open the door and carefully look at the mans eye while he is asleep in bed. The last night when the old man wakes he shines his light on the man and describes it. It was open-wide, wide open-and I grew furious as I gazed upon itÂ…but I could see nothing else of the old mans face or person; for I had directed the ray as if by instinct, precisely on the damned spot. Just looking upon the eye the narrator feels a sense of anger build up inside him, showing another reason for his madness. The bond between him and the eye is also seen in how directly puts the light on his eye when he enters the room. The main object of symbolism however is the beating of the heart of the old man the narrator hears because of his madness. Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. It grew louder and quicker, and louder and louder every instantÂ…It grew louder, I say, louder every moment!Â…I thought the heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me me-the sound would be heard by a neighbor! Because of the narrators own madness he is hearing this heart beat as though it is as loudShow MoreRelatedSymbolism In The Tell Tale Heart And The Tell Tale Heart987 Words   |  4 Pages How does the symbolism affect the meaning of a written piece, does it make it more or less important? Symbolism is used to represent ideas; that may imply deeper, hidden meaning than what the text directly states. Symbolism can be used in different ways throughout different books; for example, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, by Edgar Allen Poe and â€Å"Once upon a Time†, by Nadine Gordimer, contain a variety of symbolism that have the possibility of having two or more meanings. The problem with this is identifyingRead MoreSymbolism In Tell Tale Heart704 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism in Tell Tale Heart Introduction To fully understand the strange and disturbing short story of Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, one must understand the main character that is narrating the story. Despite the narrator’s best efforts to show that he is smart, wise and above all else sane. The reader gets the feeling that there is more to the story. Body of the essay The story of Tell Tale Heart is about a man describing how and why he killed the elderly man that he was living with whileRead More Symbolism and Irony in The Tell-Tale Heart Essay2249 Words   |  9 PagesSymbolism   and Irony in The Tell-Tale Heart In Edgar Allan Poes short story The Tell-Tale Heart, the author combines vivid symbolism with subtle irony. Although the story runs only four pages, within those few pages many examples of symbolism and irony abound. In short, the symbolism and irony lead to an enormously improved story as compared to a story with the same plot but with these two elements missing. The Tell-Tale Heart consists of a monologue in which the murderer ofRead MoreSymbolism In Edgar Allen Poes The Tell Tale Heart1174 Words   |  5 Pages How does the symbolism affect the meaning of a written piece, does it make it more or less important? Symbolism is used to represent ideas; that may imply deeper, hidden meaning than what the text directly states. Symbolism can be used in different ways throughout different books; for example, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, by Edgar Allen Poe and â€Å"Once upon a Time†, by Nadine Gordimer, contain a variety of symbolism that have the possibility of having two or more meanings. The problem with this is identifyingRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe1155 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe Like many of Edgar Allen Poes works, The Tell-Tale Heart is full of death and darkness. Poe used many of the real life tragedies he experienced as inspiration for his gothic style of writing. Poe dealt with many aspects of death and madness in his stories, madness again is playing a key role in the plot. In this short story Poe used literary devices such as point of view and symbolism to give it a more dramatic effect and add toRead MoreSymbolism in Edgar Allen Poes The Tell-Tale Heart Essay863 Words   |  4 PagesSymbolism in Edgar Allen Poes The Tell-Tale Heart In Poes The Tell-Tale Heart, the narrator claims that he is not mad but his behavior tells a different story. He is truly determined to destroy another male human being, not because of jealousy or animosity but because one of his eyes resembled that of a vulture- a pale blue eye, with a film over it (1206). The narrator sees the man with this ghastly eye as a threat to his well being, but it is he who is a menace to his own being. HeRead More Edgar Allen Poes The Tell-Tale Heart and the Symbolism of the Eye1221 Words   |  5 Pagesthe genius responsible for dark, twisting, and often uncomfortably wondrous gothic tales, and one of the best is The Tell-Tale Heart. This is a classic tale of a confused man who is so incredibly bothered by his housemates eye, that he (I am assuming this sexless character is male) thinks the only solution is to resort to cold-blooded murder. Poe incorporates the symbol of the old mans eye in The Tell-Tale Heart, which has both physical and psycholo gical meaning, it also helps to develop theRead MoreConflict And Symbolism In Edgar Allan Poes The Tell-Tale Heart1117 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, a short story about internal conflict and obsession, showcases the tortured soul due to a guilty conscience. The story opens with an unnamed narrator describing a man deranged and plagued with a guilty conscience for a murderous act. Edgar Allan Poe was a very popular and magnificent writer back in his day, around the 1800s. You may or may not have heard of him, but, he’s very popular for his dark and haunting poetry and short stories. Two of his most popularRead MoreTell Tale Heart Analysis1176 Words   |  5 Pagesespecially famous for his tales of mystery and macabre. A popular dark short story, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart,† and one of his first and most famous poems, â€Å"The Raven,† are no exception. â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† is a story of murder narrated by the culprit himself, while â€Å"The Raven† is a melancholy poem about a distraught lover and a talking raven. The reason why the two works are so well known is because of the effect of Poe’s excellent use of literary devices. Throughout â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Raven,†Read MoreAnalysis Of The Tell Tale Heart By Edgar Allen Poe1320 Words   |  6 PagesRory Spillane Mr. Bruno English IV period 8 1.29.15 Analysis of the Tell-Tale Heart Edgar Allen Poe was born on January 19th, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. He went on to become one of the most famous American poets and authors in history. The subjects of his poems and stories were often morbid in nature, many of them having to do with death and murder. Unfortunately, the dark tone of his work reflected the darkness of his life, which was marked with notable instances of tragedy, such as the

The Producers free essay sample

â€Å"The Producers† This past Sunday afternoon I went to see the 12 Tony Award winning Broadway production of the â€Å"The Producers† in the Atwood Concert Hall in downtown Anchorage. I found that the production exceeded my expectations. Being a huge fan of Broadway musicals, I am usually quick to say that a musical I have recently seen was a great experience, but â€Å"The Producers† was an extremely phenomenal musical. According to a â€Å"Play† section article of the Anchorages December 7, 2007 newspaper written by Sarah Henning, â€Å"The Producersâ€Å" follows a â€Å"hysterical heap of physical comedy, innuendo and political incorrectness.† This is a statement about the show that I completely agree with. The production contains all three of those aspects in many different, hysterical ways. I have many favorite parts in this show. First, I really loved the dancing chickens along with their crazy and stereotypical German caretaker and play write. I also really enjoyed the stereotypically flamboyant gay director, Roger De Bris, accompanied by his extremely exaggerated gay and lesbian entourage. We will write a custom essay sample on The Producers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another part of the show that I really enjoyed was the accounting office scene with Leo Bloom, his co-workers, and his strict taskmaster boss. I really liked how Bloom came to the realization that becoming a producer was the right profession for him, by being persuaded by his aggravating boss, boring job, future partner, Max Bialystock, and the imaginative follies girls. The scene that I liked the least would have to be the jail scene where Bialystock was teaching his fellow prisoners song and dance routines. Other than that one scene, I really enjoyed the whole show so much. We were extremely fortunate for the production to come to Anchorage. I recommend this musical to anyone who enjoys slapstick comedy inside the plot and the songs, but people who are still old enough to be in the presence of sexual commentary and a bit of profanity. â€Å"The Producers† was a phenomenal musical that really exceeded my expectations and fuels my dream to someday be seen in a Broadway production.

Where the Red Fern Grows Quotes

'Where the Red Fern Grows' Quotes Where the Red Fern Grows is a famous work by Wilson Rawls. The novel is a coming of age story. It follows the protagonist Billy as he saves up for and trains two coonhounds. They have many adventures while hunting in the Ozarks. The book is however probably best known for its tragic ending. Quotes from the Novel Its strange indeed how memories can lie dormant in a mans mind for so many years. Yet those memories can be awakened and brought forth fresh and new, just by something youve seen, or something youve heard, or the sight of an old familiar face.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 1 Lying back in the soft hay, I folded my hands behind my head, closed my eyes, and let my mind wander back over the two long years. I thought of the fishermen, the blackberry patches, and the huckleberry hills. I thought of the prayer I had said when I asked God to help me get two hound pups. I knew He had surely helped, for He had given me the heart, courage, and determination.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 3 I wanted so much to step over and pick them up. Several times I tried to move my feet, but they seemed to be nailed to the floor. I knew the pups were mine, all mine, yet I couldnt move. My heart started aching like a drunk grasshopper. I tried to swallow and couldnt. My Adams apple wouldnt work. One pup started my way. I held my breath. On he came until I felt a scratchy little foot on mine. The other pup followed. A warm puppy tongue caressed my sore foot. I heard the station master say, They already know you. I knelt down and gathered them in my arms. I buried my face between their wiggling bodies and cried.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 5 I had a time with this part of their training, but my persistence had no bounds.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 7 Although they couldnt talk in my terms, they had a language of their own that was easy to understand. Sometimes I would see the answer in their eyes, and again it would be in the friendly wagging of their tails. Other times I could hear the answer in a low whine or feel it in the soft caress of a warm flicking tongue. In some way, they would always answer.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 7 I thought about that, Papa, I said, but I made a bargain with my dogs. I told them that if they would put one in a tree, Id do the rest. Well, they fulfilled their part of the bargain. Now its up to me to do my part, and Im going to, Papa. Im going to cut it down. I dont care if it takes me a year.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 8 I always took their kidding with a smile on my face, but it made my blood boil like the water in Mamas teakettle.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 10 I opened my mouth to call Old Dan. I wanted to tell him to come on and wed go home as there was nothing we could do. The words just wouldnt come out. I couldnt utter a sound.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 11 I told them I wasnt giving up until my dogs did.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 12 As I sat there on the limb, looking at the old fellow, he cried again. Something came over me. I didnt want to kill him. I hollered down and told Rubin I didnt want to kill the ghost coon. He hollered back, Are you crazy? I told him I wasnt crazy. I just didnt want to kill him. I climbed down. Rubin was mad. He said, Whats the matter with you? Nothing, I told him. I just dont have the heart to kill the coon.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 13 As I skipped along, it was hard for me to realize all the wonderful things that had happened to me in such a few short years. I had two of the finest little hounds that ever bawled on the trail of a ringtail coon. I had a wonderful mother and father and three little sisters. I had the best grandpa a boy ever had, and to top it all, I was going on a championship coon hunt. It was no wonder that my heart was bursting with happiness. Wasnt I the luckiest boy in the world?- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 14 As graceful as any queen, with her head high in the air, and her long red tail arched in a perfect rainbow, my little dog walked down the table. With her warm gray eyes staring straight at me, on she came. Walking up to me, she laid her head on my shoulder. As I put my arms around her, the crowd exploded.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 15 Regardless of all the discouraging talk, the love and belief I had in my little red hounds never faltered. I could see them now and then, leaping over old logs, tearing through the underbrush, sniffing and searching for the lost trail. My heart swelled with pride. I whooped, urging them on.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 16 Ive been out in storms like this before, all by myself. Ive never left my dogs in the woods, and Im not going to now, even if I have to look for them myself.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 17 Men, said Mr. Kyle, people have been trying to understand dogs ever since the beginning of time. One never knows what theyll do. You can read every day where a dog saved the life of a drowning child, or lay down his life for his master. Some people call this loyalty. I dont. I may be wrong, but I call it lovethe deepest kind of love.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 18 I knelt down and put my arms around them. I knew that if it hadnt been for their loyalty and unselfish courage I would have probably been killed by the slashing claws of the devil cat. I dont know how Ill ever pay you back for what youve done, I said, but Ill never forget it.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 19 Im sure the red fern has grown and has completely covered the two little mounds. I know it is still there, hiding its secret beneath those long, red leaves, but it wouldnt be hidden from me for part of my life is buried there too. Yes, I know it is still there, for in my heart I believe the legend of the sacred red fern.- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows, Ch. 20