Investigating Detective was the Ripper?

[Ladygriffin]

Jose Luis Abad, a Spanish expert on handwriting, claims in his new book that Frederick Abberline, Chief Inspector at Scotland Yard, was Jack the Ripper.

Read more about this in Mail Online: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2022896/Is-Jack-Ripper-Scotland-Yards-Chief-Inspector-Frederick-Abberline-named-as.html

[Nina]

People claim anything in books, but its an interesting read. What would be really weird here, is chief of police knowing how to perform surgery.

also, i wonder what he would say to theories of Shakespeare's identity then 

[Countess]

This was really quite intresting. Abberline does match the description given by witnesses (although a number of men would). The issue I have is this man using the "Maybrick" diary. I happen to agree the diary is a hoax. What I find most compelling is that Scotland Yard is fighting to keep certain Ripper files secret after over 100 years. As for him knowing how to perform surgery, actual skill wouldn't be to necessary for most of the removals plus as a member of the police he would have attended numerous autopsies so he would have some basic idea if no actual practice. Very, very intresting theory.

[davidn13]

Abberline would also know (as a police chief should) the methods for dealing with a crime scene in those days and take counter measures, along with having a good idea when patrols would be by. Not that either one was difficult, exactly-but it is an interesting idea.

[Wolfman528]

Does anyone know what his motive was? He had to have had some twisted reason. Other cops would probably have noticed if this guy was the type to kill 5 people for no reason, let alone cut them open like that.

[ravinclaw]

If I remember correctly, there were some letters sent suposedly by the ripper some years after the murders from America, I want to say Chicago.... Then again I cant remember where I heard that.... Looks like I have some old notebooks to dig up, At one point I was leaning toward Abberline as the culprit, but cant remember why.

but motive.......hmmmm.......for a police man to go around butchering prostitutes....... Im going to leave that alone to simmer for a bit  

[Countess]

Wolfman, sadly, in the case of most serial killers they do it simply because they wanted to & they could. There are the odd "I did it to attain immortality" "or,  they needed to die because of...." types but for the most part, serial killers kill because they like to.

[davidn13]

Wolfman, sadly, in the case of most serial killers they do it simply because they wanted to & they could. There are the odd "I did it to attain immortality" "or,  they needed to die because of...." types but for the most part, serial killers kill because they like to.

All true. There's almost always a psychological dysfunction that lets them do what they do, without a real "reason" I.E-David Berkowitz took advise from a demonically possessed dog. A reason? Sure. Crazy as hell-also, yes.

I'm in Jr. College for criminal psych.   

[ravinclaw]

There are the odd "I did it to attain immortality" "or,  they needed to die because of...."

In a way its not all that odd..... I would say killing to attain Morality instead of immortality is fairly common, which in the mind of a sick man can be one and the same   Motive.... the most deadly motive of all is sickness or ignorance. Perhaps arrogance is a close third.

In my own opinion of course,

[Countess]

Sorry, I meant odd as in "rare". Legally, most serial killers are sane. This doesn't mean they have no mental issues, Bundy was a narcissist & sociopath. But neither of those conditions prevent someone from being seen as sane.

David, good luck with your studies. I was majoring in forensic psychology until health issues caused me to re-evaluate things but it is still a passion. Berkowitz claimed to hear voices but it was never confirmed, in my opinion it was his pathetic attempt to shift blame. Anyway, 

[davidn13]

Thanks countess, it's an interesting class. A little depressing though, having a better idea about just how many people are either active or potential serial killers/ mass murderer's, and so on. 

[ViciouslyMe]

I would think everyone would be a potential killer, but again could just be my paranoia peeking out again.

[Wolfman528]

It's probably a safe bet that most people has given or will give murder some thought. Just most aren't willing to act on it.

[davidn13]

True, but not in that sense. Most people would kill for a reason (Personal gain, revenge, ect.) Serial killer types (generally) have an odd, arbitrary set of standards that they choose who to kill off of, depending on the individual.
Some kill for fun/ pleasure, others because of some weird belief system-pick your brand of crazy, and I'm sure you can find someone who's killed for it.

[ViciouslyMe]

Well of course, but even then (fun, ritualistic, etc), isn't it still technically personal gain? Pleasure is self satisfying, ritualistic is normally to gain the good graces of something/someone, and I'm sure you could find personal gain in any other type. Even the crazies kill to satisfy something within themselves.