THE CLOWN KILLER GETS DEATH ROW
Conclusion:
-In August 1967, Gacy committed his first known sexual assault upon
a teenage boy. The youth was a 15-year-old named Donald Voorhees, the son of a
fellow Jaycee.
-Gacy lured the youth to his house upon the promise of showing
Voorhees pornographic films. Gacy plied Voorhees with alcohol and persuaded the
youth to perform oral sex upon him.
-In March 1968, Donald Voorhees reported to his father that Gacy had
sexually assaulted him. Voorhees Sr. immediately informed the police and Gacy
was arrested and subsequently charged with oral sodomy in relation to Voorhees
and the attempted assault of a 16-year-old named Edward Lynch.
-Gacy vehemently denied the charges and demanded to take a polygraph
test.
-This request was granted, although the results indicated Gacy was
lying when he denied any wrongdoing in relation to either Voorhees or Lynch.
-Upon advice from his attorney, Gacy entered a plea of guilty to one
count of sodomy in relation to the charges filed against him by Donald
Voorhees.
-He pleaded not guilty
to the other charges lodged against him by other youths at a formal arraignment
held on November 7, 1968.
-Before the judge, Gacy contended that he and Voorhees had indeed
engaged in sexual relations, yet he insisted Voorhees had offered his sexual
services to him and that he had acted out of curiosity.
-His story was not believed.
-Gacy was convicted of sodomy on December 3, 1968, and sentenced to
10 years at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.
-The day Gacy was sentenced, his wife petitioned for divorce;
requesting possession of the couple's home, property and subsequent alimony
payments. The Court ruled in her favor and the divorce was finalized in
September 1969. Gacy never saw his first wife or children
again.
-In the year before his trial, at the request of his defense
counsel, Gacy spent over 300 hours with the doctors at the Menard Correctional
Center undergoing a variety of psychological tests before a panel of
psychiatrists to determine whether he was mentally competent to stand
trial.
-The jury deliberated for more than two hours before they returned
with their verdict: Gacy was sentenced to death for the twelve counts of murder
upon which the prosecution had sought this penalty. An initial date of execution
was set for June 2, 1980.
In the summer of 1984, the Supreme Court of Illinois upheld Gacy's
conviction and ordered that he be executed by lethal injection on November 14.
Gacy filed an appeal against this decision, which on March 4, 1985, the Supreme
Court of the United States denied.
-After his final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied in
October 1993, the Illinois Supreme Court set his execution date for May 10,
1994.
-Gacy was executed May, 10, 1994.
-John Wayne Gacy now has a book and a movie made about his tragic crimes.
-In August 1967, Gacy committed his first known sexual assault upon
a teenage boy. The youth was a 15-year-old named Donald Voorhees, the son of a
fellow Jaycee.
-Gacy lured the youth to his house upon the promise of showing
Voorhees pornographic films. Gacy plied Voorhees with alcohol and persuaded the
youth to perform oral sex upon him.
-In March 1968, Donald Voorhees reported to his father that Gacy had
sexually assaulted him. Voorhees Sr. immediately informed the police and Gacy
was arrested and subsequently charged with oral sodomy in relation to Voorhees
and the attempted assault of a 16-year-old named Edward Lynch.
-Gacy vehemently denied the charges and demanded to take a polygraph
test.
-This request was granted, although the results indicated Gacy was
lying when he denied any wrongdoing in relation to either Voorhees or Lynch.
-Upon advice from his attorney, Gacy entered a plea of guilty to one
count of sodomy in relation to the charges filed against him by Donald
Voorhees.
-He pleaded not guilty
to the other charges lodged against him by other youths at a formal arraignment
held on November 7, 1968.
-Before the judge, Gacy contended that he and Voorhees had indeed
engaged in sexual relations, yet he insisted Voorhees had offered his sexual
services to him and that he had acted out of curiosity.
-His story was not believed.
-Gacy was convicted of sodomy on December 3, 1968, and sentenced to
10 years at the Anamosa State Penitentiary.
-The day Gacy was sentenced, his wife petitioned for divorce;
requesting possession of the couple's home, property and subsequent alimony
payments. The Court ruled in her favor and the divorce was finalized in
September 1969. Gacy never saw his first wife or children
again.
-In the year before his trial, at the request of his defense
counsel, Gacy spent over 300 hours with the doctors at the Menard Correctional
Center undergoing a variety of psychological tests before a panel of
psychiatrists to determine whether he was mentally competent to stand
trial.
-The jury deliberated for more than two hours before they returned
with their verdict: Gacy was sentenced to death for the twelve counts of murder
upon which the prosecution had sought this penalty. An initial date of execution
was set for June 2, 1980.
In the summer of 1984, the Supreme Court of Illinois upheld Gacy's
conviction and ordered that he be executed by lethal injection on November 14.
Gacy filed an appeal against this decision, which on March 4, 1985, the Supreme
Court of the United States denied.
-After his final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied in
October 1993, the Illinois Supreme Court set his execution date for May 10,
1994.
-Gacy was executed May, 10, 1994.
-John Wayne Gacy now has a book and a movie made about his tragic crimes.