John Wayne Gacy: Murderer in the Spotlight

FIRST PERSON | Sam Amirante is an author and the former lawyer of infamous murderer John Wayne Gacy. His book, "John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster," was recently released.

On Dec. 22, 1978, Gacy confessed to committing 25 to 30 murders of mostly teenage boys. Ultimately, he recalled 34 and was convicted of 33 of the murders.

Gacy became known as the "Killer Clown," as this evil murderer would dress as a character called Pogo the Clown at fundraising events and children's parties.

Fascination with some of the most wicked men, and women, who have lived on this earth have long been a part of our society. Though Gacy was executed in 1994 by lethal injection, his name will infamously continue.

According to Stanford University graduate student David Schmid, it might be because it allows people to indulge both their feelings of attraction and repulsion. He said that watching films about serial killers, like "Silence of the Lambs," "reflects our own normality back to us. We can watch it and say 'My God, this man's crazy' and the implied message is 'Thank goodness I'm so normal.' The films are not interested in our sense of ourselves as ordinary people."

In what seems like an especially bizarre fascination with the killer, lead singer for the band Murderdolls Wednesday 13 has amassed a large collection of John Wayne Gacy items, including a bible that was used in Gacy's prison cell and several macabre paintings and drawings.

The Murderdolls are a "horror-punk" band that sing about necrophilia and grave robbing, with lyrics like, "I'd rather cut you than the wedding cake, and your bloody guts on my rented tux, and 'I do,' 'I do,' 'I do wanna kill you."

I have a hard time understanding how one finds that kind of music enjoyable, but now I just sound old. I still just don't like it. Apparently, Wednesday 13 has decided to sell part of his collection, and has commissioned the Hyaena Gallery in Burbank, Calif., to sell some of Gacy's drawings and paintings.

It's not unusual for people to spend big bucks on items that have belonged to serial killers, including their signatures, hair and even foot scrapings. Frankly, it makes me a little bit nauseous.

Amirante's book is full of gory details of the murders and the relationship between himself and his very first client, John Wayne Gacy. People who love true crime are sure to love the horrifying story of this monstrous man.