Stephen H. Kessler (born 1935) is a person who was known as the "LSD Killer".
Education
He attended
Harvard College
Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...
and graduated class of '57, and was enrolled in
Downstate Medical School in 1964, but was asked to leave because of his unstable behaviour.
Trial
He was arrested in April 1966 and tried for murder in October, having apparently stabbed his mother-in-law 105 times. Headlines trumpeted him as a "Mad LSD Slayer" and "LSD Killer", based on a statement made during his arrest that he had been "flying for three days on
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
". His LSD usage, a month prior, was not mentioned during the trial proceedings. His drug use was revealed as having been "one-and-a-half
grains of
phenobarbital
Phenobarbital, also known as phenobarbitone or phenobarb, sold under the brand name Luminal among others, is a medication of the barbiturate type. It is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of certain types of ep ...
" and "three quarts of lab alcohol".
Psychiatrists testified that he actually had chronic
paranoid schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social w ...
and he was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
See also
*
Maurice Edelbaum, one of Kessler's lawyers
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kessler, Stephen H.
1935 births
Living people
Harvard College alumni
SUNY Downstate Medical Center alumni