Ted Bundy
The first impression that Ted Bundy creates is that of a well-educated and conscious person. The criminal seems very observant and manipulative, which instills a sense of trust in his words. He provides decent claims and explanations without dodging an interviewer. In the first video, Bundy seems emotionally active, as though he is willing to justify himself. In contrast, he looks more tranquil in the second video, as if he has accepted the idea of being sentenced to death. His body language in the former interview, specifically smiles and open posture, demonstrates that he is ready for a discussion. Meanwhile, in the latter, Bundy can his arms clenched and keeps looking down.
Throughout the interviews, Bundy implements the denial of responsibility, the neutralization technique aimed at placing accountability for the committed action on other people or circumstances. For instance, in the first video, the killer states: “let’s just wait and let it [evidence] come out in court” (Captain Borax, 2021, 17:16). In the second video, he claims: “I am not blaming pornography and not saying that it caused me to do certain things” (Alphanite, 2021, 5:16). It is called justification, meaning that Bundy attempts to provide the premises of his acts even though they would be discredited. His statement implies that he does not desire to accept his guilt unless it is proved by the judges.
Whereas the first interviewer does not mention any victims but concentrates on his prison life and motives, the second asks to allude to his remorse towards the victims. Bundy says he is taken back to those moments and feels terrible about the murders. When the interviewer inquires Ted if he genuinely feels innocent, he nods and rubs his chin. This shows slight insecurity, as though he attempts to process this idea through his mind without fully accepting the committed crimes. As a result, it implies that he barely demonstrates any remorse, yet there is a deep understanding of the inevitable sentence.
Charles Manson
Originally, it seemed like Charles Manson acted in an arrogant manner, neglecting the interviewer. Moreover, the criminal looks to be self-conceited; his posture, which is half-sitting on a stool, says that he did not come to confess his fault. Being the most notorious killer of the twentieth century, Manson looks quite pathetic because of his appearance. Since it is a jail interview, he makes decisive statements and raises the tone of his voice whenever he wants to argue. The cult’s head mocks and openly quarrels with the interviewer.
In the video, he says: “I knew I wasn’t gonna go to the gas chamber because I hadn’t done anything wrong” (60 Minutes Australia, 2019, 1:00). This is the appeal to defeasibility that he uses to justify his deeds. The criminal also resorts to sad tales to prove that what he did was just a matter of circumstances. It is emphasized in his utterance about his past: “I’ve been to every reform school across the country” (60 Minutes Australia, 2019, 2:14). There is no recognition of disclaimers as Manson is straightforward in his speech. When speaking about Sharon Tate, one of his sect’s victims, he stammers and repeats the same words. On the whole, there is absolutely no remorse in his words and actions. It appears that Manson was totally obsessed with his cult, which made him believe in global superiority over humankind.
Ahmaud Arbery
The video is increasingly shocking and disturbing as it depicts the crime scene with both the victim and one of the criminals involved. However, it felt like Greg McMichael told a story of accidentally shooting a bird, not a person. Initially, I thought this man was passing by the crime scene and describing what he had just observed. McMichael’s voice sounds steady, and no remorse is heard in his narrative as if he is in a shock phase. For a moment, I believed that by speaking facts, he wanted to get away from the charges.
Nonetheless, he uses numerous manipulative neutralization techniques, which makes him sound convincing. For example, he says that the victim has reportedly provoked his son Travis and he ran out of the truck with a gun. Meanwhile, the father shouted: “Travis, don’t do anything!” (First Coast News, 2020, 6:23). This phrase seems like a denial of responsibility, and the prior circumstances reflect the condemnation of a condemner (as if the victim has aggravated the murderers). His utterance, “I pulled his hand out and then realized he didn’t have anything in his hand,” is a cognitive disclaimer (First Coast News, 2020, 6:52). The man clarifies that he has seen a gun in the victim’s arm, but there was nothing. No appeal to higher loyalties is identified, even though McMichael alludes to his investigating experience. When the victim is mentioned, the man acts confidently, describing every detail of the deed. In general, I did not notice any repentance in his voice as if his narrative sounded as if he was retelling a normal event. In fact, it appeared that the man had merely participated in the murder for racial reasons.
References
Alphanite. (2021). Ted Bundy last interview[Video]. YouTube.
Captain Borax. (2021). Ted Bundy interview (full) @ Glenwood Springs, CO jail on March 17th, 1977[Video]. YouTube.
First Coast News. (2020). Raw police body cam from Ahmaud Arbery shooting. Greg McMichael speaks to Glenn County PD [Video]. YouTube.
60 Minutes Australia. (2019). Charles Manson’s first prison interview | 60 Minutes Australia.