Harold Shipman Found Dead in Cell

TheSkeptic · 01-13-2004, 04:58 AM

Harold Shipman found dead in cell

Killer doctor Harold Shipman has died after being found hanging in his cell in Wakefield Prison.

Shipman was discovered at 0620 GMT by staff who tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at 0810 GMT, a Prison Service spokeswoman said.

He was jailed for life in January 2000 for murdering 15 patients.

An official report later concluded he killed at least 215 people.

The 57-year-old GP, from Hyde, Greater Manchester, was given 15 life sentences to run concurrently for the murders, and four years for forging a will.

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The Prison Service will be conducting an investigation into the death

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Prison Service statement

He went down in history as the UK's biggest convicted serial killer but always denied his crimes.

Jane Ashton-Hibbert, whose grandmother Hilda was unlawfully killed by Shipman, told BBC News: "This seems like an easy way out for him. He never showed any compassion or any guilt and that door is now closed to us."

A Prison Service statement said he used bedsheets to hang himself.

It went on: "Since arriving at Wakefield on June 18 2003, Shipman had never been on a suicide watch and was on normal location and following a normal regime.

"The family have been informed and the Prison Service will be conducting an investigation into the death as we do with all deaths in custody. The coroner has been informed."

The vast majority of the doctor's victims were elderly women who were given lethal heroin injections.

A report by High Court judge Dame Janet Smith found the former GP could have killed as many as 260 patients.

Poor behaviour

Of Shipman's 215 likely victims, 171 were women and 44 were men, with the oldest being a 93-year-old woman and the youngest a 47-year-old man.

Last month it emerged that the serial killer had been stripped of his privileges at Wakefield because of poor behaviour.

At his trial, Mr Justice Thayne Forbes said: "Finally you have been brought to justice for your wicked, wicked crimes.

"You abused the trust of these victims - you were, after all, their doctor.

"You used a calculating and cold-blooded perversion of your medical skills. You have shown no remorse."

miao0726 · 01-13-2004, 05:00 AM

bummer

ok i am lying i dont feel bad.

Erich · 01-13-2004, 05:02 AM

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Shipman was discovered at 0620 GMT by staff who tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at 0810 GMT, a Prison Service spokeswoman said.

He was jailed for life in January 2000 for murdering 15 patients.

what the holy fuck did they want to revive him for? fucking tards.

"Oh good, we brought you back to life! now, continue dying"

**Elkie Toofan** · 01-13-2004, 05:12 AM

Good.

Although I do think it was the easy way out for him.

I read a book on his crimes a while back, the guy came across as so pompous and arsey. No compassion at all.

TheSkeptic · 01-13-2004, 06:56 AM

i wonder what he used? His shoe laces? The prison mustn't have thought he posed a suicide risk.

Matt

Alancandenza · 01-13-2004, 07:51 AM

He used his bed sheets.

Contents Under Pressure · 01-13-2004, 08:32 AM

Dead? Good, I hope he went straight to hell.

ami t · 01-13-2004, 08:42 AM

Just reeks of guilt when someone does this.

Just waiting for Huntley to try it now

jcldragon · 01-13-2004, 09:14 AM

Once you are dead, you return to the cycle of reincarnation. While he was alive & in prison, he couldn't hurt anybody. Now that he's escaped through death, we have no idea when or where he will be reborn, grow up, and perhaps repeat the crimes for which he had been captured.

mymble · 01-13-2004, 09:17 AM

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Originally Posted by Clunky the monkey

The local news just interviewed a load of people in Hyde, most are glad he's dead.. but they're not the families. The families are angry that this was allowed to happen, they were still hoping he'd one day give them answers as to why he did this to their loved ones, and now that chance has gone.

That has to be maybe the hardest blow to them. That said, I bet he would have gone to his grave protesting his innocence anyway.

vegaenglit · 01-13-2004, 09:31 AM

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Originally Posted by TheSkeptic

Jane Ashton-Hibbert, whose grandmother Hilda was unlawfully killed by Shipman, told BBC News: "This seems like an easy way out for him. He never showed any compassion or any guilt and that door is now closed to us."

kinda redundant, ey? if you are killed than most likely it was unlawful. its not like you up and died. someone/something actively worked at taking your life. why didnt they just say murdered?

**Wout** · 01-13-2004, 09:31 AM

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what the holy fuck did they want to revive him for?

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The families are angry that this was allowed to happen, they were still hoping he'd one day give them answers as to why he did this to their loved ones, and now that chance has gone.

*shrug*

Death IS an easy way out for severe criminals like dr death, a big reason why I am against death penalty. Rot in prison, realize each day that you brought the imprisonment on yourself...

**Gog** · 01-13-2004, 09:36 AM

Ugh, good riddance.

I don't think he'd ever have provided the families with an explanation of why he did what he did. If he had any thought or compassion for others he wouldn't have spent ten years destroying people's lives in the first place. From what I've read about him in police interviews and such, the only person he was capable of feeling sorry for was himself.

Did he do it out of guilt? Unlikely. Probably was fed up with prison life.

Paul · 01-13-2004, 09:42 AM

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Originally Posted by jcldragon

Once you are dead, you return to the cycle of reincarnation. While he was alive & in prison, he couldn't hurt anybody. Now that he's escaped through death, we have no idea when or where he will be reborn, grow up, and perhaps repeat the crimes for which he had been captured.

I think this assumption depends wholly on your personal belief system.

I, for one, am not going to worry about it.

TheSkeptic · 01-13-2004, 09:49 AM

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Originally Posted by Paul

I think this assumption depends wholly on your personal belief system.

I, for one, am not going to worry about it.

And besides, he would have died eventually anyway, and according to that belief, he would be back again to cause harm...he probably only had another 20 or so years max of his natural life anyway.

I think it sucks that he died, because as people have said, it was an easy way out. I do not think, however, that the families would ever have got an explanation. Is there an explanation for murdering indiscriminantly over 200 people, other than his attempt at financial gain and his desire to play God? And are those "explanations" anyway? I don't think so.

That being said, good riddance, and one can only hope there is justice in the afterlife.

Matt