“A Killing Clown” a book review- “Killing Time with John Wayne Gacy

**** Think back to 1978! It was a different time. Computers were not in every home and cell phones were something quite futuristic and only seen in “Sci-Fi” movies. My life was different than today by a long shot, but every winter, around Christmas, I was doing Santa and that year, I was also a part of a group, Achim B’Nai  Brith, a Jewish men’s organization that did a special Christmas Eve program in the Buffalo Grove community and surrounding towns. Christmas Eve of 1978, as we were working at the Buffalo Grove Police Station, packaging up food for the local fire stations, police departments, emergency rooms and shelters, we were listening to what was being found in the home of a “clown” named John Wayne Gacy. They had just arrested him for murder and during this particular holiday season, they would find that there were a lot more bodies than they could have anticipated. This was a serial killer that would always be remembered and about whom books would be written.

Moving forward, some 14 years later. Gacy has already been convicted, and sentenced and is on Death Row. He has asked to file an appeal in order not to be put to death and the person they contact to represent him is a Chicago area attorney Karen Conti. Based on the stories and anecdotes in her new book, “Killing Time with John Wayne Gacy” you learn that while this was not something she wanted to do, it was something that had to be done. Part of this book is about how attorneys must represent their client to the best of their abilities without prejudgments. To know that your “client” has killed 33 young men for no apparent reason ( other than keep them from prosecuting) cannot make for a pleasant task.

Karen’s book takes us on her journey and does so with glimpses of Gacy’s history, his determination, his ability to take charge ( while in prison) and looks at our judicial system as well. She digs deep into the man and his life. Why did he do the things he did? Who was he really? Conti digs deep and  opens our eyes to more about the man and his personality. Can one become someone to do what he did just because of his early days and his lack of relationship with his dad? In the book, we learn more about the man and how he did achieve along the path. We learn what a great neighbor he was and how those living on his block never suspected that in the bowels of his home there were buried bodies.

It took Conti 27 years from her representing Gacy until she put it all down to share with the world. I am sure that there were times she walked away from her notes thinking, “Can I really do this?” and yet other times that thoughts would come to mind that she felt the world needed to know. Gacy was an artist, a volunteer clown to bring joy to little ones and a hard worker. Before he started his own business, he was a worker in retail and wholesale and did well. Why did he become the worst mass killer in history? Karen does open up some of the background that will help you see into the brain of this man, in addition to the legal system, and its workings.

I found myself not wanting to put it down. The chapters are short and each one draws you into the depths of Conti’s education and entertaining look at this man on Death Row!

The book is published  by Black Lyon Publishing in Oregon

ISBN:979-8-9865124-7-1

www.KarenConti.com

You can purchase at all book dealers and Amazon