my letter to Globe and Mail re Blatchford's praise for a book about and for ex C

ol Russell Williams' not being a psychopath

by James R Dubro on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 8:50am
To the Editor, Globe and MAil re "Russell Williams a Murderer with a Soft Side")
(globe didn't run even short version, CB said it was not a "review" but a person
al column (yes.but a review all but in name..and the Name is "A Different Kind o
f Monster" which belies the softer image..being peddled...)
Christie Blatchford makes two basic mistakes in her column on a new book on kill
er Russelll Williams-- one journalistic, one criminological.. First jorunalsists
don't write book reviews of books by close firend and then spend a lot of their
piece attesting got the essential good character, judgement and manners of the
man who wrote the book. I know Timothy Appleby and he is nice man and a true gen
tleman, But is that relevant at all to a look at his book on Russell Williams? I
think not. She should have stated the fact of her close friendship with the aut
hor at the outset as a possible conflict of interest and left it at that. Instea
d she uses her appreciation of his essential decency as an argument that William
s must be a nice guy too. as Abbleby apparently presents and attests to in his n
e book. But Appleby is a professional journalist looking as best he can from the
outside into the actions of a sick perverted killer. He is not a psychoanalyst
or apologist for murderous psychopathy. But then to use Appleby's good character
and manners to defend what she says is the thesis of the book, namely that to p
rove that Williams was a nice man with a sft side and apparently had a conscienc
e and not a real "psychopath" (based apparently on interviews Appleby did with W
illiam's lifelong friends and people who knew him but apparently not with Willia
ms himself.) Sorry, but appearing "nice" and even a "decent guy" and appearing t
o have a conscience is one of the notable characteristics of many a killer, Mafi
a boss, or gangster I have known. And I have come to meet and sometimes even bef
riend (at my peril) many a hit man, con man, biker, Mafia leader or triad boss &
other organized criminals in the course of the past four decades of writing man
y books and articles as well as documentaries films about organized crime. And k
nowing they are "nice" guys as part of their persona does not make them less a k
iller or psychopath or professional outlaw--did Blatchford of Appleby not see an
y of the "Sopranos" or the movies of the "Godfather" series ? ). And as for bein
g a secret psychopathic killer who is ashamed of being known for having child po
rnography on his computer, that is classic out of touch, psychopathic behavior o
f a serious criminal. Admit to murder but don't admit to being a sick kiddie por
n lover. This reminds me of the Hamilton mafia boos in the 1980's who plead guil
ty to the greater crime of Obstruction of justice in a deal with the crown to ha
ve a charge of "procuring" dropped against him. This nice Mafia boss didn't want
to be know as someone who hired a whore to have sex with his lawyer (which he h
ad gone to great lengths to do in this case.) My point is simple. A psychopath c
an seem to be nice, normal and still be a horrible criminal and killer. After al
l According to "Without Conscience" noted Canadian criminologist Dr Robert Hare'
s authoritative book on psychopathy, many a lawyer and politician make perfect p
sychopaths as many find it so easy to lie and to override their consciences (if
they have any) to get ahead. And there is no question that ex Colonel Russell Wi
lliams was a dangerous psychopathic rapist and killer no matter how nice he appe
ared to his few friends.That;'s the essence of some psychopaths--that they can h
ide their sickness and generally appear as a decent, sensitive guy next door. I
have met many of these "nice guys" over the years and in my mind the fact that t
hey have a kind disposition and a soft side does not alter the fact the many are
hardened, professional criminals and dangerous murderers who plan cold-blooded
murders without batting an eyelash. sincerely. james r dubro, true crime author