Karen Conti, a young lawyer in the early 1990s, made headlines by defending infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy. Despite the gruesome details of the case, Conti wanted to challenge her stance against the death penalty. She was the only female lawyer on Gacy’s defense team as he awaited execution and spent hours speaking with him. Gacy, known as the “Killer Clown,” appeared to be an average, engaging guy, which allowed him to hide his heinous crimes so effectively.
John Wayne Gacy was a contractor during his killing spree, where he raped, tortured, and murdered at least 33 young men and boys. Police found numerous bodies buried in his property in Norwood Park Township, although Conti believes there could be even more victims. Gacy was able to evade detection during a time when digital law enforcement databases were not available. Conti speculates that there may be dozens more undiscovered victims due to Gacy’s extensive travels and connections.
Conti was thrust into Gacy’s defense team when she was only 29 years old, six years into her career. Despite the odd timing of her involvement, Conti saw an opportunity to challenge the death penalty and advocate for criminal justice reform. She remained with Gacy through his final appeals until his execution by lethal injection in 1994. During their final conversations, Gacy maintained his humor, even joking about his impending execution, which shocked Conti.
Gacy’s killing spree left a trail of destruction, with at least 33 known victims. Conti suspects that there could be more unknown victims, potentially implicating politically connected individuals. She believes that Gacy may have had accomplices and was not acting alone in his crimes. Despite suspicions and hints of additional perpetrators, evidence linking them to the crimes is scarce. Conti estimates that there could be up to 20 more victims attributed to Gacy.
During her time as Gacy’s lawyer, Conti faced numerous challenges, including death threats and bomb threats from those who disapproved of her defense of the serial killer. Her reputation suffered, but she remained committed to challenging the death penalty and upholding criminal justice principles. She recounts her experiences with Gacy in her book “Killing Time with John Wayne Gacy,” where she delves into the complex dynamic between herself and the notorious killer.
Conti developed an unusual rapport with Gacy, whom she described as a sociopath and narcissist. Despite his lack of genuine emotions, Gacy engaged in polite conversation with Conti about family and personal experiences. She believes that Gacy wanted to be caught by police and was relieved to be behind bars as he felt compelled to kill again if given the opportunity. Conti attributes Gacy’s troubled childhood, head injuries, and repressed homosexual tendencies to his violent behavior, as he seemed to be acting out a form of self-destructive behavior.
