John Bodkin Adams

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Kent Lodge, the home of Dr. Adams

John Bodkin Adams (born January 21, 1899 in Randalstown , † July 4, 1983 in Eastbourne ) was a British medic and impostor who was also charged as a serial killer , but was acquitted.

Life

Between 1946 and 1956, more than 160 of his patients died under mysterious circumstances. 132 of these patients left him money or items in their wills. On December 19, 1956, the doctor was arrested by the police on suspicion of murder. In 1957 he was charged with the murder of a patient and acquitted. Another murder charge was later withdrawn from the prosecution, which the presiding judge denounced as an abuse of process. This approach by the prosecutor even sparked discussions in the UK Parliament. The trial was reported around the world, and at the time it was referred to as the “greatest murder trial of all time” or “murder trial of the century”.

The process had several important legal implications. First, he introduced the principle of double action into English law, according to which a doctor who inadvertently causes the patient's death in the will to relieve his patient's pain should not be charged with murder. Second, due to the huge public interest at Adams' hearing, the defendant was allowed to seek disqualification from the public. Finally, it was made clear once again that no one should be counted as a disadvantage if they exercise their right not to defend themselves in court.

In a separate trial, Adams was found guilty of prescription fraud on 13 counts. Other charges included tampering with crematorium papers, lack of a drug register and obstructing a police search. As a result, he lost his license as a doctor for four years and was only able to practice again in 1961.

After regaining his license, he returned to practice as a general practitioner in Eastbourne. When he applied for a visa to the United States in 1962, he was denied permission because he had been convicted of handling dangerous drugs.

In later years he was President of the British Clay Pigeon Shooters Association.

On June 30, 1983, he broke his hip during shooting training in Battle and was hospitalized, where he died of pneumonia on July 4, 1983.

He left a house valued at £ 402,970 and a fortune of £ 1,000. He bequeathed this to Percy Hoskins, the only reporter who had assisted him during his murder trial. He donated the money to charitable purposes. Until the end, Adams was considered in wills of his patients. In 1986 the English feature film The Good Doctor Bodkin treated his case. The main role was played by Timothy West .

The files of the case were initially to be kept under lock and key until 2033, but were published again in 2003 due to an exemption.

literature

  • Sybille Bedford : The Best We Can Do .
  • Pamela V. Cullen: Stranger in Blood: The Case Files on Dr John Bodkin Adams . Elliott & Thompson, London 2006, ISBN 1-904027-19-9
  • Patrick Devlin: Easing the passing: The trial of Doctor John Bodkin Adams . The Bodley Head, London 1985
  • Percy Hoskins: Two men were acquitted: The trial and acquittal of Doctor John Bodkin Adams . 1983
  • Rodney Hallworth, Mark Williams: Where there's a will ... The sensational life of Dr John Bodkin Adams . Capstan Press, Jersey 1983, ISBN 0-946797-00-5
  • John Surtees: The Strange Case of Dr. Bodkin Adams: The Life and Murder Trial of Eastbourne's Infamous Doctor and the Views of Those Who Knew Him . 2000

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Case of Dr John Bodkin Adams . strangerinblood.co.uk. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
  2. ^ Cullen, p. 636
  3. ↑ The advocate's triumph . In: Der Spiegel . No. 17 , 1957 ( online ).
  4. ^ Cullen, p. 537
  5. ↑ Not Guilty . In: Time , April 22, 1957.
  6. ↑ Brook Thomas: Law and Literature , p. 149 - quoting Rupert Furneaux
  7. ↑ Times , June 11, 1985, p. 10
  8. ^ Devlin, 1985
  9. ↑ Surtees, p. 132
personal data
SURNAME Adams, John Bodkin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British medic, suspected serial killer
DATE OF BIRTH January 21, 1899
PLACE OF BIRTH Randalstown
DATE OF DEATH 4th July 1983
Place of death Eastbourne