PSYCHOPATH? Forensic psychiatrist says slain gangster...would never have been fully rehabilitated

Tyrone Reid, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

AFTER CONDUCTING a content analysis of Cedric 'Doggie' Murray's diary, a consultant forensic psychia-trist at the University of the West Indies has concluded that the alleged transnational killer was a psychopath who was unlikely to have been rehabilitated.

The forensic psychiatrist, Dr Clayton Sewell, conducted the analysis of Doggie's writings in an effort to determine the mental state of the man accused of more than 100 murders before he was fatally shot by the police.

At the end of the analysis, Sewell determined that the alleged contract killer could not have been taught any new tricks.

"His writings reflect a lack of empathy for others, though he recorded his own emotions," Sewell told The Sunday Gleaner.

"It also reflected a level of selfishness which was in keeping with the characterisation of an anti-personality disorder, and that component that we call psychopathy," Sewell added.

Lack of empathy

He said while Doggie was aware of his emotions, the gangster did not recognise the impact of his behaviour on others.

"One of the things about psycho-paths is that they are callous; they lack empathy towards other people," Sewell added.

According to Sewell, it was highly likely - because of Doggie's early initiation into criminality at 11 or 12 years old - that he would have grown more violent if he had not been caught or killed.

"They (psychopaths) are very difficult to rehabilitate. The success rate for persons with psychopathy is very, very low," said Sewell.

The forensic psychiatrist found Doggie's' ode to former west Kingston strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke revealing.

According to Sewell, there appeared to be an underlying similarity in their psychological make-up.

"Antisocial persons are drawn to antisocial peer groups. It can create difficulties, but they are (often) able to co-exist," said Sewell.

He argued that the fact that Doggie kept a diary did not mean he was mushy and 'touchy-feely'.

Sewell said the diary was probably an indication that Doggie was more intelligent than the average local criminal.

Sewell said that while a suspected killer keeping a diary would be unusual in the Jamaican context, it was not unheard of for criminals in other parts of the world to chronicle their deeds in journals.

"But the fact that he was so connected with his own emotions to put pen to paper probably says something about his IQ (intelligence quotient) to a certain extent," said Sewell, who believes that Doggie used his diary as an outlet, a means of release.

"In other parts of the world you would find that serial killers - which, based on what he was alleged to have done, he would fall under that category - sometimes will record these things for future reference or as a way of reliving some of their experiences," Sewell said.

On the surface, Doggie's diary may have provided a human face to the accused murderer as he spoke about his children, his struggles with loneliness and isolation, as well as the lady love of his life.

But Sewell is convinced that while Doggie was connected to his emotions and showed some level of emotional maturity by chronicling his feelings and thoughts, when held up to the lens of scrutiny, the thoughts and actions all seemed to have been motivated by selfishness.

The analysis of Doggie's diary also revealed that he struggled with bouts of depression, probably spawned by his isolation while on the run.

Sewell argued that Doggie saw the mountain peaks of a life of crime, but could not cope with the attendant valleys.

"When they start that lifestyle, they have a view on how things would be - that they would be the one in control of what happens in their lives and in control of their lives - but oftentimes, the reality is far different from what they would have imagined."

Depressed

Sewell continued: "So now he was faced with a situation where he could no longer go where he pleased or do as he liked. He couldn't go out with his girlfriend; he couldn't go on a date, and things like that.

"And so the reality of that can be quite depressing. And I think pervasive throughout his writings are periods where he definitely seemed to have been in a depressed mood, and that can happen when the reality of life suddenly hits the person."

Doggie quoted several passages from the Bible in his diary and spoke about God frequently, which is in sync with reports that he was a Christian for a number of years.

For Sewell, the religious aspect of the journal entries is not unusual.

"I have come across convicted criminals who said they prayed often, asking God to protect them even while they are out killing people. And they are doing these wrongs with the Bible in the back pocket. It is not unusual for people to draw on that upbringing," he said.

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm