No Cure for Murder (41 page)

“I’d be the last one to tell you that all criminals, by their acts, are mentally ill. I’ve worked in criminal justice too long and this system, just like in the rest of the world, has proven unequivocally that evil does exist. Just open your morning paper or turn on the TV.

“The defense has one additional burden in trying to understand Zoe Spelling’s actions; her mental disorder, narcissism, is unlikely to evoke sympathy. The schizophrenic holding his sign and babbling in the park about repentance and doomsday, the child seething with uncontrolled rage, and those whose lives are frozen by intractable depression, evoke both fear and compassion.

“Not so with the narcissist whose behavior stands in sharp opposition to our most cherished religious and cultural values such as love, forgiveness, the ten commandments, and especially the Golden Rule.

“Narcissism is named after the Greek God Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection and died pining for the love he could never have. You’ve heard the phrase, ‘a legend in her own mind’? That surely defines the narcissist who thinks the world revolves around her. Healthy narcissism exists in nearly everyone. It gives us a sense of our own value and leads us to be productive and creative.

“Zoe Spelling manifests characteristics of what we psychiatrists call malignant narcissism. You ladies and gentlemen of the jury understand these by now but let me reiterate because I have a point to make. Zoe Spellings is angry, resentful, envious, dishonest, and thinks she’s entitled to special treatment. She exalts herself at the cost to others who she uses then discards. She suffers from persecutory delusions and above all fears exposure and humiliation.”

“It won’t happen again,” said Alan to the judge, but turned to the jury and continued, “Imagine someone in court saying those things about you, especially your defense attorney.

“Let me continue. Who would choose to be this way?”

Alan glanced at his yellow pad for effect, then smiled. “I ask for your indulgence for a moment for a little psych talk. Our best experts in the human mind have speculated that narcissists were born to parents unable to connect to them emotionally and thus they learned not to let another person become essential to them. Typically, they’re treated like royalty or little gods and as a result they make the terrible choice not to love. They become complete unto themselves, not needing anything or anyone.”

Alan returned his pad to the defense table. Zoe’s head remained down.

He returned to the jury. “We sit today as witnesses to tragedy, multiple tragedies. We ask not for your forgiveness, but your understanding.

“As I prepared for my closing today, I found a quote from Jesus Christ...and no, for the skeptics we’re not trying to bring Jesus on our side at the last moment. You judge the appropriateness of Jesus’s saying: ‘For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’

“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen for your attention.”

Kevin Martin rose from the prosecution table and moved into his spot before the jury. Even in his pin-striped Armani suit, his informal folksiness came through.

“Alan Hayes is a great attorney, don’t you think?”

Not expecting an answer, he continued, “Defending Dr. Zoe Spelling for murder and attempted murder is beyond his considerable skills. In the sanctity of a hospital, bound by everything we hold sacred to help and protect patients, this physician acted against the oath of her profession and the fundamental laws and values of our society.”

Kevin Martin reviewed each case emphasizing the cruelty of the means employed by Zoe Spelling and the tragic loss of life.

“Here’s what’s uncontested: Zoe Spelling knows why she’s here and has participated fully in her own defense. She knew right from wrong, but even under the increased scrutiny at Brier Hospital she continued her monstrous acts. What’s left for the defense?

“First they trotted out the diminished capacity defense; her narcissism made her do it. That’s the Dan White Twinkie defense and won’t fly in this state where we believe in personal responsibility. Then they suggested that Dr. Spelling didn’t have the mens rea. That’s the lawyer’s fancy term that suggests the absence of a guilty mind or the lack of intent to commit the crime.

“Let’s look at that critically: Five separate events left four dead and one pushed to the brink of death and left with permanent disability.

“A guilty mind? She planned each murder in detail using her familiar face to move through the hospital, a predator in white. She picked exactly the right times to commit her heinous acts then disappeared into the night.

“You’ve heard much psychiatric testimony, but in the end, the determination of insanity is, under the law, a layman’s decision, your decision.”

Kevin walked back to his table, picked up a book and returned before the jury. “This is Sam Vaknin’s book, Malignant Self Love: Narcissism Re-Visited. Let me quote a few characteristics that the defense attorney omitted: Narcissists’ deeds are frequently overlooked; they only seek therapy when caught; they are often fully aware, cunning, premeditated and sometimes even enjoy every bit of it.”

“Finally. I’m sure you’re glad to hear that word,” he paused, smiling, “hold Zoe Spelling responsible for these murderous acts. The one statement that appears in every description of the narcissist is that they always think they can get away with it.”

Kevin paused to meet each juror’s eyes. “Let me say it again...Zoe, in her narcissistic fantasy, thinks she’ll get away with it. Prove Zoe Spelling wrong, and find her guilty on all counts. Thank you.”

Chapter Seventy-Seven

As Lola and Jacob finished lunch, she turned to him. “How long has the jury been out?”

“They only had a few hours yesterday after the judge delivered his charge, so perhaps five or six hours.”

“What does the DA think?”

“Kevin Martin believes that Zoe’s refusal to negotiate a plea agreement is more proof of her narcissism and its associated denial. She’s going away for a long time.”

Jacob grasped Lola’s wrinkled hand and brought it to his cheek. “This whole thing has been disappointing. Do you think you might have done something for her in therapy?”

“I always think I can help people, but narcissists may be the most difficult group to treat. They have little insight, won’t admit that they need help, blame others and generally they are contemptuous of those wanting to help them. Will Zoe’s confrontation with the reality of a long prison sentence make any difference? Who knows?”

The phone rang nearly simultaneously for the prosecution and the defense.

“The jury’s back,” said the clerk of the court.

The courtroom buzzed with excitement as they awaited the judge’s arrival. Finally, the bailiff stood before the bench. “All rise.” as judge Horace Kemper took his seat.

“Bring them in,” intoned Kemper. “I’ll not tolerate any outbursts.”

After the jury took their seats, the judge turned toward the jury. “I understand you’ve reached a verdict. Will the foreman pass it on to the bailiff.”

“The defendant will rise,” said the judge. “How say you in the case of the County of Alameda against the defendant Zoe Spelling?”

The foreman, a thin, angular man in his sixties, held the verdict in shaky hands. “We find the defendant, Zoe Spelling, guilty on all charges.”

Judge Kemper gaveled the court into session the next morning. The judge glared at Zoe. “Zoe Spelling, pursuant to the jury verdict returned yesterday, finding you guilty on all counts of the indictment, I’m prepared to impose your sentence.”

“I realize that anything I say now will come across as self-serving, but, at the moment, I’m rational enough to offer an explanation, not an excuse. God knows I didn’t set out to be a killer. I went into the medicine to help others, but along the way something went wrong, terribly wrong.

“I don’t understand how I could have done these things. I do remember the anger, the rage, the uncontrolled resentment and the sense that I couldn’t control myself.

“Standing here convicted of these crimes, I wish that I’d embraced all those efforts to help me, to treat me. I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t trust anyone or anything. I wish I could turn back the clock and have prevented all the misery I’ve caused. For that, I’m truly sorry.

“Thank you, Your Honor.”

Judge Kemper shifted in his chair adjusting his robe.

“I’ve been on the bench a long time, Ms. Spelling. Of all the killers who stood before me, you may be the worst, the most evil, the most contemptible. To most people, each life has value. To you, it means nothing.

“You are correct when you said that the court might consider your statements to be self-serving. I find them incredible, unbelievable, as I do your assertions of regret. I don’t believe for one moment that you’re sorry for anything except for getting caught.

“You placed yourself in a position of trust. You ignored your oath to do no harm and you betrayed those you pledged to help.

“You watched as Shannon Hogan struggled valiantly to live, then on the brink of recovery you killed her in the cruelest of ways, paralyzed, unable to move, to breathe, a witness to her own death.

“The fact that P.J. Manning and Joshua Friedman stood on death’s door wasn’t enough for you. You had to deprive them and their families of their last precious moments together.

“The murder of Nathan Seigel and the attempted murder of Rory Calhoun were as senseless as the rest. Did you smile as you injected them with lethal drugs?

“You nearly killed Harry Rodman and tried to kill your mentor, your friend, Jacob Weizman, all to satisfy your pathological envy.”

Judge Kemper removed a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped his forehead.

“Intelligent and wealthy defendants pay smart lawyers and psychiatrists to come up with excuses, justifications for their evil acts. I’m pleased that this jury didn’t buy it, and neither do I. If I had the power, Zoe Spelling, you would remain in jail, where you belong, for the remainder of your natural life.”

Dateline, Oakland Tribune,

Dr. Zoe Spelling was found guilty in the murder of four and the attempted murder of two in the spectacular trial completed yesterday in Superior Court.

Judge Horace Kemper sentenced Dr. Spelling to a total of sixty years in prison.

Mr. Alan Hayes, the attorney for the defense, will appeal the harshness of the sentence.

Six months later, Jacob watched Lola reading a letter. “Another letter from Zoe?”

“We’re real pen pals now.”

“What’s she up to?”

“What isn’t she? Zoe’s studying law and I think she will soon flood the justice system with her work. She still must deal with the civil wrongful death suits filed by her victims and their families.

It was 9 a.m. when Jacob stepped into the bright morning sunlight. He’d spent four hours in the middle of the night with a sick patient. He was tired and anxious to get home for a few hours of sleep.

He walked down the emergency room ramp to the street level and the parking garage. As he waited at the crosswalk for the light to turn green, Jacob felt someone take his elbow. He turned to see a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl smiling at him.

“Can I help you across the street, sir?”

Jacob felt himself flush with anger, then as he took a deep breath, he relaxed. He turned to the girl and smiled. “That would be lovely, young lady, just lovely.”

When they reached the other side, Jacob put on his best grandfatherly smile. “Thank you. If you have a minute, I’d like to give you some advice.”

About the Author

Dr Gold practiced internal medicine and nephrology (disease of the kidneys) for twenty-three years. He was an active participant in the hospital’s quality assurance program that monitored physician performance. In addition, Dr. Gold served a chief of the department of medicine and family practice.