The story of Karen Conti, the lawyer who defended John Wayne Gacy, one of the most notorious serial killers in history, is a chilling tale of facing evil head-on. Conti, a fierce opponent of the death penalty, took on the case to stand up for her beliefs, despite the horrors she would uncover.
Gacy, known as the “Killer Clown,” was responsible for the rape, torture, and murders of at least 33 young men and boys in Chicago. Conti, who was the only female lawyer on his defense team, spent hours talking to Gacy, trying to understand the mind of a killer.
Despite Gacy’s charming facade, Conti saw through his mask of normalcy to the darkness within. She believes there are likely more victims buried in Gacy’s past, and that he may have had co-conspirators who helped him evade capture.
Throughout her time defending Gacy, Conti faced death threats, bomb threats, and scrutiny from all sides. But she maintained an “amiable relationship” with Gacy, trying to find the humanity in a man devoid of empathy.
In the end, Gacy was executed by lethal injection in 1994, but the scars of his crimes remain. Conti’s story is a reminder of the darkness that lurks in the human soul, and the courage it takes to confront it.
