2024 will be an important year in the Ed Kemper case as a parole suitability hearing is tentatively scheduled for July 9. We don’t know yet if Kemper will be attending.
In other news, according to an unverified source on Reddit who works at the California Medical Facility (CMF) and who has direct contact with Kemper, Kemper has been having health issues in the last year, severe enough for him to be taken out of prison on a code 3 emergency transport to an outside hospital. It happened in July 2023 and February 2024. When Kemper does go out to hospital, he’s always back after a few days and it’s always because of complications from his diabetes. Other than that, he is apparently doing fine. He doesn’t get around much but he spends many hours on his tablet to pass time. He is still part of the general population of the prison.
Kemper isn’t bed ridden and as frail as people think. He is in a medical unit at the CMF for his severe diabetes, and has never been in the hospice. Kemper regularly uses a wheelchair but he can still walk. It is just more difficult due to neuropathy and other issues. The stroke he suffered in late 2015 early 2016 didn’t leave him paralyzed or cognitively disabled.
According to the same source, Kemper spent over a year telling his life story and crimes to a journalist over phone calls and in person visits, for a new book and possible documentary (maybe the “This is Ed Kemper” project?). Kemper still likes to discuss his crimes but the staff at CMF doesn’t really engage him in those conversations. The source goes on to say that Kemper has no remorse or shame about what he did. After being imprisoned over 50 years, Kemper told the source’s coworker that there is nothing better than having intercourse with the neck of a decapitated girl because the trachea and vocal cords pull you in and that he recommends he try it one day. Kemper is very personable and can start and carry on a conversation with anybody, and everybody that interacts with him seems to feel totally safe around him and people often say that he’s harmless, which is obviously not true.
Kemper has been a model prisoner for most of his incarceration but did receive a disciplinary RVR a few years ago for grabbing a nurse’ butt. Kemper showed no remorse for this and his defense was “I couldn’t help myself and what are they going to do to me, I’m already in prison.” The incident happened as the nurse was changing Kemper’s diaper. His actions were perhaps sexually motivated in a context where most self-aware people would feel embarrassed. This might show that Kemper still has no self-control over his impulses. He’s never done this before so why now? Perhaps he is getting older and the gesture wasn’t meant to be harmful, but maybe the real Kemper just made a brief appearance as his health further declines and he no longer wants to control his urges and is no longer satisfied by the memories. Especially after spending the prior year reliving all of his crimes and the graphic details of what he did to his victims for a biography.
Source: photo from “’Mind of a Monster: Ed Kemper “The Co-Ed Killer”, a podcast from Investigation Discovery / Reddit
As someone who is the fulltime caregiver for a family member with severe dementia, I’d say that maybe grabbing the nurse’s butt was his old impulses acting up again–but it’s just as likely that his stroke and encroaching senility are affecting his self-control and sense of decorum. Dementia patients often act out like that. My husband will do things like taking his clothes off with no warning, or coming out of the bathroom stark naked, something he would NEVER have done ten years ago–especially not since we have a friend living with us right now. The kind of modesty or embarrassment he would once have felt is no longer present. Definitely the behavior changes and often not for the better, unfortunately. Kemper may well have been less dangerous decades ago, when he was more in control of himself and more fully capable of pragmatic long-term thought processes, like “I want to do that but I better not because I don’t want to go back to solitary again or have privileges taken away.” Additionally, even if his brain isn’t deteriorating via dementia/senility or from the stroke and diabetes, he may simply feel as if he has little enough time left and hence, nothing to lose. I’d keep more of an close eye on him nowadays than perhaps was done in the past.
If he were truly wheelchair-bound and unable to walk, I’d say he would be a lot closer to harmless. Since that’s not the case…hmmm. It’s crazy to think of him being at an ordinary hospital just up the road from me. I wonder how much security is in play during visits like that.
Good to hear the old man still has some spunk.
Sorry, but no one should have to change that scumbag’s diaper. Let him sit in his own crap.
Kemper is and will always be a predator.
He uses he’s gentle giant facade and easy going personality to lure people into his sick world.
I don’t understand how the justice system can even think about granting him parole.
Personally I think he should rot in jail where he belongs.
Lmao to the person who wrote let him sit in his own crap. Hahaha. That would be a health hazard to everyone around.
wish there was more interviews of this guy. I’ve seen them all and it seems so limited. Why is there not more!! People like to praise the actor in the Netflix show but it wasn’t even good. He spoke with completely the wrong cadence for dramatic effect probably.
Give us more Kemper content! Thx.