Geraldo Rivera provided his analysis of the ”¦ Natalee Holloway disappearance case. Prime suspect Joran Van Der Sloot has given a series of interviews proclaiming his total innocence. “The lie that he has fastened on,” Rivera pronounced, “is that he took her on the beach but didn’t have sex because he didn’t have a condom, then left her on the there. It’s at odds with the story he told earlier, but as he tells this story he becomes more confident and more glib. I believe there is a pathological aspect to this man.” The Factor concurred that Van Der Sloot seems psychologically unbalanced. “I can’t figure out why he wants do these interviews because he comes off as a sociopath. If he makes one slip-up he’s done. It looks to me like he’s a danger junkie – he likes this cat-and-mouse game, it’s exciting to him” (source)
Does it matter whether or not Joran van der Sloot is a sociopath/psychopath? Why not just be satisfied that he is a “criminal” and an evil person?
Yes, it does matter, because when dealing with a sociopath the usual rules of human interaction do not apply. Anyone who treats a sociopath as they would a non-disordered person is likely to get burned and to be implicated in the evil that sociopath does. Joran van der Sloot’s story illustrates this principle.
Joran’s father, Paulus, was an attorney many believed knew the truth about what happened to Natalie Halloway, the first young woman Joran was accused of murdering. Paulus strongly supported his son after the murder accusations first arose, and was even charged himself as an accessory after the fact, though the charges were dropped.
Paulus van der Sloot died of a sudden cardiac death last February and so did not live to see the result of his enabling of his son. Joran’s mother, Anita, is now alone to deal with the repercussions of the family’s enabling.
The lesson to be learned is that if you have a family member who has been charged with a serious crime, and that family member has psychopathic personality traits, or is diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, DO NOT HELP THAT PERSON IN ANY WAY.
Over and over again, we have said on this website that sociopaths are able to do evil in a large part because they are enabled by family members and various governmental agencies- including the judicial system and law enforcement. Well, law enforcement does it again.
It turns out that the FBI wired Joran $25,000 as part of a “sting” operation, as they were trying to arrest him for shaking down Natalie Halloway’s parents. According to former agent Paul Lindsay, “the FBI formula for extortion stings is, “set ’em up, pay ’em off, get ’em to talk, never let them leave the room without handcuffs on.” Because the FBI did not understand the psychology of their suspect, they let him leave the room and were out smarted by a sociopath.
The lesson to be learned here is that next time the FBI wants to sting a sociopath they should contact Lovefraud so that Donna and I can tell them not to give a sociopath any money”¦ that is unless they want the sociopath to use the money to kill someone.
One more lesson to be learned from the van der Sloot case is that media psychiatrists should stop confusing people with their false categorical statements. I came across this analysis of van der Sloot by psychiatrist Keith Ablow (who I have criticized before):
“Serial killers whether organized or disorganized are always made, never born. Having interviewed dozens of killers myself, I can tell you that it turns out that evil never appears ”˜out of the womb’.”
Well, I knew Rodney Alcala, and I can tell you that he was born with a disposition to become a serial killer that was present in his early childhood. Serial killers are both born and made. Evil is in the genes of some people but like many other traits it needs the right soil to take root and blossom.
i tried to click through to some of the videos on the blog with no success.
here’s a direct link to videos with Geraldo Rivera.
http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/4235610/geraldo-rivera-on-joran-van-der-sloots-arrest/?playlist_id=87185
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbmYTncbwmA
Geraldo knows about sociopaths. He is a media resource for *us*, then.
and how does the FBI not freaking get it? this is hard to understand…the FBI?! aren’t bad guys their business?! this is hard to comprehend. don’t they consider ppathy with every murderer?
rveria: ‘It’s at odds with the story he told earlier, but as he tells this story he becomes more confident and more glib. ‘ the night the spath resurrected her boy character for me – i listened as she tried to find a story i would accept. i didn’t accept any of them, BUT SHE FOUND ONE SHE FASTENED ON TO, AND I COULD HEAR HER CONFIDENCE INCREASE BY THE MOMENT – ’cause she had a new good story. glib. f*****. dangerous.
Dear Liane,
I think “Dr. A-BLOW” is very well named, and being an “expert” and on camera tends to bring out the messiah (my word is gospel) in many people, and apparently in him as well.
Though I don’t particularly like Geraldo, in this case I think he is more rigtht on in his assessment than the FBI.
As far as ENABLING the criminal psychopaths, I’M THE POSTER QUEEN OF ENABLING MY PSYCHOPATHIC SON, I’m the POSTER QUEEN FOR DENIAL of how EVIL he is and I can vouch for the fact that NOTHING BUT PAIN AND MORE EVIL COMES OUT OF ATTEMPTS TO HELP THEM.
And it doesn’t matter if it is enabling someone to have fresh clothes to wear to work or school because YOU pick pick them up off the floor and do them and hang them in the person’s closet because they can’t be bothered. ENABLING others is not only abusing ourselves, but it is DISABNLING the need for the other to take responsibility for their own lives.
When we enable a “normal” person we don’t do them any favors, but when we ENABLE A PSYCHOPATH we all ow their EVIL TO SPREAD uninhibited.
I was rather suprised that Joran confessed in Peru, but on the other hand, I imagine their questioning techniques might have been somewhat harsher than Aruba, but at the same time too, it might have been in his best interests to confess and possibly get a better prison situation. I’ve read where Peru has some of the most harsh prisons on the earth.
In the secretly taped videos in the car where he was “dancing around” the murder in Aruba sort of bragging, but Not QUITE admitting he did it, he seemed to ENJOY talking about the murder and the fact that he was not in custody for it. The two brothers that apparently helped him dump the body just seemed to me to be dupes (maybe well paid by Joran’s father as well) As for Joran’ls mother, who knows, she may be another victim. It is also possible that Joran’s father was not only an enabler but the genetic link for Joran’s psychopathy. With some psychopaths the “success” of their kids (that reflects on them) is important so they would protect that kid from exposure as a killer or whatever. There are lots of ways I can see that THAT CAN OF WORMS could be tangled up.
Or possibly, Joran’s father, like other truly loving fathers I have known, who have protected their sons from the consequences of terrible crimes, have been deeply enough in denial to really believe that “junior” is not guilty.
In my own case, at first I was in denial, then even when I realized it was true that my son was a killer, I convinced myself that he had repented of that and would never behave that way again. I WANTED SO TO BELIEVE IT, SO I BELIEVED IT. The power of denial is infinite sometimes.
You are so right Liane, ENABLING a psychopath is going to backfire in ways we can’t even imagine. I do however, say that enabling ANYONE also can’t have lasting positive results.
Thanks for this insightful article.
I have been following the Joran Van Der Sloot case, and I am both stunned and disgusted at the ignorant, inaccurate, and reckless statements the so called “media experts” are making about personality disorders, i.e. psychopathy.
More than once, I have heard the comment that people are not born evil.
We are all blank canvases when we are born. Not true!!
I have even heard a criminologist on Nancy Grace say that childhood abuse & trauma has NOTHING to do with whether a person becomes a psychopath. Another ignorant statment that flies in the face of EVERYTHING I’ve read, especially when there is no genetic component as these experts believe.
She goes on to say that a person can become a psychopath in their adulthood. And it can come seemingly out of nowhere….like a unicorn I guess. I found this statement over-the-top ridiculous and reckless.
This criminologist seemed to embrace the theory that teenagers are becoming psychopaths because they believe they can do anything, via what they see in the media.
They all want to be famous, so they become narcissistic psychopaths. That’s another reckless statement, as far as I am concerned.
How are the average citizens supposed to understand this personality disorder when the experts cannot even understand it?
The misinformation being put out there by so called “experts” is staggering.
Then, we have defense attorneys like Joe Tacopina, who defended Joran Van Der Sloot in the Natalie Holloway case. And, even after this most recent murder, Tacopina STILL claimed that the evidence did not prove Van Der Sloot was guilty of murdering Stephany Flores in Peru!!!
Tacopina has got egg all over his face now, because Van Der Sloot confessed to the murder of Stephany Flores.
And we all know he is probably responsible for Natalie Holloway’s death as well.
Stephany Flores was murdered 5 years TO THE DAY of Natalie Holloway’s disappearance in Aruba. Van Der Sloot was also able to flee Peru and get into Chile with the help of 2 brothers (Not the Kalpo brothers), but you can see all of the creepy parallels.
The casino in Peru where Van Der Sloot and Flores were seen gambling together knew they had a possible killer in their establishment, because they were notified by the authorites, according to Fox News.
It is tragic that Van Der Sloot was able to lure Flores up to his hotel room, and then kill her.
It just seems like something that should have been prevented, in my opinion.
But, psychopaths are so slippery.
I think they should start looking into other places Van Der Sloot has travelled, and see if there are any other young women missing/killed.
There was some talkin the news about 2 girls missing when Sloot was in Bogota that they are looking into.
This will get interesting in the media, now that at least the ‘words’ are coming into play.
I think we will see more and more of it as time goes bye.
You know it is kind of creepy that you can’t go to a Wal Mart and buy anything, or walk through the parking lot and not be VIDEO taped. Even if you pay cash, they can tell you what you bought. Remember that Anthony case?
If you leave the inside of your house YOU ARE ON CANDID CAMERA, but at the same time, if it weren’t for the “caught on camera” angle of Joran this time, they night not have caught him on this girl’s murder!
I can go on the Internet and see a photo of my drive way and my road beside the farm as you “drive” along, I can also go to an aerial view of my place (but actually that one is probably 6 or more years old because I can tell by where the airplanes are parked and which ones they are) so not sure how often these things are updated. But still kind of spooky. If someone were STALKING ME and wanted to know how to get around my place the easiest they could do it from the safety of their computer screen and not have to tramp through the woods.
As far as Joran and more killings in the 5 years between Natalie and the latest ones, I would BET there are one or more in there. He LIKES it too much and is toooooo arrogant!
I think his ARROGANCE, like actually “losing it” and killing her in his room, knowing she would eventually be FOUND there and connected to him, but figuring he woujld be BACK IN ARUBA by then so what-the-hey, he’d get accused but he would be legally safe! He’s be back where no one could touch him for the killing in Peru. I see my P son in Joran, though they do not look alike but just the ARROGANCE of believing they can get away with ANYTHING and don’t even have to make much effort to cover it up!
This is off topic of Vanderspath,but on topic of parental denial/enabling and nature vs nurture…widespread social ignorance, etc. etc. etc.
Not a huge fan ofthe Dr. Phill show, but happened to watch last week when a mother and grandmother of a ten year old asked DP for help.
This kid cut open his goldfish at age three, went on to microwave a guinna pig, throw a gerbal against a wall, and kill two pet mice….Mom still had a beloved cat in the house, and grandma kept giving the kid his little pets…come ooooon, people? WTF?
They had had the kid in therapy for years…He had by this time pushed his grandma down the stairs, had tried to push his mother, had made the comment he could come into her room at night when she was asleep and stab her, and had lit the house on fire.
Dr. Phill talked to the kid for about five minutes, asking him how he felt when he killed the small animals and he said he liked it.
DP told them to get the cat out of the house immediatly. He commented on the kids charm and intelligence, and mentioned that he had a certain facade he put on to face the Dr. He said he is dangerous and in a few years will probably kill a human…never said psychopath. Mother seemed astounded that she couldn’t keep the cat, and grandma was saddened that kid couldn’t come to visit as she too had a cat, and two dogs. Sheeeesh.
And if you come to my house, or enter my subdivision…..SMILE….your on camera!
There are camera’s everywhere and STILL we can’t catch a criminal…..
Ya know why…..cause the laws protect their privacy.
Yes, Oxy I agree its creapy…it’s big brother, and not all big brothers are good, some are psychopaths themselves…but I suppose that this is the point that we’ve arrived at…those eyes save lives, or at least I’d like to think they do!
Towanda, to you on the letters sent on you behalf regarding P sons prison record. YEAH!
I saw that Kim.
DP also recommended inpatient/institutionalizing him…..
He gave them 2 options…..intnese therapy OR institutionalizing him.
The Mother and Gmother were shocked and didn’t seem like an ooption of the 2nd…..so DP then suggested they try plan A first and ‘see’.
I can understand this parental denial…..we ALL want our kids to be the best they can…..and when they are monsters……we still think they can ‘pull out of it’…..
Sometimes there is just NO HOPE. And that conclusion, I would think, as a parent would be the last straw.
We are taught…..there is ALWAYS hope…..keep trying, keep helping…..
It’s the final conclusion that is hard to draw…..NO HOPE.
It scares the begeebers out of me really.
I agree with you, on the hope thing, especially when it’s your child, but, it’s creepy that they keep enabling this kid to kill his pets…reminds me of, “People of the Lie” by M> Scott Peck, like it’s evil masqerading as concern.
I have compassion for their dillemna, however…just wonder how they could delude themselves to the point of letting so many helpless creatures die at his hands. Wow.