murderabilia
{{short description|Collectibles related to murders, murderers or other violent crimes}}
File:Elmer Wayne Henley Handprint Artwork May 9 2002 Original.jpg]]
Murderabilia, also known as murderbilia, is a term identifying collectibles related to murders, homicides, the perpetrators or other violent crimes. The term, a portmanteau of murder and memorabilia, was coined by Andy Kahan, director{{cite news |first=Sally |last=Macdonald |title= Crime Victims Advocate Moved From Mayor's Office to HPD |url=http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/100716-crime-victims-director-moved-from-mayor's-office-to-hpd |date=July 16, 2010 |accessdate=July 22, 2010}} of the Houston Police Department's Crime Victims Office.{{cite book | last=Barrett | first=Grant | title=The Official Dictionary of Unofficial English: A Crunk Omnibus for Thrillionaires and Bampots for the Ecozoic Age|publisher=McGraw-Hill|date=2006-05-23|isbn=978-0-07-145804-7|page=243}}{{cite news | url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1629655,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609145243/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1629655,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 9, 2007 | title=Cracking Down on 'Murderabilia' | last=Hylton | first=Hilary | date=2007-06-05 | magazine=TIME | accessdate=2008-10-04}}
Collectibles
Buyers typically seek collectibles that are either artifacts used or owned by murderers or items (often artwork) created by them.
Virtually anything once owned or created by mass murderers or serial killers can be marketed, such as vehicles, artwork and weapons used in crimes. Clothing is also in high demand,{{cite news |first=Tim |last=Potter |title=Outrage – and insight – over Hesston shooter 'murderabilia' |url=http://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article165309057.html |date=August 3, 2017 |accessdate=August 30, 2017 |work=Wichita Eagle |archive-date=August 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831085938/http://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article165309057.html |url-status=live }} particularly clothes worn during crimes themselves.
Sale and display of murderabilia items
In 2007, Wayne Lo, the convicted perpetrator of the 1992 Bard College at Simon's Rock shooting, caused controversy after it was found that he was selling his artwork on a website.{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Copulsky |title= Wayne Lo 'murderabilia' site causes controversy |url=http://www.llamaledger.com/news/2007/05/16/News/Wayne.Lo.murderabilia.Site.Causes.Controversy-2902645.shtml |work=Llama Ledger |date=May 16, 2007 |accessdate=June 23, 2009}}
In June 2011, the United States Government auctioned off personal items which belonged to Ted Kaczynski which were found in his Montana cabin upon his capture in 1996.{{cite news |first=Kathy |last=Lohr |title=Unabomber's Criminal Collectibles Up For Auction |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/05/24/136616438/unabombers-criminal-collectibles-up-for-auction |date=May 24, 2011 |accessdate=June 7, 2010 |archive-date=May 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525211606/http://www.npr.org/2011/05/24/136616438/unabombers-criminal-collectibles-up-for-auction |url-status=live }} The auction took place entirely online. The proceeds went to victims and victims' families of Kaczynski's crimes.{{cite news |first=Thomas |last=Vinciguerra |title=The 'Murderabilia' Market |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/weekinreview/05murderabilia.html?_r=3&src=twrhp |date=June 4, 2011 |accessdate=June 7, 2010 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=April 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426153204/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/weekinreview/05murderabilia.html?_r=3&src=twrhp |url-status=live }}
Attempts to restrict sale of murderabilia items
In 2005, serial killer Alfred Gaynor's artwork was sold online in Massachusetts. State lawmakers proposed to block the activity, setting off a debate on free speech rights of prisoners.{{cite news |title=Online auction of killer's art spurs debate |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-5956202-7.html |publisher=CNET News |date=November 16, 2005 |accessdate=June 23, 2009 |archive-date=October 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024194644/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-5956202-7.html |url-status=live }}
Andy Kahan, director of the Houston-based Mayor's Crime Victims Office, has lobbied strongly against the sale of murderabilia material. In May 2001, eBay banned the sale of murderabilia items. The sale of such items was banned in five states: Texas, California, New Jersey, Michigan and Utah.{{cite news |first=Hilary |last=Hylton |title=Cracking Down On "Murderabilia" |url=http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1629655,00.html |date=May 13, 2007 |accessdate=June 5, 2007 |archive-date=November 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103060738/http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1629655,00.html |url-status=live }} In 2010, Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota teamed up to introduce a bill in Congress that would have outlawed the sale of murderabilia on the federal level. The bill was called the "Stop the Sale of Murderabilia to Protect the Dignity of Crime Victims Act of 2010," and came after several individual fights over the issue.{{cite news |first=James |last=Schneider |title=Senators Try to Halt Sale of Gruesome 'Murderabilia' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senators-try-to-halt-sale-of-gruesome-murderabilia/ |date=June 18, 2010 |access-date=July 22, 2010 |work=Fox News |archive-date=April 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405123218/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senators-try-to-halt-sale-of-gruesome-murderabilia |url-status=live }} The bill died in committee.{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/3468/all-info|title=All Information (Except Text) for S.3468 - Stop the Sale of Murderabilia to Protect the Dignity of Crime Victims Act of 2010|work=Congress.gov|date=9 June 2010|accessdate=22 February 2019|archive-date=23 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223075759/https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/3468/all-info|url-status=live}}
See also
{{wiktionary|murderabilia}}