In Cold Blood

In Cold Blood Essay

Truman Capote's In Cold Blood is a non fiction novel that follows the murder case of the Clutters, your average small town Kansas family. Perry Smith and Richard Hickock ruthlessly murdered the Clutter clan and were put on trial and ultimately given the death penalty. Both Smith and Hickock deserved capital because it was a preplanned murder and they each admitted guilt.

As soon as Hickock found out that Mr.Clutter had money he immediately began planning the murder. Hickock's old cellmate Floyd Wells was the man responsible for informing him about Mr.Clutter,"He wanted to know if Mr. Clutter was a wealthy man. Yes, I said. After that, Dick never stopped asking me about the family... Next thing I knew, Dick was talking about killing Mr. Clutter. Said him and Perry was gonna go out there and rob the place, and they was gonna kill all witnesses .He described to me a dozen times how he was gonna do it, I told him, 'Dick, you'll never get by with it.' Still and all, it happened. Just like Dick said it would."(p99) Hickock's immense prior planning proves his guilt and the fact that he was so quick to murder for money and ended up receiving a pathetically small amount causes belief that he would certainly commit murder again if he knew he would be guaranteed a large sum of money.

Hickock is aware of his guilt and an advocator of the death penalty. In an interview Hickock explained "Well, what's there to say about capital punishment? I'm not against it. Revenge is all it is, but what's wrong with revenge? It's very important. If I was kin to the Clutters, or any of the parties...I couldn't rest in peace till the ones responsible had taken that ride on the Big Swing. These people that write letters to the newspapers...Saying, in effect, what is all this legal farce, why haven't those sonsabitches Smith and Hickock got it in the neck, how come those murdering sonsabitches are still eating up the taxpayers' money? Well, I can see their side. They're mad 'cause they're not getting what they want - revenge. And they're not going to get it if I can help it. I believe in hanging. Just so long as I'm not the one being hanged."(213) Hickock is fully conscience that the crime he committed deserves the death penalty like any normal human being would like to keep his life and because of this he should be rewarded with death.

Smith like Hickock is fully aware of his guilt and