''In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences''

Author	Truman Capote
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Novel
Publisher	Vintage
Publication date	1965
Media type	Print (Hardback and Paperback), e-book, audio-CD
Pages	342 pp (Paperback edition)
ISBN	ISBN 0-679-74558-0 (Paperback edition)

In Cold Blood is a 1965 book by American author Truman Capote. Image File history File links InColdBlood. ... Truman Capote (pronounced ) (30 September 1924 – 25 August 1984) was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffanys (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a non-fiction novel. ... In political geography and international politics, a country is a political division of a geographical entity, a sovereign territory, most commonly associated with the notions of state or nation and government. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A novel (from French nouvelle Italian novella, new) is an extended, generally fictional narrative, typically in prose. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... The Vintagers, after a miniature of the Dialogues de Saint Gregoire (thirteenth century)—manuscript of the Royal Library of Brussels. ... See also: 1964 in literature, other events of 1965, 1966 in literature, list of years in literature. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... A user viewing an electronic page on an eBook reading device In computing, an e-book (for electronic book: also eBook, ebook) is the digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book. ... ISBN-13 represented as EAN-13 bar code (in this case ISBN 978-3-16-148410-0) The International Standard Book Number, ISBN, is a unique[1] commercial book identifier barcode. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Truman Capote (pronounced ) (30 September 1924 – 25 August 1984) was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffanys (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a non-fiction novel. ...

It details the 1959 slaying of Herbert Clutter, a wealthy farmer from Holcomb, Kansas, his wife, and two children. When Capote learned of the quadruple murders before the killers were captured, he decided to travel to Kansas and write about the crime. Bringing his childhood friend and fellow author Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) along, together they interviewed local residents and investigators assigned to the case and took thousands of pages of notes. The killers, Richard "Dick" Hickock and Perry Smith, were arrested not long after the murders, and Capote ultimately spent six years working on the book. It is considered the originator of the non-fiction novel and the forerunner of the New Journalism movement. Holcomb is a city located in Finney County, Kansas. ... Official language(s) English[2] Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area  Ranked 15th  - Total 82,277 sq mi (213,096 km²)  - Width 211 miles (340 km)  - Length 417 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... Nelle Harper Lee (born April 28, 1926) is an American novelist known for her Pulitzer Prize–winning 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird, her only major work to date. ... To Kill a Mockingbird is a Southern Gothic bildungsroman novel by Harper Lee. ... The nonfiction novel is a literary genre, formally established in 1965 with Truman Capotes publication of In Cold Blood. ... New Journalism was the name given to a style of 1960s and 1970s news writing and journalism which used literary techniques deemed unconventional at the time. ...

The story weaves a complicated psychological story of two parolees who together commit a mass murder, an act they were not capable of individually. Capote's book also details the lives of the victims and the effect the crime had on where they lived. A large part of the story involves the dynamic psychological relationship of the two felons that culminated in this senseless crime. In Cold Blood is often regarded as a pioneering work of true crime. It has been suggested that Medical parole be merged into this article or section. ... Mass murder (massacre) is the act of murdering a large number of people, typically at the same time, or over a relatively short period of time. ... True Crime is a 1999 film starring Alicia Silverstone and Kevin Dillon. ...

Overview of crime

Kenyon Clutter's 1959-60 high school yearbook photo.

Nancy Clutter's 1959-60 high school yearbook photo.

Herbert Clutter was a dedicated Methodist and a widely respected self-made man who had established a successful farm from modest beginnings. He employed as many as eighteen farm hands, and former employees reportedly admired and respected him for his fair treatment and good wages. His four children, three girls and a boy, were widely respected in the community. The two eldest, Eveanna and Beverly, had moved out their parents home and started their adult lives. The two younger children, Nancy (age 16) and Kenyon (15), were high school students still living at home. Clutter's wife, Bonnie, a member of the local garden club, had been incapacitated with depression and physical ailments since the births of her children, although this characterization of her has been disputed by surviving family members. Image File history File linksMetadata Kenyon_Clutter. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Nancy_Clutter. ... The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ... Clinical depression (also called major depressive disorder, or unipolar depression when compared to bipolar disorder) is a state of intense sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individuals social functioning and/or activities of daily living. ...

Two ex-convicts on parole from the Kansas State Penitentiary, Richard "Dick" Hickock and Perry Edward Smith, committed the robbery and murders on November 15, 1959. Richard Hickock had heard from a fellow prisoner, Floyd Wells, who had once worked for the Clutters, that there was a safe at the ranch where Herb Clutter kept large amounts of cash. Hickock later contacted Smith about committing the robbery with him. Hickock hatched the idea in prison to commit the robbery, leave no witnesses and start a new life in Mexico with the cash from the Clutter home. Hickock described his plan as "a cinch, the Perfect score."^[1] The information proved to be false, since Herb Clutter did not keep cash on hand, had no safe, and did all his business using checks. It has been suggested that Medical parole be merged into this article or section. ... Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) is a state prison operated by the Kansas Department of Corrections located in Lansing, Kansas in Leavenworth County. ... Kansas State Penitentiary mug shot of Richard Hickock in March 1958, the year before the murders. ... Perry Edward Smith (October 27, 1928 – April 14, 1965) was one of two ex-convicts who murdered four members of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas on November 15, 1959, a crime made infamous by Truman Capote in his 1966 non-fiction novel In Cold Blood. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After driving across the state of Kansas on Saturday, November 14, 1959 and discovering that there was no money to be found at the Clutters' home, Smith slit Herb Clutter's throat and then shot him in the head. As Smith recounted later, "I didn't want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft spoken. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat."^[2] What happened next is uncertain, but first Kenyon, then Nancy, and then Bonnie were murdered, each by single shotgun blast to the head. is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Smith claimed in his oral confession that Hickock murdered the two women. When asked to sign his confession, however, Smith refused. He wanted to accept responsibility for all four killings because he said he was "sorry for Dick's mother." Smith added, "She's a real sweet person."^[3] Hickock always maintained that Smith did all four killings.

Hickock and Smith were ultimately arrested in Las Vegas about six weeks after the murders. They pleaded temporary insanity during the trial, but local GPs evaluated the accused and pronounced them sane. After five years on death row, Smith and Hickock were executed by hanging for their crimes just after midnight on April 14, 1965 in Lansing, Kansas at the Kansas State Penitentiary (now known as Lansing Correctional Facility). The gallows from which they were hanged is now part of the collections of the Kansas State Historical Society. [1] For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... In a criminal trial, the insanity defenses are possible defenses by excuse, via which defendants may argue that they should not be held criminally liable for breaking the law, as they were mentally ill at the time of their allegedly criminal actions. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Look up sane in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Hanging is the suspension of a person by a ligature, usually a cord wrapped around the neck, causing death. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Lansing is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Leavenworth County, located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States. ... Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) is a state prison operated by the Kansas Department of Corrections located in Lansing, Kansas in Leavenworth County. ...

Capote's research

On November 16, 1959, the New York Times published the following account of the murders.

This 300-word article interested Capote enough for him to travel to Kansas to investigate the murders. Capote brought his childhood friend Harper Lee, who would later win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel To Kill a Mockingbird, with him to help gain the confidence of the locals, who distrusted Capote. After the criminals were found, tried, and convicted, Capote held personal interviews with both Smith and Hickock. Smith especially fascinated Capote; in the book he is portrayed as the more sensitive and guilt-ridden of the two killers. Rumors of a romantic and even sexual relationship, mainly due to Capote's homosexuality, are still suggested to this day.^[4] The book was not completed until after Smith and Hickock were executed. Nelle Harper Lee (born April 28, 1926) is an American novelist known for her Pulitzer Prize–winning 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird, her only major work to date. ... The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction has been awarded since 1948 for distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life. ... To Kill a Mockingbird is a Southern Gothic bildungsroman novel by Harper Lee. ...

Adaptations

The book itself was made into a 1967 film of the same name by Richard Brooks, who directed and adapted the screenplay. It starred Robert Blake as Perry Smith and Scott Wilson as Richard Hickock. It was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was also adapted into a 1996 miniseries starring Anthony Edwards and Eric Roberts. Lauren steiger, born in 1992 at Royal Womens hospital started acting and modelling at the age of 2 and is now currently 15 working in Milan on the catwalks. ... The 1967 film In Cold Blood was based on Capotes novel of the same name. ... Richard Brooks (May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was a Hollywood film writer, director, and (occasionally) producer. ... There have been several notable individuals with the name Robert Blake: Robert Blake (admiral) (1599 - 1657) Robert Blake, Baron Blake (1916-2003), British historian Robert Blake (actor), (born 1933), of TVs Baretta Robert Blake (management), developed the Managerial Grid Model. ... Scott Wilson (born on March 29, 1942 in Atlanta, Georgia, (USA) is an American actor. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Academy Award for Directing is one of the awards given to directors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ... From Rule Sixteen of the Special Rules for The Music Awards Original Score: An original score is a substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer. ... The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is awarded each year to a cinematographer for his work in one particular motion picture. ... The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ... This article is about the American actor. ... Eric Anthony Roberts (born on April 18, 1956, in Biloxi, Mississippi) is an American film and stage actor. ...

Capote's experiences in writing the story, and his subsequent fascination with the murders, has been adapted into two films. Capote (2005) starred Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Truman Capote, and Catherine Keener as Harper Lee. The film was critically acclaimed and was nominated for four other Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Keener), Best Director (Bennett Miller), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Dan Futterman). A year later the film Infamous, starring Toby Jones as Capote and Sandra Bullock as Lee, was released to favorable reviews. Capote is an Academy Award-winning 2005 biographical film about Truman Capote (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal) on a writing assignment for The New Yorker. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Philip Seymour Hoffman (born July 23, 1967) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the awards given to actors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Catherine Ann Keener (born March 26, 1960 in Miami, Florida) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress. ... // The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Academy Awards, awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which are voted on by others within the industry. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the awards given to actresses working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... Bennett Miller (born December 30, 1966) is an Academy Award-nominated American film director. ... Dan Futterman (born June 8, 1967 in Silver Spring, Maryland, and grew up in Larchmont, New York) is an American actor and screenwriter. ... Infamous (Previously: Have You Heard?; and Every Word Is True USA working title) is a forthcoming film from Warner Independent Pictures, due to be released in September 2006. ... Toby Jones as Truman Capote, with Sandra Bullock as Harper Lee, in Infamous (2006) For the artist, see Toby Jones (artist). ... Sandra Annette Bullock (born July 26, 1964) is an American film actress. ...

See also

• New Journalism
• Lowell Lee Andrews

New Journalism was the name given to a style of 1960s and 1970s news writing and journalism which used literary techniques deemed unconventional at the time. ... Lowell Lee Andrews was a University of Kansas sophomore convicted of killing his parents and his sister on November 28, 1958. ...

References

1. ^ In Cold Blood, p. 44
2. ^ In Cold Blood, p. 244
3. ^ In Cold Blood, p. 255
4. ^ ^{a b} Standen, Amy. ""In Cold Blood"", Salon.com, January 22, 2002. Retrieved on 2007-06-21. 

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Writing history: Capote's novel has lasting effect on journalism
• Basehor Sentinel: "In Cold Blood killers met their match" (4/14/05)
• Capote's Legacy: The Challenge of Creativity and Credibility in Literary Journalism
• Clutter family murders
• In Cold Blood, a Legacy in Photos
• Photos of the first edition of In Cold Blood