The Grim Sleeper

Steve Love

Reading — Intermediate Level
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Activity

Read the article and select the correct answer to the questions below


'Grim Sleeper' is the nickname for suspected and accused serial killer Lonnie David Franklin Jr. Franklin is believed to be responsible for at least ten murders, one suspected and one attempted murder in Los Angeles since 1985. The attacker was dubbed the 'Grim Sleeper' because he appears to have taken a 14-year slumber from his crimes, from 1988 to 2002.

On July 7, 2010, Franklin was arrested and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged him for the crimes. A grand jury indictment was issued on March 23, 2011. Franklin has been in jail since his arrest awaiting trial; the large volume of evidence in this case, some dating back thirty years, had caused a lengthy pretrial. Over a thousand photographs and several hundred hours of videos were found in Franklin's home of conscious and unconscious nude individuals ranging in age from teen to middle-aged. His jurors were finally selected for his trial on December 15, 2015.

Most of Franklin's victims were young, black females ranging from 15 to 34. Many were prostitutes. There was one male victim, Thomas Steele, who was 36. They suspect he was either a friend of one of the victims or knew about Grim Sleeper's history of murders. Franklin would have sex with his victims before strangling or shooting them with a .25 caliber gun. Ultimately, DNA testing matched Franklin to the victims from saliva found at the scenes of the crimes.
Source: Wikipedia
  1. Why was Franklin named the 'Grim Sleeper'?

  2. What linked Franklin to the murders?

  3. Why has it taken the courts so long to have a trial for Franklin?

  4. What characteristic was NOT something typical in the Grim Sleeper's victims?

  5. How many victims did Franklin ultimately kill?

Discussion

Practice your writing skills by discussing the questions below

  1. How do you think women residents of Los Angeles felt while the Grim Sleeper wasn't arrested?

  2. Was there a serious crime that happened near your home? Explain how people reacted to the news

  3. What is your opinion on gun control in the United States?

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