Home > 1977 murder of Addison Verrill...
Click image to enlarge 719117
Show image list »

1977 murder of Addison Verrill...



Item # 719117

September 26, 1977

THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York, Sept. 26, 1977
 
* Gay film critic Addison Verrill murdered
* "Bag murders" Manhattan's leather subculture

 
The front page has a heading: "'Gay Murder: Do You Know Who Killed Addison Verrill" First report coverage continues on page 23 with photo of Verrill. (see images)
background: Addison Verrill, a respected film journalist for Variety, was brutally murdered in his Greenwich Village apartment on September 14, 1977—a killing that initially baffled investigators due to the lack of forced entry or theft, suggesting he knew his attacker. The case took a chilling turn when gay rights activist and journalist Arthur Bell received a phone call from someone confessing to the murder, providing specific, unpublished details about the crime scene. That call led police to Paul Bateson, a radiology technician who had appeared briefly in The Exorcist. Bateson admitted to killing Verrill after a night of drinking and sex but denied involvement in the unsolved “Bag Murders,” a series of gruesome killings targeting gay men in New York during the 1970s. Despite being suspected in those cases, he was never formally charged for them. In 1979, Bateson was convicted of second-degree murder in Verrill’s death and sentenced to 20 years to life. He was released on parole in 2003. The case, notable for its ties to homophobia, media activism, and speculative serial killings, later inspired aspects of the 1980 film Cruising and the Netflix series Mindhunter.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because their was really no reason to save it at the time.
The Village Voice was an American counterculture newspaper known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. It introduced free-form, high-spirited, and passionate journalism into the public discourse - a tradition it maintained throughout its 60+ year history. It is quite common to find great political cartoons, satirical cartoons and articles, thought-provoking editorials, and ads and reviews for both concerts and theater productions - both on and off Broadway. Many iconic writers and musicians credit their appearance in The Village Voice for at least a portion of their success.
Complete with 104 pages, tabloid-size, one crease across the center, nice condition.
 
Provenance note: This issue comes from The Village Voice's own archives, part of their in-house collection used to create their digital archive. Rare as such.
 
Alert: Many issues of The Village Voice contain articles and/or photos which some consider offensive, and are certainly inappropriate for children. Please purchase with discretion.

Category: The 20th Century