Talk:Mary Bell/Archive 1

Changed to deceased for no reason?
I came upon this article while researching Bell's case, and thought it quite an odd coincidence that she had apparently died today. After searching for any news of her death or obituaries, and finding nothing, I restored her status as living for the time being. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.91.239.10 (talk) 19:52, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

Untitled
I wikified Brian Howe, but it refers to the wrong one. How do I correct? --Sgeo | Talk 02:18, Sep 11, 2004 (UTC)

Should the " Child Killers say the darnedest things:Mary Bell, 2 comics about the killings" link be deleted? It seems to me to be gratuitous and pointless? Albatross2147 13:15, 17 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Missing details?
It appears that there are significant facts missing from this article. The article mentions Mary and her daughter being protected upon release from jail, yet there is no prior mention of a daughter. I think this needs to be looked at - I have no idea how to 'flag' an article, but in general it seems quite jumpy and is missing pieces, so it could do with a good lookover. Ktbaby 13:50, 28 May 2006 (UTC)
 * I agree ktbaby. i myself came to the talk page after reading about her previously unmentioned daughter. where did she find the time in jail to have sex and get pregnant? maybe she was raped by a guard..  this missing information needs to be addressed.   i might do it myself later if i have the time        Lue3378 17:10, 3 June 2006 (UTC)

Untitled
If Mary Bell was ten at the time of the murders according to the article summary, how can the main picture also be of her at the time of the murders if the picture is described as her at eleven years of age? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.45.237.5 (talk) 20:52, 12 June 2006 (UTC)


 * The picture appears on CrimeLibrary, where it says she's 10 in that picture. I'll fix that. grendel|khan 13:52, 25 June 2006 (UTC)
 * Now the picture says "age 10, at the time of the murders" and the article summary says she was age 11 at the time of the murders. Which is it?  68.255.60.58 22:14, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

Dispute Use of Description "Serial Killer"
Based on the definition of serial killer on Wikipedia, Mary Bell does not merit inclusion in that category of murderer.

That article defines a serial killer as "someone who commits three or more murders over an extended period of time with cooling-off periods in between. In between their crimes, they appear to be quite normal, a state which Hervey Cleckley and Robert Hare call the 'mask of sanity.' There is often — but not always — a sexual element to the murders." (My emphasis.)

Mary was convicted of two murders, which does not meet the definition. Therefore, I suggest she be removed from the serial killer category. Marklemagne 05:18, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

From the latest revision of the above mentioned article: Other sources define the term as "a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone" or, including the vital characteristics, a minimum of at least two murders. Mary Bell could (should) then again be classified as a serial killer? PsychoticInq (talk) 09:48, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

Where is she now?
Where is Mary Bell now? The article notes that the press found her under her assumed name. What is her assumed name? Where is she? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 4.224.123.163 (talk) 01:07, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

I actually know Mary personally. But I am not going to give this information away. All I can tell you is that she has changed her ways completely and we also gave her our cat when we moved. She is a nice person. Foxless (talk) 08:53, 12 September 2008 (UTC)

The whole point of the assumed name is that no one knows where she is. 206.165.150.70 (talk) 09:43, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

How did she have a daughter?
She was 10 and 11 at the time of the murders and imprionment and 23 or so at the time of her release. How did she have a daughter? Are prisoners in Britain allowed releases to have sex? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 4.224.123.163 (talk) 01:07, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
 * No, but they're traditionally allowed to have sex after they're released. She left prison in 1980, and her daughter was born in 1984. 82.39.211.80 02:18, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Why was she released?
Why was she released from prison after such a short time? She was diagnosed as a psychopath at trial; why would someone that dangerous be put back on the street? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 4.224.123.163 (talk) 01:07, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
 * She was imprisoned at the age of 11 and released at the age of 23. I think it is fairly reasonable to assume that she changed significantly in that period. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Misodoctakleidist (talk • contribs) 06:46, 17 December 2006 (UTC)
 * And she hasn't done anything in the 40 years since then, so clearly it was the right choice. Besides, with the childhood she had, how can you not be screwed up a little? 67.106.115.42 (talk) 18:49, 19 November 2009 (UTC)
 * The article is also lacking that her imprisonment had a significant impact on her. Can we assume that TruTV (formerly Court TV) has sufficient enough editorial oversight to be a trustworthy link?

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/famous/bell/incar_9.html

--208.255.118.242 (talk) 17:17, 24 February 2010 (UTC)
 * Something most people aren't actively aware of is that there are several reasons for keeping someone in prison. People tend to gravitate towards a few (or one) of them. And tend to not be aware of, or not recognize the legitimacy of other reasons.
 * (Reasons for incarceration include: a) Rehabilitation, b) Public safety, c) Punishment, d) Deterrent to others, e) Restitution for loss to society, f) Eye-for-an-eye vengeance.)
 * But someone is kept in prison because the various groups agree -- compositely -- that is best. So it isn't completely meaningful to say "she's changed", because some groups and opinions do not recognize that as important. More than likely, she was judged to be less of a risk than other individuals. That factor would certainly have contributed to her release. 98.210.208.107 (talk) 01:09, 10 February 2011 (UTC)


 * Agree; in short, the Parole Board evaluated her case and concluded that she was no longer at risk of further offending. It's a sad case, and Gitta Sereny's books make the argument for that. Rodhull  andemu  01:15, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

Uncorrected Vandalism
There appears to have been some vandalism on this page that was never corrected some time back. There used to be a paragraph on her Early Life that was removed and never replaced. See the edit here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Bell&diff=prev&oldid=113255185 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 195.195.173.199 (talk) 14:54, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

Murder/Manslaughter
The first section of the article implies that Bell was convicted of the 'murder' of the two victims; however, the article later states that she was found not guilty of murder, but of manslaughter.

It is therefore more correct to state that the boys were 'killed' not 'murdered'. Will edit to reflect this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.195.65.166 (talk) 11:50, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

Had she started puberty at time of killing?
Had she started puberty at the time of the killing? Had her hormones got her angry about her life upto that point in time and to relieve the anger, she desired to mistreat someone weaker than herself? 217.42.58.201 (talk) 02:15, 17 January 2009 (UTC)
 * No, she started puberty while incarcerated. (See Cries Unheard) --Auric (talk) 03:53, 22 January 2009 (UTC)

Untitled
Someone vandalized her birthdate —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.246.107.159 (talk) 22:02, 25 February 2009 (UTC)

Terrible writing
Makes no sense! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 190.199.172.236 (talk) 10:59, 22 May 2009 (UTC)
 * I agree. The major additions made by Tinaj5 on 17 May are very poorly constructed, bordering in places on the nonsensical. A lot of the information seems trvial or redundant, but someone who has the inclination may be able to savlage something. Nick Cooper (talk) 15:49, 22 May 2009 (UTC)

Scotswood
A major point in this killing is the neighbourhood that it happened in, Scotswood. All the houses on Mary Bell's street Whitehouse Road were demolished soon after. Her murders were committed in houses that were in the process of being demolished as a neighbourhood improvement. Every documentary movie and book on the subject emphasizes the poor living and social conditions that were common in Scotswood at the time. Why is this not mentioned in the article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.241.73.97 (talk) 23:06, 2 June 2012 (UTC)

Mary Bell's husband
Just wondering, does Mary have a husband? --178.174.229.28 (talk) 23:17, 4 October 2014 (UTC)
 * We don't know. Her identity is protected. Paul B (talk) 23:52, 4 October 2014 (UTC)

Non-free image
Fair use rationale does not extend to non-free images for BLPs. I removed the image. K.e.coffman (talk) 00:43, 30 May 2017 (UTC)