“I burned that tattoo off with a cigarette. I had that put on me when I was 14 or 15. By the time I was 16 or 17 I knew it was nasty and cheap. I wanted to get rid of it. My mother had an appointment for me at Parkland Hospital, the same place where Kennedy ended up dying. I was gonna get that tattoo removed. But I ended up in jail before I could keep the appointment.”
About This Quote
Speck describes removing the BORN TO RAISE HELL tattoo that was involved in his identification and arrest. From a 1978 interview with Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene at Statesville Prison in Illinois. It was the only interview that Speck, who hated the media, ever granted.
More from Richard Speck
“It just wasn't their night.”
“Like I always felt...had no feeling. If you're asking me if I felt sorry, no.”
“It's not like TV...it takes over three minutes and you have to have a lot of strength.”
“If they only knew how much fun I was having, they'd turn me loose.”