The Killer Inside Me is a 1952 novel by American writer Jim Thompson published by Fawcett Publications .
49-545: In the introduction to the anthology Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1950s , it is described as "one of the most blistering and uncompromising crime novels ever written." Lou Ford appears to be an unremarkable deputy sheriff in a small Texas town; beneath this facade, however, he is a cunning, depraved sociopath with sadistic sexual tastes. His main outlet for his dark urges is the relatively benign habit of deliberately needling people with clichés and platitudes despite their obvious boredom: "If there's anything worse than
98-400: A shire or county on behalf of the king. The term is a contraction of " shire reeve " ( Old English scīrgerefa ). The sheriff had a series of duties that included keeping the peace and providing men at arms to support the king in times of strife. Another important duty was the collection of taxes on behalf of the crown. This process involved each division of the county (known as
147-455: A US sheriff, consisting of the duties of civilian as well as criminal peace officers. The lensmann was directly subordinate to the fylkesmann (county governor) until 1994, when the office became subordinate to the local chief of police ( politimester ). In 2000, a lot of civilian duties were transferred to the regular police ( politi ), and much of the difference between the politi and lensmann disappeared. The office
196-448: A bore," says Lou, "it's a corny bore." Despite having a steady girlfriend, schoolteacher Amy Stanton, Ford falls into a passionate, sadomasochistic relationship with a prostitute named Joyce Lakeland. He describes their affair as unlocking "the sickness" that has plagued him since adolescence, when he was sexually mistreated by a babysitter and went on to sexually abuse a little girl, a crime for which his elder foster brother Mike took
245-412: A childhood incident involving his old housekeeper molesting him in order to get back at his father, with whom she was unhappily involved; Lou realizes that his female victims were substitutes for her. Accepting his fate, he covers his house in alcohol and candles, intending to kill himself by setting the building on fire. Eventually, Plummer and Hendricks arrive with a team of police, as well as Joyce, who
294-577: A review of the role of sheriffs in state work. Under section 12(5) of the Court Officers Act 1945, an appointee for sheriff must be either: Among cities in India , only Mumbai (Bombay), Kolkata (Calcutta) and Chennai (Madras), the three former British presidencies, have had sheriffs. First established in the 18th century based on the English high sheriffs, they were the executive arm of
343-456: A sadomasochistic encounter with Lou begins to convince her that he is hiding a dark side. A drifter whom Lou injured earlier attempts to blackmail him, revealing that he eavesdropped on a suspicious conversation Lou was involved in. Lou, seeing a way to tie up multiple loose ends, agrees to pay his blackmailer; he also agrees to elope with Amy, who he is planning to kill. On the night the drifter returns, Lou beats Amy to death, intending to frame
392-474: A sheriff may be restricted to civil procedure enforcement duties, while in other counties, the sheriff may serve as the principal police force and have jurisdiction over all of the county's municipalities , including those that maintain their own municipal police departments. A sheriff often administers the county jails and is responsible for court security functions within their jurisdiction. The office of sheriff as county official in colonial North America
441-609: A sheriff sitting in summary proceedings. In the Republic of Ireland, a sheriff ( Irish : sirriam ) is appointed under section 12(3) of the Court Officers Act 1945, to perform some of the functions that would otherwise be performed by the county registrar . In practice, two types of sheriff have been appointed: Four sheriffs (one each for Dublin city , County Dublin , Cork city , and County Cork ) are full-time public officials whose responsibilities are: Fourteen sheriffs, colloquially called "Revenue sheriffs", have only
490-651: A sheriffs service. In most of Canada, sheriffs are almost exclusively concerned with courtroom security, post-arrest offender transfer, the serving of legal processes, and the execution of civil judgments. Regardless of their exact duties, sheriffs, sheriff's deputies, and sheriffs officers are considered under "peace officers" in the Criminal Code . The Alberta Sheriffs Branch is responsible for courtroom and legislative security, offender transport, commercial vehicle safety and enforcement, and fish and wildlife enforcement. In addition to this uniquely broad mandate,
539-443: A young criminal who Lou has befriended and to whom he gave some of Conway's money, which is revealed to have been marked. Lou is allowed to enter the distressed Johnnie's cell alone in order to reason with him, only to murder him and stage the scene as a suicide . Though many accept that the case is closed, more people begin to suspect Lou of being involved, including Jeff Plummer, another deputy, and Amy, who presses marriage even after
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#1732798697896588-552: Is 12 months imprisonment , or a fine of up to £10,000. In solemn proceedings the maximum sentence is 5 years imprisonment, or an unlimited fine. Sheriffs also preside over fatal accident inquiries which are convened to examine the circumstances around sudden or suspicious deaths, including those who die in the course of employment, in custody , or in secure accommodation. Summary sheriffs hear civil cases brought under Simple Procedure and criminal cases brought under summary proceedings. Their sentencing powers are identical to
637-417: Is now called politistasjonssjef (police station chief), or in some places politiavdelingssjef (police unit chief). Because the police has taken over most typical 'sheriffs' duties from the year 2000 onwards, there is no longer a difference between the former rank of a "sheriff's deputy" ( lensmannsbetjent ) and that of a regular police officer ( politibetjent ). The lensmann has been elected by
686-515: Is recorded from the 1640s. In the modern United States, the scope of a sheriff varies across states and counties (which in Louisiana are called "parishes" and in Alaska "boroughs"). In South Africa, the sheriffs are officers of the court and function as the executive arm of the court. They are responsible for serving court processes like summonses and subpoenas. They play an important role in
735-564: Is responsible for courtroom security and offender transport. The issuance of court orders is the responsibility of court bailiffs. These services are contracted out to private civil law enforcement firms. The Office of the High Sheriff of Newfoundland and Labrador provides protection and enforcement duties in support of the provincial, supreme, and appeal courts in the province. The sheriffs also assists local law enforcement agencies with additional resources to ensure public safety under
784-548: Is revealed to be alive, albeit badly injured. Joyce assures Lou that she did not sell him out, and he affirms his affection for her before stabbing her to death. The police fire on Lou, killing him, but destroying the house in the process. In 1976, the novel was adapted into a film of the same title , directed by Burt Kennedy and starring Stacy Keach as Lou Ford and Tisha Sterling as Amy Stanton. A 2010 version written by John Curran , directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring Casey Affleck and Jessica Alba premiered at
833-547: Is the responsibility of armed provincial special constables , while offender transport is the responsibility of the province's correction service. The sheriff is most often an elected county official who serves as the chief civilian law enforcement officer of their jurisdiction. The sheriff enforces court orders and mandates and may perform duties such as evictions , seizing property and assets pursuant to court orders, and serving warrants and legal papers . In some counties where urban areas have their own police departments ,
882-526: Is usually able, to manipulate events rather than directly intervene. However, whereas Lou Ford manipulates events to further his own greed and lust in The Killer Inside Me , in Wild Town he manipulates events to bring about justice, to help people, and even to play matchmaker. C. Namwali Serpell has outlined a phenomenological , postcritical reading of The Killer Inside Me that exposes
931-597: The Icelandic Commonwealth and the Kingdom of Norway . The agreement which was ratified between 1262 and 1264 makes the post of sheriff the oldest secular position of government still operating in Iceland. Tisha Sterling Patricia Ann "Tisha" Sterling (born December 10, 1944) is a retired American actress. She is the only daughter of actor Robert Sterling and actress Ann Sothern . Sterling
980-521: The Norman Conquest . However, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the role evolved over the centuries. In modern times the sheriff or high sheriff is a ceremonial county or city official. Some commercial organisations use the term to refer to High Court enforcement officers , who were known as sheriff's officers prior to 2004. In Scotland the sheriff is a judicial office holder in
1029-634: The Sundance Film Festival in January 2010, and was released in theaters later that year. Lou Ford later appears in Thompson's novel Wild Town (1957). The Lou Ford character in Wild Town is a mirror image of the one in The Killer Inside Me . In Wild Town Lou Ford is also a sheriff, he also plays the fool, and he is also smarter and more capable than anyone else in the small town although he keeps it well hidden. He also prefers, and
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#17327986978961078-402: The hundred ) paying geld (a form of land tax). To assess how much people had to pay, a clerk and a knight were sent by the king to each county . They sat with the sheriff of the county and with a select group of local knights (two knights from each hundred). After it was determined what geld was to be paid, the knights of the hundred and the bailiff of the hundred were responsible for getting
1127-431: The municipal council since the year 1293 , but was nominated by the sysselmann , the appointed governor. In Iceland , sýslumenn (singular sýslumaður , translated "sheriff") are administrators of the state , holders of the executive power in their jurisdiction and heads of their Sheriff's Office. Sheriffs are in charge of certain legal matters that typically involve registration of some sort and executing
1176-554: The sheriff courts , and they are members of the judiciary of Scotland . The most senior sheriffs are the sheriffs principal , who have administrative as well as judicial authority in the six sheriffdoms , and are responsible for the effective running and administration of all the sheriff courts in their jurisdiction. Sheriffs principal also sit as appeal sheriffs in the Sheriff Appeal Court ; hearing appeals against sentencing and conviction from summary trials in
1225-629: The 1922 creation of the Irish Free State , Irish law regarding sheriffs mirrored that of England, latterly with each administrative county and county borough having a ceremonial high sheriff and functional under-sheriffs responsible for enforcing court orders of the county court or quarter sessions . The Courts of Justice Act 1924 replaced these courts with a new circuit court. The Court Officers Act 1926 formally abolished high sheriffs and phased out under-sheriffs by providing that, as each retired, his functions would be transferred to
1274-585: The Branch operates a highway patrol, which supplements local and RCMP policing on provincial highways. In 2019, sheriffs began to respond to 9-1-1 calls in rural areas to assist the RCMP and local police services in responding to rural crime concerns. In 2023, the province piloted a program that saw sheriffs patrol alongside municipal police officers in Calgary and Edmonton . The British Columbia Sheriff Service
1323-787: The Game ; The Bold Ones: The Lawyers ; Hawaii Five-O ; Columbo and The New Adventures of Perry Mason . She appeared in the feature films Village of the Giants (1965), Coogan's Bluff (1968), and Norwood (1970). In 1987, Sterling played a younger version of her mother's character (in flashbacks) in The Whales of August . Following that role, she appeared in two other films. Sterling made her last onscreen appearance in Breakfast of Champions (1999), opposite Bruce Willis . Sterling has since retired from acting, and works as
1372-471: The blackmailer for her murder. Plummer kills the drifter after Lou chases him through town, and Lou is sedated and put in a hospital. Lou is visited by Plummer and Hendricks in the hospital, and senses that they both suspect him in the murders. Plummer also reveals that Maples killed himself, convinced of Lou's guilt. They show him a letter that Amy had written and intended to give him during their elopement, one which subtly urges him to confess. Lou denies that
1421-444: The blame to spare Lou from prison. After serving a jail term, Mike died at a construction site. Lou blamed a local construction magnate, Chester Conway, for his death, suspecting he was murdered for refusing to help further Conway's schemes. To exact revenge, Lou and Joyce blackmail Conway to avoid exposing Joyce's affair with his son, Elmer. However, Lou double-crosses Joyce: he ferociously batters her and shoots Elmer, hoping to make
1470-488: The county registrar, established by the 1926 act as an officer of the circuit court. When the Dublin city under-sheriff retired in 1945, the city registrar was too overworked with other responsibilities to take over his duties, so the Court Officers Act 1945 was passed to allow a new office of sheriff to take over some or all of the under-sheriff's functions. The four Dublin and Cork sheriffs were soon appointed, with much of
1519-487: The court, such as in jury selection, debt collection and evictions. Courtroom security and offender transport services are provided by local police services or, where none exists, the Ontario Provincial Police . Sheriffs ( shérifs ) are responsible for the jury selection process. They handle court orders, orders, and writs while they are involved in seizure and sale of property. Court security
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1568-692: The courts. Sheriffs execute process without attempting to determine their validity. A sheriff's office exists in most Australian states and territories , with various duties. Sheriffs in New Zealand are officers of the Superior Courts and function as the executive arm of these courts. The role of sheriff is automatically given to anyone who has gained the position of Registrar of the High Court. Every province and territory in Canada operates
1617-418: The crimes appear to be a lovers' spat gone wrong. Elmer is killed instantly and Sheriff Bob Maples, Lou's mentor, reports that Joyce died after a short stay in a coma . Though Lou believes he has gotten away with the crime, county attorney Howard Hendricks becomes suspicious of his version of events, as well as his alibi , and a third person is suspected to be involved. Suspicion soon falls on Johnnie Pappas,
1666-593: The execution of court orders like the attachments of immovable and movable property; evictions, demolitions etc. The Sheriffs Act 90 of 1986, which came into operation on 1 March 1990, governs the profession. A sheriff is appointed by the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development in terms of Section 2 of the Act. In Norway until 2021 there was the office of lensmann , which in their mostly rural police districts had functions similar to those of
1715-498: The interest earned on such monies and, to compensate, increasing their retainer . Through to the 1990s the sheriff's post was in the gift of the minister for justice , but by the 2010s it was advertised by the Public Appointments Service . A 1988 Law Reform Commission report made recommendations for updating the 1926 law on sheriffs; as of 2023 few of these had been implemented, and the government began
1764-457: The judiciary, responsible for assembling jurors, bringing people to trial, supervising the gaoling (imprisonment) of prisoners and seizing and selling property. After the mid-19th century the responsibilities and powers of the role were reduced and the positions became ceremonial. The sheriffs of Mumbai and Kolkata still exist, although the post in Chennai was abolished in 1998. In present times
1813-410: The letter is incriminating, but Plummer and Hendricks force him into a jail cell, where they try unsuccessfully to provoke a confession with audio of Johnnie's voice and pictures of Amy. Eventually, Lou's attorney arrives and secures his release, though he admits that he cannot help Lou leave town. Lou ruminates on his past, concluding that his hatred and violence, especially towards women, stemmed from
1862-478: The limitations of purely ideological interpretations of the novel. Deputy sheriff A sheriff is a government official , with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland , the sýslumaður , which is commonly translated to English as sheriff . In British English ,
1911-457: The majority of civil and criminal court cases in Scotland, with the power to preside in solemn proceedings with a jury of 15 for indictable offences and sitting alone in summary proceedings for summary offences . A sheriff must be legally qualified , and have been qualified as an advocate or solicitor for at least 10 years. The maximum sentencing power of sheriff in summary proceedings
1960-516: The money to the sheriff, and the sheriff was responsible for getting the money to the Exchequer . Sheriffs loyal to certain nobles could and did sabotage the careers of knights against whom they, or a noble they were loyal to, bore a grudge. Groups of sheriffs with significant connections had more de facto power in the legal system than most English knights, despite their lack of land. The term and duties were preserved in England even after
2009-480: The orders of the court. The duties of the sheriffs differ slightly depending on their jurisdiction but they can be broadly categorised as: There are 24 sheriffs and sheriff jurisdictions in Iceland. The jurisdictions are not defined by the administrative divisions of Iceland but are mainly a mixture of counties and municipalities . The post of sheriff was mandated by the Old Covenant , an agreement between
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2058-409: The political or legal office of a sheriff, term of office of a sheriff, or jurisdiction of a sheriff, is called a shrievalty in England and Wales, and a sheriffdom in Scotland. In modern times, the specific combination of legal, political and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country. The Old English term designated a royal official, a reeve, responsible for managing
2107-559: The provincial Emergency Preparedness Program. In Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Sheriff Services focuses on the safety and security of the judiciary, court staff, the public, and persons in custody. There are local sheriffs for every county in Nova Scotia, numbering over 200 in total. They work with up to 20,000 inmates and travel over 2 million kilometres in a year. Sheriffs are responsible for: court security;
2156-531: The sheriff courts and justice of the peace courts . The additional duties of a sheriff principal include being Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouse Board (which is the general lighthouse authority for Scotland), and chairing local criminal justice boards which bring together local representatives of procurator fiscal , Police Scotland and Community Justice Scotland , and Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service . Sheriffs deal with
2205-553: The sheriff has an apolitical, non-executive role, presides over various city-related functions and conferences and welcomes foreign guests. The post is second to the mayor in the protocol list. In the Philippines , a former colony of the United States, the office of sheriff also exists. The duties of a sheriff are to primarily serve all writs, execute all processes, and carry into effect all decisions and orders issued by
2254-592: The third of the preceding functions, the others being done by the county registrar's office. Revenue sheriffs are solicitors in private practice. Each covers a Bailiwick , which consist of one or more of the state's remaining counties . The Bailiwicks are grouped by counties as follows: Carlow and Kildare ; Cavan , Leitrim , Longford and Monaghan ; Clare and Limerick ; Donegal ; Galway ; Kerry ; Kilkenny and Waterford ; Laois , Offaly and Tipperary ; Louth , Meath and Westmeath ; Mayo ; Roscommon and Sligo ; and Wexford and Wicklow . Prior to
2303-523: The transportation of prisoners to and from institutions and all levels of court; the service of some civil and criminal documents; and the execution of court orders. In Ontario, sheriffs are part of the Superior Court of Justice Enforcement Office, which was previously named (and is still sometimes referred to as) the Sheriff's Office. They are mainly responsible for issuing and enforcing writs of
2352-410: The under-sheriff's responsibilities. Revenue sheriffs were introduced for the rest of the state in the late 1980s as part of a crackdown on tax evasion . In 1993 the comptroller and auditor general expressed concern that funds collected and held in trust by sheriffs on behalf of the revenue commissioners were at risk of commingling . This was reformed in 1998 by prohibiting sheriffs from retaining
2401-508: Was born at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles , California. Her parents divorced when she was three years old. Sterling started acting in the 1960s with an appearance on her mother's television series The Ann Sothern Show . She later appeared in episodes of The Donna Reed Show ; The Long, Hot Summer ; Bonanza ; Batman episodes 43 and 44 as Legs, the daughter of Ma Parker (played by Shelley Winters ); The Name of
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