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Today in True Crime History: February 6
1980 — John Wayne Gacy’s murder trial begins. He is accused of killing 33 men in Illinois. At least 60 witnesses were questioned by the prosecution over 13 days of testimony. The defense focused on Gacy’s sanity. Gacy would ultimately be executed in 1994. He proclaimed his innocence in spite of insurmountable evidence.
1996 — Heidi Fleiss, the “Hollywood Madam,” begins what is supposed to be a 7-year jail sentence. She spends just 20 months behind bars for tax evasion.
1998 — Mary Kay LeTourneau, a 36-year-old teacher, is sentenced to seven years in prison for violating probation and seeing the 14-year-old she was convicted of raping. While awaiting trial, LeTourneau had given birth to his child. She got out of prison in 2004.
