Killer: A Journal of Murder

Carl Panzram begins serving time at Leavenworth for burglary, marking the start of a long chain of convictions for robberies and violent crime. The setting is the early 20th century, a harsh penitentiary where discipline is strict and reforms are debated. This is where his infamous crimes and nihilistic worldview begin to take shape under the shadow of the prison walls.

Guard Henry Lesser begins his career at Leavenworth with a belief in rehabilitation and shows unexpected kindness toward Panzram. Their relationship grows despite the inmate's hostility. Lesser's approach is to see if reform is possible even for a man like Panzram.

Panzram asks Lesser for writing materials so he can tell his life story. He starts documenting his confessions and the crimes he committed, seeking a record of his own truth. The act foreshadows a chilling confession that will reveal his violence.

He writes an extensive confession detailing murders, rapes, and brutal acts, insisting that circumstances shaped his actions rather than any inherent guilt. The confession paints a portrait of a man who rejects apologies and refuses to deny his violence. The writing forms the backbone of his account to Lesser.

A reform-minded warden encourages rehabilitation, and Panzram seems to respond to the idea of change. Lesser and the warden both see an opportunity for true reform, even as Panzram remains defiant. The plan, however, is tested by Panzram's escalating violence.

Granted furlough, Panzram leaves the prison to commit a violent act: he rapes a woman. The incident demonstrates how far his violence extends beyond confinement. He is quickly incarcerated again, ending the brief window of supposed reform.

Back in prison, Panzram recounts his life and refuses to apologize for any of his crimes. A violent altercation leads him to beat a prison guard to death. The murder precipitates his rapid slide toward the death penalty.

Panzram is convicted for the guard's death and sentenced to death. Lesser tries to persuade him to appeal on the grounds of insanity, but Panzram stubbornly refuses. The courtroom and prison become stages for a man who will not equivocate about his crimes.

In his final hours, Panzram refuses to seek clemency and rejects a priest who comes to hear his confession. He remains defiantly nihilistic, insisting there is no redemption for him. His resolve is captured in his line about being unable to escape his body.

Panzram is hanged at Leavenworth, refusing mercy and urging the executioner to hasten the proceedings. He peppers the moment with a brutal line: 'Hurry up, you Hoosier bastard. I could kill ten men while you're fooling around here.' The act seals his legacy as a remorseless killer.

Despite his horror at Panzram's crimes, Lesser is unsettled by the condemned man's death. He begins to reflect on the limits of reform and the impact of such violence on his own beliefs. The conflict weighs on him as a man and an officer.

Lesser discusses his experiences with Panzram with his wife Esther, who struggles to understand the men her husband must confront. The couple's conversations reveal domestic life continuing alongside a prison guard's moral turmoil. The film threads these private moments into the larger moral landscape of the story.