My email to Katherine Ramsland

[Holly Goodhead]

Many of you will recall Katherine Ramsland's contribution to the tv series 'Behind Mansion Walls'.  Katherine is a forensic psychologist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOC7xxz_PQE&feature=youtu.be&t=19m45s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Ramsland

My Email

Jeremy Bamber : White House Farm Murders/Suicide?

Dear Katherine

I am sure you will recall your contribution to the above television series entitled 'Behind Manison Walls'.  As an aide-memoire I have detailed your input as follows:

This was a very efficient shooting 25 shots fired 24 hit their target.

She was divocred.  The marriage had lasted about 5 years.  She had two six year old twins sons.

Sheila had been diagnosed with a schizo affective disorder.  Which meant that she had disordered thinking.

She was very religious.  She thought a lot about the God and Devil.  She had talked with her psychiatrist about the fact that she was potentially suicidal.

This was a very efficient shooting 25 shots fired 24 hit their target.

At no time had she acted out aggressively so we really don't have any background on her that would indicate she would suddenly have a psychiatric break and begin shooting everybody.  I would say it is possible that Sheila killed her family and committed suicide but it's not plausible.

There's a particular form of narcism that we call narcissistic immunity and that is a person that thinks they're so special and so much greater than anyone else that they have a destiny.  He has made statements like I can't envision I won't win this.  He memerises the minutae of the cime and looks for any little gap or hole or ambiguity that he can turn in his favour.  Because he believes by force of personality he will make this work.

I would like to ask a few questions and raise a few points:

-  Were you aware that Sheila Caffell (nee Bamber) and Jeremy Bamber were adopted by Nevill and June Bamber shortly after birth?

- It is reported that Sheila spent two weeks with her birth mother before spending the next 2/3 months in a children's home pending adoption.

-  Were you aware that June Bamber suffered two breakdowns requiring in-patient psychiatric care before and after adopting Sheila?  The first breakdown occurred in 1955 and according to June's friends was bound up with her inability to conceive children.  The second breakdown occurred in 1959, at which time Sheila was circa 2 years of age, and according to June's psychiatrist was caused by her decision to adopt.  The second breakdown required electroconvulsive treatment.

- Following June's second breakdown a full-time 17 year old nanny was employed to care for Sheila.  During June's abscence I believe Nevill cared for Sheila with family support.

-  Despite the above Mr and Mrs Bamber were approved to adopt Jeremy Bamber in 1961.  Sheila's nanny continued to work full-time looking after Sheila and Jeremy until Jeremy was around 2 years of age at which time she worked as and when required until Jeremy was of school age.  Other girls, including a French au pair, were employed on the same causual basis.

-  Apparently Mr and Mrs Bamber told Sheila and Jeremy they were adopted when they were around 8 years of age.  At 10 years of age they were sent to different boarding schools miles away from each other and White House Farm (the Bamber family home).

-  Are you aware that a pscyhology exists peculiar to adoption?  You might be aware of Dr David Brodzinsky, developmental, clinical and forensic psychologist, who lectured at Rutgers where I believe you at one time studied.  David is argubably the world's expert on adoption and has authored and co-authored several books on the subject including 'The Psychology Of Adoption' co-authored with Dr Marshall Schechter, a child psychiatrist.  The book includes the largest study of adopted children where the authors have brought together a group of leading researchers from various disciplines to explore the complex, interdisciplinary subject of adoption.  Also 'The Lifelong Search For Self' based on Erik Erikson's model of psychosocial stages of development.

http://www.aclu-il.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/CV-David-Brodzinsky.pdf

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Psychology-Adoption-David-Brodzinsky/.... ....../0195082737

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Being-Adopted-Lifelong-Search-Self/.... ....../0385414021

-  I will take it as a given that you are fully conversant with attachment theory.  Are you aware of the work of Dr Allan Schore?  His research shows a correlation between attachment and suicide.  I have linked below relevant presentations:

http://www.allanschore.com/pdf/AllanSchoreCV2012.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ236szRMD4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB51V3fAAvs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTZQhCMy3vU

- Are you aware of the National Scientific Council for the developing child?  Their research shows how maternal depression and neglect can adversely affect the developing child.  The definition of neglect is inadequate responsiveness to the needs of young children by caregivers.  I have linked below relevant material:

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-Science-of-Neglect-The-Persistent-Absence-of-Responsive-Care-Disrupts-the-Developing-Brain.pdf

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Maternal-Depression-Can-Undermine-Development.pdf

- I understand Jeremy has been assessed by numerous psychologists during his long incarceration and as far as I am aware no professional has identified any mental illness and/or personality disorder.

- Have you considered that Jeremy might not be suffering from narcisstic immunity as you seem to be suggesting but is in fact the victim of a grave miscarriage of justice and innocent hence his attitude above?

-  All the evidence shows the victims were shot when the rifle was at a maximum distance of a little over 3 feet away.  And most shots were fired when victims were stationary.  (Do you have any relevant experience/qualifications in ballistics?)

Surely my comments above are highly relevant to the Bamber family and yet you have not included any aspect in your contribution to 'Behind Mansion Walls'?  I would also add that as far as I am aware the psychiatrist that treated June and Sheila privately, Dr Hugh Ferguson, did not at any stage of treating either woman make reference to any aspect of the above.  Nor did he discuss any aspect of this with Jeremy's defence therefore jurors were denied full knowledge of the psychological backgrounds of the victims and defendent.

Thank you for taking the time to read my email.

I would welcome any comments you might wish to make.

Yours sincerely

[Myster]

And?

I'm glad you didn't sign it Holly Goodhead or she might have thought it was a wind-up.

[Holly Goodhead]

And?

I'm glad you didn't sign it Holly Goodhead or she might have thought it was a wind-up.

Can members see posts before they are approved?

If she responds I will not post her reply without seeking her approval beforehand. 

[John]

Can members see posts before they are approved?

Only mods and staff members.

[Holly Goodhead]

Had a response from Katherine Ramsland or Dr Ramsland as it appears she likes to be known.

I think I made a faux pas, or more likely Freudian slip, as in my email I referred in the main to the other psychologists and psychiatrists as Dr ... but addressed my email Dear Katherine.  She signed herself off Dr Ramsland.

Anyway I'll keep up the dialogue and then see what, if anything, is ok to post subject to her agreement.

[Holly Goodhead]

Just firing off a similar email to Kerry Danes who many of you will recall was the psychologist who contributed to the tv program 'Killing Mum and Dad' kindly posted on this forum by Adam.  I'll post it in a new thread.

Then last but not least I'll do the same for David Holmes the psychologist who featured on 'Slaughter at the farm'. Some of you might recall I discussed with David by phone after the programme was first aired.

[rotti]

 

And?

I'm glad you didn't sign it Holly Goodhead or she might have thought it was a wind-up.