Psychologist who’s interviewed hundreds of death row inmates says there's one trait they all have in common

There are currently approximately 2,100 inmates on death row in the United States, with the vast majority of them convicted of aggravated murder - but it's not the only thing they have in common.

Clinical Psychologist Dr. Bill Kimberlin, who has sat down with death row inmates including 'BTK' Dennis Rader and Samuel Little, says there's another trait they all share - and it's something most of us wouldn't expect.

Kimberlin started out visiting death row prisons in Ohio, and by his third visit, he was asked by one inmate if he wanted to attend their execution - which he did.

From then on, other inmates would reach out to the expert, asking him to also attend their executions. He then started researching more throughout the country, and what was meant to be a couple of visits to death row turned into years of interviews, research and visits.

So it's safe to say Kimberlin knows the inmates pretty well.

Bill Kimberlin has sat down with thousands of death row inmates

Aside from the 'killing' aspect, and the crimes they've committed, which is the obvious answer, Kimberlin tells UNILAD that the one thing they all have in common is that 'they're all dangerously normal.'

"They don't walk around with 'serial killer' tattooed on their forehead or anything like that - which is understandable because they blend in so well with the environment that they're in depending on the section or group of people that they're setting out to kill," he explains.

Despite what we might see on TV, Kimberlin says that when he spends time with the inmates, there's 'no handcuffs or shackles,' or anything of the sort.

Of course, the psychologist knows who he's speaking to and extensive details about them. However, he says those who didn't would have no idea about the crimes they have committed.

"They present in such a way that unless you knew ahead of time that you're dealing with a mass murderer or serial killer, you would not know."

Kimberlin adds that everyone he speaks to is 'good at communicating' and 'very respectful' to him.

The psychologist, who has sat down to eat final meals with a number of them, has revealed what they all have in common (Picture: Bill Kimberlin)

As they treat him well, Kimberlin says he 'offers the same respect in return'.

"They decide if I go home or not, so I'm always very conscious that I'm in their house and I play by their rules," he adds.

Due to this, the psychologist says the inmates, who he says he has a 'unique relationship' with, 'tell him anything,' going as far as to confess other crimes to him, and asking him to witness their execution.

Between 1977-2026, there have been around 1670 executions in the country. Inmates in the United States currently spend an average of 22 years on death row awaiting their execution due to a number of factors including complex, mandatory legal appeals and post-conviction reviews. Timelines can vary depending on the state.

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