Dr. Emanuel Tanay evaluated Ted Bundy in 1979 and found that he showed signs of a lifelong personality disorder and psychopathic tendencies. During their three-hour evaluation, Bundy was cheerful and jovial but did not meaningfully engage with Tanay, instead trying to impress him. Tanay believed Bundy’s behavior was driven by psychopathology and an inability to control impulses or consider long-term consequences. He acted this way with his lawyers as well, prioritizing attention and defiance over his own defense. In Tanay’s opinion, Bundy’s rejection of a plea deal that could have spared the death penalty was an irrational decision consistent with his underlying mental disorders. Document courtesy of Erin Banks.