Norman Mailer's Stabbing of Adele Morales: Difference between revisions

citations added to incident, rearranging of information in the incident. information from the incident moved to the end of the aftermath because it was about morales' future health problems, not the stabbing
(paraphrased and fixed a long quote in the aftermath, added a citation to the aftermath, rearranged information to have more of a flow in aftermath)
(citations added to incident, rearranging of information in the incident. information from the incident moved to the end of the aftermath because it was about morales' future health problems, not the stabbing)
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==The Incident==
==The Incident==
Mailer had decided to run for Mayor of New York.{{cn}} On November 19th, 1960, in an effort to boost the campaign, the Mailers hosted a party.{{cn}}{{Copy edit inline}} The attendees of this event however would be given a clear insight into Mailer's irregular mental state at the time, as it was reported that alongside the formal guests, many individuals had come straight from the streets.{{sfn|National Post|2015}}. Mailer cursed and told the crowd to shut up when being interrupted{{sfn|Schwartzman |2019}}. He shouted: “You’re nothing but a bunch of spoiled pigs!” {{sfn|Schwartzman |2019}}.  As the hours passed, many of the guests including Mailer had become heavily intoxicated, and quarrels broke out. {{sfn|Mills|1982|p=221|}} An argument between Mailer and his sister regarding the campaign came up, resulting in Mailer assaulting her.{{cn}} The Mailer couple themselves began arguing when Adele Morales tried to defend her. Mailer had begun physically attacking the other guests and then proceeded to leave and fight those who were not involved with the party.{{cn}} When he had returned at around 4:30 a.m., witnesses say that Morales taunted Mailer's masculinity and literary talents during their argument.{{cn}}
Mailer had decided to run for Mayor of New York.{{cn}} On November 19th, 1960, in an effort to boost the campaign, the Mailers hosted a party.{{cn}}{{Copy edit inline}} The attendees of this event however would be given a clear insight into Mailer's irregular mental state at the time, as it was reported that alongside the formal guests, many individuals had come straight from the streets.{{sfn|National Post|2015}}. Mailer cursed and told the crowd to shut up when being interrupted{{sfn|Schwartzman |2019}}. He shouted: “You’re nothing but a bunch of spoiled pigs!” {{sfn|Schwartzman |2019}}.  As the hours passed, many of the guests including Mailer had become heavily intoxicated, and quarrels broke out. {{sfn|Mills|1982|p=221|}} An argument between Mailer and his sister regarding the campaign came up, resulting in Mailer assaulting her.{{cn}} The Mailer couple themselves began arguing when Adele Morales tried to defend her. Mailer had begun physically attacking the other guests and then proceeded to leave and fight those who were not involved with the party.{{cn}} When he had returned at around 4:30 a.m., witnesses say that Morales taunted Mailer's masculinity and literary talents during their argument.{{sfn|Cornwell|2015|}}


Angered, he grabbed a penknife and then proceeded to stab Morales once in the back and once in the upper abdomen, narrowly avoiding her heart.{{cn}} As she lay there, hemorrhaging, a man at the party came to assist her and Mailer snapped, saying "Get away from her. Let the bitch die."{{sfn|Hari|2007}}. Before being stabbed in the back and the breast, she yelled “Toro! Toro!” to further ridicule Mailer’s bullfighter fetish, their routine of making public displays of their distress hit bottom. In a blind rage, Mailer thrust with a penknife and in two striking blows. {{sfn|Moore |2020}}
She yelled “Toro! Toro!” to further ridicule Mailer’s bullfighter fetish, their routine of making public displays of their distress hit bottom. In a blind rage, Mailer thrust with a penknife and with two striking blows. {{sfn|Moore |2020}} He stabbed Morales once in the back and once in the upper abdomen, near her heart.{{sfn|Moberley|2015|}} As she lay there, hemorrhaging, a man at the party came to assist her and Mailer snapped, saying "Get away from her. Let the bitch die."{{sfn|Hari|2007}}.


She was not taken to the hospital until three hours after the altercation.{{cn}} After arriving at the hospital, she said that she was at a party and fell onto glass, though doctors were skeptical.{{cn}} She told the police after that "He didn't say anything, he just looked at me. He didn't say a word. He just stabbed me".{{Verify quote}} Morales never made a full recovery.{{cn}} She developed pleurisy and found herself coughing up black phlegm several times throughout the day.{{cn}} Several years later, she fell into poverty and became an alcoholic.{{cn}}
She was not taken to the hospital until three hours after the altercation.{{sfn|Moberley|2015|}} After arriving at the hospital, she said that she was at a party and fell onto a broken bottle, though doctors were skeptical.{{sfn|Moberley|2015|}} She told the police after that "He didn't say anything, he just looked at me. He didn't say a word. He just stabbed me".{{sfn|Moberley|2015|}}


== The Aftermath==
== The Aftermath==
Mailer was arrested at the hospital around 10 pm.{{sfn|Moberley|2015|}} Adele did not press charges to protect her daughters. Mailer was charged with felonious assault and his psych was watched closely.{{sfn|Cornwell|2015|}} Initially, Mailer pleaded “not guilty,” but later changed his plea to “guilty” to avoid harmful publicity for his family.{{sfn|Lennon|2013|p=269}} Mailer was committed to Bellevue Mental Hospital. {{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} "I was very upset because my feeling was I committed a crime." Mailer said. {{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} His criminal lawyer had suggested he go to the hospital. "He was thinking like a criminal lawyer" Mailer spoke.{{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} They used the mental hospital as a way to save him had his wife did end up dying from the injuries inflicted upon her.{{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} Mailer hated this, he felt he would go crazy if he'd be there any longer.{{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} Mailer briefly sat in jail, before being court-ordered to Bellevue for 17 days.{{cn}} In less than one month, he was back home. After plea bargaining was agreed to, Mailer’s reduced charges led to a suspended sentence and probation.{{sfn|Moore |2020}}
Mailer was arrested at the hospital around 10 pm.{{sfn|Moberley|2015|}} Adele did not press charges to protect her daughters. Mailer was charged with felonious assault and his psych was watched closely.{{sfn|Cornwell|2015|}} Initially, Mailer pleaded “not guilty,” but later changed his plea to “guilty” to avoid harmful publicity for his family.{{sfn|Lennon|2013|p=269}} Mailer was committed to Bellevue Mental Hospital. {{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} "I was very upset because my feeling was I committed a crime." Mailer said. {{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} His criminal lawyer had suggested he go to the hospital. "He was thinking like a criminal lawyer" Mailer spoke.{{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} They used the mental hospital as a way to save him had his wife did end up dying from the injuries inflicted upon her.{{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} Mailer hated this, he felt he would go crazy if he'd be there any longer.{{sfn|McNeil|2020|p=51}} Mailer briefly sat in jail, before being court-ordered to Bellevue for 17 days.{{cn}} In less than one month, he was back home. After plea bargaining was agreed to, Mailer’s reduced charges led to a suspended sentence and probation.{{sfn|Moore |2020}}
Yet in an aftermath dominated by friends, family members, colleagues, and other enablers rallying to Norman, it became clear that he’d be “protected” and Adele, for all intent and purposes, was left to recover from her wounds and resume her life. {{cn}}  
Yet in an aftermath dominated by friends, family members, colleagues, and other enablers rallying to Norman, it became clear that he’d be “protected” and Adele, for all intent and purposes, was left to recover from her wounds and resume her life. {{cn}}  Morales never made a full recovery.{{cn}} She developed pleurisy and found herself coughing up black phlegm several times throughout the day.{{cn}} Several years later, she fell into poverty and became an alcoholic.{{cn}}
==Personal Response==
==Personal Response==
After being remanded to Bellevue, Mailer confessed to the judge: “I feel I did a lousy, dirty, cowardly thing.”{{sfn|McKinley|2021|p=3}}
After being remanded to Bellevue, Mailer confessed to the judge: “I feel I did a lousy, dirty, cowardly thing.”{{sfn|McKinley|2021|p=3}}
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