Did Ted Bundy Pass a Lie Detector Test?
No, Ted Bundy did not pass a lie detector test. His lawyer, John Henry Browne, arranged for Bundy to take a polygraph test, which he failed. This information is detailed in Browne’s book and contradicts the common belief that Bundy managed to deceive the polygraph.
Ted Bundy and the Polygraph Test
The claim that Ted Bundy, a notorious serial killer, passed a lie detector test is a topic of interest and debate. Contrary to popular belief, there is no substantial evidence indicating that Bundy was ever subjected to a polygraph test by criminal investigators or that he passed such a test.
Ann Rule, a well-known writer who knew Bundy personally, discussed Bundy in her book “The Stranger Beside Me: The True Crime Story of Ted Bundy.” In this book, Rule mentions that she once suggested Bundy take a polygraph test, to which he responded that his lawyer, John Henry Browne, advised against it. This interaction suggests that Bundy was aware of the possibility of taking a polygraph but chose not to under legal advice.
Furthermore, John Henry Browne, Bundy’s lawyer, provides more insight into this matter. In his 2016 book “The Devil’s Defender: My Odyssey Through American Criminal Justice from Ted Bundy to the Kandahar Massacre,” Browne reveals that he had once arranged for Bundy to take a lie detector test. According to Browne, Bundy failed this test. Bundy had expressed confidence in his ability to deceive the polygraph machine due to his “personality type.” When questioned about why he needed to fool the machine if he was innocent, Bundy reportedly said it was just a game.
This revelation is crucial because it contradicts the often-circulated claim that Bundy passed a polygraph test. It demonstrates that while Bundy did undergo a polygraph examination, he did not succeed in passing it. This information is particularly significant considering the notorious criminal’s reputation and the public’s fascination with his psychological profile.
In conclusion, the evidence strongly suggests that Ted Bundy did not pass a polygraph test. Police never administered such a test to him, and the only known instance of him taking a polygraph, arranged by his lawyer, resulted in failure. This finding aligns with the broader understanding of Bundy’s character and his interactions with the legal system.
