from Wikipedia's entry on Karla Homolka:

Common misconceptions

There are several misconceptions that show up in the media, in internet chat rooms and on various web pages and bulletin
boards regarding Karla Homolka.

1. Karla Homolka was diagnosed as a psychopath.
   
   
   
   • This is not strictly true. Although she has often been described as such, Homolka's multiple diagnoses as a psychopath have
     never come from a) trained psychiatric professionals who b) treated her directly.
   
   
   • The parole board that reviewed Homolka's case in 2001 did refer to her as a psychopath, but these were not trained
     psychiatric professionals. Numerous other psychologists and psychiatrists have termed her a psychopath, but none had ever
     actually counseled her directly, resorting instead to interview transcripts, case reports, video documentation, and/or newspaper
     articles.
   
   
   • She was directly evaluated by doctors Hans Arndt, Alan Long, Andrew Malcom, Chris Hatcher, Stephen Hucker, Peter Jaffe and
     Angus McDonald, all of whom were in agreement in terms of her diagnosis as a battered wife suffering from severe clinical
     depression and post traumatic stress
     disorder. In fact, Dr. Sharon Williams, an expert on incarcerated sex offenders and psychopaths, and who evaluated her
     between 1996 and 1999, concluded that Karla Homolka was not a psychopath, and not a danger to reoffend.
   
   
   
   


2. Karla Homolka never received any treatment while in prison.
   
   
   
   • Homolka participated in every treatment program recommended, until she was asked to participate in a program that had been
     designed for male sexual offenders. She refused, on the grounds that she was neither male nor a sexual offender (since she had
     not been convicted as such).
   
   
   
   


3. Karla Homolka's time in prison was filled with parties, and she has done nothing to better herself during that
   time.
   
   
   
   • Homolka took nearly every recommended course and treatment (with the aforementioned exception) during her incarceration, such
     as "Improving Your Inner Self", "Anger Management", "Survivors of Abuse and Trauma", and many more. She also earned her
     bachelor's degree in psychology from Queen's University, and achieved very high grades.
   
   
   • At one point, a released inmate leaked photos which showed Homolka at a birthday party. Since Homolka was, at that time,
     being held in the medium-security Joliette Institution for Women, such birthday parties were common. When the photos were
     published, the resulting uproar led to Homolka being placed in solitary confinement. It should be noted, however, that Homolka
     was not the first Joliette inmate to have a birthday party, nor was she the last, nor was it clear that it was even
     Karla's birthday party portrayed in the pictures.
   
   
   
   


4. Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo created snuff films.
   
   
   
   • By definition, the movies created by Homolka and Bernardo are not snuff films, because they do not show the murders of their
     victims.
   
   
   
   


5. Karla Homolka has never expressed any remorse for her crimes.
   
   
   
   • Homolka expressed remorse numerous times. Most notably to her family in a letter to them regarding the death of her sister
     Tammy, and to the doctors treating her throughout the years. In fact, in letters to one of her previous psychiatrists, she
     described in length the continuing nightmares she had regarding the two murdered girls. Whether this remorse is genuine or
     feigned cannot, of course, be reliably determined.
   
   
   
   


6. Karla Homolka began a lesbian relationship in prison with a woman who had likewise been convicted of helping to rape
   and torture young girls.
   
   
   
   • On September 22, 2000, the
     Montreal Gazette published an article on Homolka's prison
     life which gave the impression that Homolka was in a lesbian relationship with convicted child-rapist Christina Sherry (in fact, the
     article was accompanied by a photo of Homolka and Sherry together, which no doubt reinforced this particular misconception). In
     fact, Homolka's lesbian relationship was with Lynda Verroneau, who had been convicted of participating in a bank robbery. The independently wealthy Lynda Verroneau would later sell pictures and stories to the media
     claiming that Karla had pretended to be her lover in order to get lingerie and a computer.
   
   
   
   


7. Karla Homolka enjoyed (or, alternately, was horrified by) the events that took place.
   
   
   
   • Homolka's "level of enjoyment" of course, cannot be judged. Neither argument; that she enjoyed the crimes, or that she was
     horrified by them, is entirely supported by the evidence. Both sides claim conclusive evidence for their argument, but only
     Homolka herself knows for sure.
   
   
   
   


8. When Karla Homolka gets out of jail, she is going to ...
   
   
   
   • Many people - including the authorities of many Canadian provinces - would like to know what Homolka's plans are for life
     after prison. However, she has not told anyone anything; therefore, any rumors are just that - rumors. On Tuesday, April 27th, 2005 the Niagara Regional Police sent two officers to meet face-to-face with Karla to
     discuss her plans upon release. Other than saying that she was "Co-operative," no other details have been released.
   
   
   
   


9. The Internet has a great many Karla Homolka fan sites.
   
   
   
   • On April 09, 2005 the Toronto Star published a story about a supposed "Internet Frenzy" regarding Karla
     Homolka. Although some new sites had popped up in the beginning of 2005 some had also gone
     away. The article intimated that there were several Homolka "fan sites"; however, after investigation by at least one internet
     community (http://p097.ezboard.com/bkarlahomolka), only one
     site (http://www.geocities.com/karla_holmolka_fan) was found which could be
     classified as a fan-site.
   
   
   
   


10. The home videos were discovered after the plea-bargain had been fixed. Had they come to light earlier, she would have
    been sentenced to life in prison.
    
    
    
    • This is vastly oversimplified. Prosecutors had an opportunity to both "break the deal" and charge Homolka with additional
      crimes for a period of 8 months between when the tapes were found and authorities agreed not to charge her with additional
      crimes. The police were in possession of the tapes in September of 1994, although the "deal" had been signed in 1993 (and they
      had been working under the deal under a verbal agreement long before that) they were still able to prosecute her for "Jane Doe", and for lies that they uncovered in her earlier testimony (an absolute
      deal-breaker was lying during her interviews with prosecutors) since they knew she had lied; Stephen Williams published memos where the Crown discussed these lies amongst themselves. Officials
      agreed not to prosecute her for the "Jane Doe" incidents, and they chose not to break the deal with Homolka on May 18, 1995. That
      decision was final.
    
    
    
    


11. Karla Homolka will be released on Leslie Mahaffy's birthday.
    
    
    
    • It is entirely likely that Homolka will be released before July 5th (which is, indeed, the birthday of Leslie Mahaffy). It appears that the Canadian prison system has the authority to release her as early as June 24th, 2005 but she may be released no later than July 5th, 2005.