44-401: John Wayne Bobbitt (born 1967) and Lorena Bobbitt ( née Gallo ; born 15 May 1969) were an American former couple, married on June 18, 1989, whose relationship received international press coverage in 1993 when Lorena severed John's penis with a knife while he was asleep in bed; the penis was successfully surgically reattached. Lorena, an Ecuadorian immigrant, claimed that her husband John,
88-412: A legal separation with a formal separation agreement filed with the court. As for a divorce, the latter may include provisions for alimony , whether to have sole custody or shared parenting of any children, and the amount of child support . Although the emotional impact of separation is similar to that of divorce, some argue that a temporary separation may also occur to enhance the marriage as
132-554: A bar bouncer and former U.S. Marine , had raped and abused her for years. John was charged with rape later that year but was acquitted and subsequently starred in two pornographic films . The next year, Lorena was acquitted of assault by reason of insanity and went on to start a foundation for domestic abuse victims and their children. The couple divorced in 1995. Lorena Bobbitt severed her husband John's penis on June 23, 1993 at their home in Manassas, Virginia . Lorena stated in
176-480: A bartender, limo driver, mover, pizza delivery driver, and tow-truck operator. He also had a stint serving at a wedding chapel as a minister of a local Universal Life Church . In 1999, John received probation for his role in a theft at a store in Nevada. In 2003, he was sentenced to prison for violating his probation for the 1999 theft, after he was arrested on battery charges involving his then-wife, Joanna Ferrell. He
220-566: A class of servants or slaves called eunuchs in many different places and eras, having a notable presence in various societies such as Imperial China . In Russia , men of a devout group of Spiritual Christians known as the Skoptsy were castrated, either undergoing "greater castration", which entailed removal of the penis, or "lesser castration", in which the penis remained in place, while Skoptsy women underwent mastectomy . These procedures were performed in an effort to eliminate lust and to restore
264-433: A court hearing that, after coming home that evening, her husband had raped her. After he then went to sleep, she got out of bed and went to the kitchen for a drink of water. She then grabbed an eight-inch Ginsu carving knife on the kitchen counter, returned to their bedroom, pulled back the bed sheets, and cut off his penis. After this, Lorena left the apartment with the severed appendage and drove away in her car. After
308-495: A four-part docu-series produced by Jordan Peele about the incident, which features interviews with both Lorena and John. On May 25, 2020, Lifetime aired I Was Lorena Bobbitt as part of its "Ripped from the Headlines" feature films. While Lorena serves as the onscreen narrator and executive producer, the film stars Dani Montalvo as Lorena Bobbitt and Luke Humphrey as John Bobbitt. A lyric from Lizzo 's 2022 song "Grrrls"
352-501: A jury of nine women and three men. He gave multiple versions of what had happened that evening in question, relating at various times to police and to the court that "they had not had sex; that Lorena had tried to initiate sex, but he had been too tired; that they had had sex, but he had slept through it; and that the sex had been consensual." After seven hours of deliberation, the jury found Lorena not guilty by reason of insanity caused by an irresistible impulse to sexually wound John. As
396-399: A length of time driving and struggling to steer with one hand due to holding the penis, she threw the penis out a window into a roadside field on Maplewood Drive. She eventually stopped and called 9-1-1 , telling them what she had done and where the penis could be found. John's penis was found after an exhaustive search, and after being washed with antiseptic and packed in saline ice , it
440-414: A mix of self-defense and temporary insanity constituting an " irresistible impulse " due to the history and pattern of abuse and rape. One expert witness testified that, "Lorena believed and was immobilized by John's threat, 'I will find you, whether we're divorced or separated . And wherever I find you, I'll have sex with you whenever I want to. ' " John was later acquitted of marital sexual assault by
484-403: A red light. In 2024, John said that he had his toes amputated as a result of toxic peripheral polyneuropathy , which he speculated was the result of his exposure to toxic waters at Camp Lejeune when he served there in the 1980s. He said that the amputations alongside developing osteomyelitis had left him unable to work. After the trial, Lorena attempted to keep a low profile and reverted to
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#1732881516562528-511: A result, she could not be held liable for her actions. Under state law, the judge ordered Lorena to undergo a 45-day evaluation period at Central State Hospital in Petersburg , after which she would be released. In 1995, after six years of marriage, John and Lorena finalized their divorce. After the incident, John attempted to generate money from his renown by forming a band, The Severed Parts, to pay his mounting medical and legal bills, although
572-500: A romantic relationship with John that ended in May 1992. In 1994, John was charged with striking Kristina Elliott, a 21-year-old former exotic dancer he met while in Las Vegas , Nevada on a publicity tour. At the time, Elliot had been engaged to John, but after the event she broke off the engagement. On August 31, 1994, he was convicted of battery and sentenced to fifteen days in jail (75% of
616-517: A severed penis. "Weird Al" Yankovic 's 1994 song " Headline News ", a parody of the Crash Test Dummies hit " Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm ", makes reference to the "guy who made his wife so mad one night that she cut off his weiner". The Canadian hardcore punk band SNFU released a song "Bobbitt" on their 1996 album Fyulaba . The incident has been referenced in movies and television shows, such as David Fincher 's 1999 adaptation of Fight Club and
660-563: A transitive verb in the Oxford English Dictionary , defined as "to cut off the penis of (a man, esp. a husband or lover), typically as an act of revenge for perceived sexual grievances". After the 1991 Gulf War , the United States Air Force decided to remove the tail gun turrets from all B-52 strategic bombers. Crews started calling the bombers without tail guns "Bobbited". The bristle worm Eunice aphroditois
704-627: Is "I'ma go Lorena Bobbitt on him so he never fuck again, no-oh, oh". John is given a brief mention during the Fall Out Boy cover of " We Didn't Start the Fire " in 2023, as part of the "updated" list of events used in the lyrics. Penis removal Penis removal is the act of removing the human penis . It is not to be confused with the related practice of castration , in which the testicles are removed or deactivated, or emasculation, which removes both. Penis removal and castration have been used to create
748-417: Is divided regarding the desire for penile amputation as a pathology, much as all other forms of treatment by amputation for body dysmorphic disorder. Voluntary subincision , removal of the glans penis , and bifurcation of the penis are related topics. In ancient China, for crimes including adultery, "licentious" and "promiscuous" activity, males had their penises removed in addition to being castrated . This
792-454: Is informally known as the "Bobbitt Worm" after the case, because it attacks its prey with scissor-like jaws. Mary Beth Edelson ’s life-size monument to Lorena Bobbitt is entitled Kali Bobbitt (1994). It was included in MoMA PS1 's 2015 survey show Greater New York . The sculpture reimagines Bobbitt as the warrior goddess Kali , mounted on a ziggurat plinth, adorned with knives, and grasping
836-416: Is not an option (such as the penis not being reattached long after 24 hours), doctors can reconstruct a penis from muscle and skin grafted from another part of the body like the forearm. However, a penile implant is needed for an erection to be possible, as the reconstructed penis would look strange and would either not be able to ejaculate, or ejaculate with less force. Patients are often dissatisfied with
880-465: The Coen brothers ' 2004 remake of The Ladykillers . Family Guy has referenced the incident in multiple episodes starting on March 11, 2007 in the episode " Bill & Peter's Bogus Journey ". After sleeping with Bill Clinton , Lois says that she was a worse wife than when Lorena Bobbitt was married to The Thing . A cutaway gag then shows The Thing looking for his severed penis. On October 11, 2009
924-437: The vagina . When procedures such as this are not possible, other procedures such as colovaginoplasty are used which do involve the removal of the penis. Issues related to the removal of the penis appear in psychology, for example in the condition known as castration anxiety . Some men have undergone penectomies as a voluntary body modification , thus including it as part of a body dysmorphic disorder . Professional opinion
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#1732881516562968-465: The 1990s; in the beginning Peter states "it was the decade of Viagra but also the decade of Lorena Bobbitt, so it was a yay-boo period for penises". It was also referenced in the episode " The Lois Quagmire ", first airing on February 27, 2022. Lyrics from Tech N9ne 's 2008 song "Psycho Bitch II" reference the incident "Lorena Bobbitt told her to slice yo' dick, if you ever break up wit' a psycho bitch". In February 2019, Amazon released Lorena ,
1012-620: The 21st-century, successful allographic penis transplantation surgery began. Marital separation Marital separation occurs when spouses in a marriage stop living together without getting divorced . Married couples may separate as an initial step in the divorce process or to gain perspective on the marriage and determine whether divorce is warranted. Other couples may separate as an alternative to divorce for economic or religious reasons, for tax purposes, or to ensure continuing retirement and/or health insurance benefits for both spouses. A separation can be initiated informally, or there can be
1056-585: The Christian to a pristine state that existed prior to original sin . In the modern era, removing the human penis for any such activity is very rare (with some exceptions listed below), and references to removal of the penis are almost always symbolic. Castration is less rare, and is performed as a last resort in the treatment of androgen -sensitive prostate cancer . Some men have penile amputations , known as penectomies , for medical reasons. Cancer , for example, sometimes necessitates removal of all or part of
1100-472: The band was unsuccessful and failed to generate enough money. In September 1994, he appeared in the adult film John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut in another attempt to make money. In 1996, he appeared in another adult film, Frankenpenis (also known as John Wayne Bobbitt's Frankenpenis ). After the attack and acquittal, it was revealed that John was the father of a son, Andrew Williams, born in 1992 to Beatrice Williams of Niagara Falls , New York . She had been in
1144-400: The case resulted in national debate and also sparked a flurry of jokes, limericks , T-shirt slogans, and advertising gimmicks , as well as Howard Stern having John as a guest on his 1993 New Year's Eve special and fundraising $ 250,000 to defray the outstanding costs of his surgery. MCI had also unknowingly been drawn into the fray by running a television commercial a couple of weeks after
1188-524: The defense lawyer Blair D. Howard, maintained that John's constant abuse eventually caused Lorena to "snap" because she was suffering from clinical depression and a possible bout of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the abuse. John denied the allegations of abuse; however, when he was cross-examined by Howard, his statements often conflicted with known facts, severely weakening the prosecution's case. Lorena testified that John had raped her and physically battered her on multiple occasions prior to
1232-522: The evening of the incident, that they lacked financial stability, and that he stole her earnings and spent the proceeds. Both the prosecution and the defense conceded that John had demonstrated a history of abuse toward his wife and that this abuse created a context for the assault. Expert witnesses for both sides testified that "he had mentally and physically battered her; that the abuse was escalating; and that, by 1993, she lived in constant fear of him." The defense strategy emphasized Lorena's action as being
1276-456: The incident was referenced in the episode " Spies Reminiscent of Us " during Peter's improv performance. Peter performs an 'impression' of John Bobbitt in the same manner as his John Wayne impression, due to the name similarity, before following it up with an impression of John Wayne Gacy in the same manner. Later, on November 10, 2019, the show referenced the incident again in the episode " Peter and Lois' Wedding " where Peter and Lois meet in
1320-644: The incident, advertising how the Bobbitts—a family from Siaconset, Massachusetts , of no relation to John and Lorena Bobbitt—saved by switching to MCI, causing jokes to be made of "when they cut off your service, they mean it". Shortly after the incident, episodes of "Bobbittmania", or copycat crimes , were reported, although the incidents were generally self-inflicted wounds or accidents. The names of John and Lorena Bobbitt eventually became synonymous with penis removal. The terms "Bobbittized punishment" and "Bobbitt Procedure" gained social recognition. Bobbitt appears as
1364-448: The interview, she said that she was in a long-term relationship with a man named Dave Bellinger and that they had a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Although Lorena told Oprah Winfrey in April 2009 that she had no interest in talking to John, they appeared together on the show The Insider in May 2009. It was their first meeting since their divorce. On the show, John apologized to her for
John and Lorena Bobbitt - Misplaced Pages Continue
1408-549: The original 60-day sentence was suspended). "I firmly believe you have an attitude problem," Justice of the Peace William Jansen told John. "Your attitude problem is caused by your drinking." On August 10, 1998, John appeared on the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE)'s Monday Night Raw is War television program, where he was featured with Val Venis . Not long after, he moved to Las Vegas and worked as
1452-632: The penis was used as a punishment for men in the Heian period in Japan, where it replaced execution. It was called rasetsu 羅切 (らせつ), and was separate from castration which was called kyūkei 宮刑 (きゅうけい). Rasetsu was done voluntarily by some Japanese Buddhist priests to ensure celibacy. Rasetsu was also known in Edo period Japan. The word rasetsu was made out of the components "ra" from " mara " which meant penis, and " setsu ", which meant cutting. The word rasetsu
1496-400: The penis. In some instances, botched childhood circumcisions have also resulted in full or partial penectomies. Genital surgical procedures for transgender women undergoing sex reassignment surgery do not usually involve the complete removal of the penis; part or all of the glans is usually kept and reshaped as a clitoris , and the skin of the penile shaft may also be inverted to form
1540-408: The reconstructed penis. Since 2015, Zephyr Surgical Implants produces malleable and inflatable penile implants particularly designed for phalloplasty surgeries. Standing during urination is an advantage offered by a reconstructed penis. If penis reconstruction is not done, the patient will have to squat in order to urinate since doctors reroute the entrance of the urethra to below the scrotum. In
1584-429: The severing of the penis in addition to the testicles, after which male offenders were sentenced to work in the palace as eunuchs . The punishment was called gōngxíng (宫刑), which meant "palace punishment", since castrated men would be enslaved to work in the harem of the palace. It was also called " fǔxíng "(腐刑). Husbands who committed adultery were punished with castration as required under this law. The removal of
1628-447: The use of her maiden name, Gallo. In October 1996, she visited her native country Ecuador, where she met with then- President Abdalá Bucaram for an official dinner. Some time later the two would baptize a child as a godmother and a godfather . Bucaram was criticized for inviting Lorena to the dinner. In December 1997, Lorena made news when she was charged with assault for punching her mother, Elvia Gallo, as they watched television. She
1672-512: The way he treated her during their marriage. John claimed that he still loved her and continued to send her Valentine's Day cards and flowers. The Bobbitt case brought attention to the issue of domestic violence and marital rape. Within days of the incident, some anti-domestic violence advocates and some feminist groups rallied around Lorena, citing the continuous abuse she suffered at the hands of John that led her to attack him, albeit in an unusual and violent manner. Media attention surrounding
1716-491: Was again twice arrested on charges of battery against Ferrell in 2004, and that same year, he filed for divorce under the name John W. Ferrell, which he had been using during his marriage with Joanna. In 2014, John was hospitalized in an intensive care unit as a result of a car accident in Buffalo , New York. Bobbitt was not held responsible after an investigation determined the accident was caused by another motorist failing to heed
1760-517: Was eventually acquitted of assault, and her mother continued to live with her. In 2007, she was working at a beauty salon in Washington, D.C. , and, the same year, founded Lorena's Red Wagon organization, which helps prevent domestic violence through family-oriented activities. In June 2008, Lorena appeared on the CBS News program The Early Show , where she talked about her life since the incident. In
1804-533: Was one of the Five Punishments that could be legally inflicted on criminals in China. The exact crime was called gong , and referred to "immoral" sex between males and females. The punishment stated, "If a male and female engage in intercourse without morality, their punishments shall be castration and sequestration [respectively]." They were designed to permanently disfigure for life. "Castration", in China, meant
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1848-518: Was reattached in the hospital where he was treated. The operation took nine and a half hours. John went on to star in two pornographic films in the 1990s, and stated in 2018 that his penis is "back to normal". John also went on to accumulate a record of serious abuse allegations and some criminal convictions. When Lorena was arrested on June 23, 1993, she told the police, "He always have orgasm [sic], and he doesn't wait for me ever to have orgasm. He's selfish." This conversation with Detective Peter Weintz
1892-655: Was tape-recorded, and the transcript was read later in the trial by Mary Grace O'Brien, the Prince William County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney prosecuting Lorena. During the trial, the Bobbitts revealed details of their volatile relationship and the events that led to the assault. Lorena stated that John sexually , physically , and emotionally abused her during their marriage, claiming that he had flaunted his infidelities and forced her to have an abortion . Her defense attorneys, who included
1936-652: Was used in Japanese literature. Kyūkei in Japanese law referred to the punishment of castration, which was used for male offenders, and confinement for females. The Arab slave trade provided many eunuchs who were more highly prized, and priced. African boys were generally subject to penis removal, as well as castration. A study of penis reattachment in China found that in a group of 50 men, all but one reacquired functionality, even though some involved full reconstructive surgery using tissue and bone. Reportedly, some of these men later fathered children. If reattachment
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