Where is the real Charles Cullen from Netflix's The Good Nurse now?

where is charles cullen now
The Good Nurse: Where is Charles Cullen now?Netflix
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Netflix's newest true crime movie The Good Nurse was released yesterday (26th October) and tells the true story of one of America's most notorious serial killers Charles Cullen, played by Eddie Redmayne.

Cullen was a nurse and has admitted to killing 29 people, usually via an overdose of insulin, but experts believe the number could actually be closer to 400 people. The Good Nurse tells the story of Cullen's eventual arrest but is mainly told from the point of view of Cullen's fellow nurse Amy Loughren played by Jessica Chastian. It follows Amy seeking to uncover Cullen's crimes and working with police to secure his arrest.

The movie ends with Cullen's arrest and gives a slight insight into what happened to him following his arrest.

where is charles cullen now
Eddie Redmayne as Charles CullenNetflix

But what has happened to Cullen since? This is everything you need to know about where Charles Cullen is now.

What happened after Charles Cullen's arrest?

On 12th December 2003, Cullen was arrested at a restaurant and charged with one count of murder and one attempted murder.

Two days later he admitted to these charges. He also admitted to detectives he had murdered 40 people over the course of his career.

In April 2004 Cullen admitted to murdering 13 people and attempting to kill two more at Somerset Health Centre to a judge.

Cullen agreed to cooperate with authorities as part of a plea bargain where if he admitted to his crimes he would be spared the death penalty. One month later he admitted to killing three more patients. And in November 2004 he pleaded guilty to killing six patients and trying to kill three more.

where is charles cullen now
Charles Cullen, shortly after his arrestJohn Wheeler - Getty Images

During his court proceedings Cullen was repeatedly disruptive to the proceedings and continually said to the judge: "Your Honour, you need to step down."

Nearly three years after he was arrested Cullen was sentenced to 11 life sentences and is not eligible for parole until 2403.

On 10th March 2006 at his sentencing hearing Cullen continued to taunt the judge with the phrase "Your Honour, you need to step down," and he was given an additional six life sentences for his behaviour in the courtroom.

Where is Charles Cullen now?

Following his sentencing Charles Cullen was sent to New Jersey State Prison, where he is still imprisoned.

It is the oldest prison in New Jersey and a maximum security facility.

Since his imprisonment Cullen has given an interview where he gave some insight into his motivation for murder.

charles cullen now
John Wheeler - Getty Images

In an interview with CBS News in 2013 Cullen said he had a lot of trouble accepting that he has been called a "murderer" but does now accept that he is one.

He said: "I think that I had a lot of trouble accepting that word for a long time, but I accept it, and that's what it is."

When speaking about his motivation for murder Cullen said he thought he was helping people, "I thought that people aren't suffering anymore, so in a sense, I thought I was helping," he told CBS News.

He also added in the interview he wasn't sure if he would have stopped killing if he had not been caught.

The Good Nurse is available on Netflix now.

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