National Security Professor Featured in New Television Series

Charles “Andy” Morgan, M.D., M.A. is an expert in everything from French existentialist literature to operational psychiatry. His background in forensic psychology and expertise on psychopathy, in particular, have recently been in the spotlight, as he has been featured in several episodes of a new television show airing on Investigation Discovery.

This summer, Dr. Morgan was among the experts featured on the new series “Signs of a Psychopath,” which airs on Sundays at 10 p.m. and can be watched on the ID Go app. He was included in six episodes, discussing topics such as psychiatric evaluations, early signs of psychopathy, and specific cases.

“I tried to help the viewer understand psychopathy, people without empathy,” said Dr. Morgan, a national security professor at the University. “These individuals have no value for human life, and I try to help viewers understand this mindset.”

Dr. Morgan discussed several cases, including that of a teenager in Miami who stabbed a classmate to death in a bathroom, and one involving a cook at a bed and breakfast in Vermont who killed several people. Before his interviews for the show, Dr. Morgan watched the police interrogation tapes and read the transcripts.

“Neither killer was overtly delusional,” said Dr. Morgan, who has worked in operational psychology with the U.S. Special Operations Command, the Marine Corps Special Operations Command, and with the Asymmetric Warfare Group. “However, both indicated a long, persistent idea that it was important for them to kill someone.”

‘Working with Dr. Andy Morgan has been such a pleasure’

“Signs of a Psychopath” is a spinoff, of sorts, of the series “Evil Lives Here,” and it features archival footage, such as police interrogation recordings. A production of Red Marble Media, a full-service television production company in New York City, each episode covers some of the most shocking and violent crimes, including murder and sexual assault.

Although they haven’t evaluated the perpetrators in an official capacity, featured experts such as Dr. Morgan discuss them and give their expert opinion on issues such as whether or not they exhibit signs of psychopathy.

Brooke Rochman, a casting director for Red Marble Media, says Dr. Morgan may appear in a second season of the show.

“Working with Dr. Andy Morgan has been such a pleasure,” she said. “Not only is he the epitome of professionalism, but his immense knowledge and expertise in the field of forensic psychiatry cultivated an environment of education and trust. It's incredible to see and hear him talk about the complex cases he's worked on and break them down in a way that anyone can digest and understand.”

‘I hope this educates people’

Dr. Morgan, who traveled to New York for the shoots, said crew members were very conscious of everyone’s safety during the pandemic. He noted that everything was sanitized, and crew members practiced physical distancing and used a separate entrance.

A psychiatrist who has worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, Dr. Morgan recently collaborated with his students on research requested by the White House that endeavors to determine if a new method of interviewing will help security clearance investigators determine if people are lying. He hopes the show is one more way he can help inform the public about his important work.

“I hope this educates people about the ‘boxes’ we have in psychology for thinking about what drives human behavior,” said Dr. Morgan. “It’s important to learn about risk factors, identifying signs, and whether or not people change.”