Pleading for the Future “Crime of the Century”

In 1924, the “Crime of the Century” took place in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. On May 21 of that year, two Chicago students from wealthy and prominent families – Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb – kidnapped and brutally murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks on South Ellis Street. The two were eventually apprehended and tried at the old Cook County Courts Building. Their lawyer, Clarence Darrow, to everyone’s surprise pleaded them guilty to murder and kidnapping. Darrow put on a month of psychiatric testimony, arguing that extenuating circumstances and litigation called for mercy.  States Attorney Robert Crowe vigorously argued for the death penalty.  After two weeks of deliberation, Judge John Caverly made his decision…

On Wednesday, February 18th, three Chicago attorneys, Todd Parkhurst (Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym), Scott Petersen (Holland & Knight), and Bill Hannay (Schiff Hardin LLP), will present a dramatization of the closing arguments in the Loeb and Leopold murder case at the Law School. Sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students, the Criminal Law Society. The event is free and open to the public but seating may be limited. Contact Adrienne Packard at apackard@uchicago.edu for more information.