, Research Paper
“The Real Crime of the Century” Known as the “Crime of the Century”, the Lindbergh baby kidnapping case was watched by the whole world in the early 1930’s. Charles Lindbergh Sr. was America’s greatest hero. Bruno Richard Hauptmann was an illegal immigrant with a criminal record. Despite Hauptmann’s continous proclamations of innocence,somebody would have to pay for the kidnapping and murder of Baby Lindbergh! Unfortunetly for Bruno, he was forced to pay the ultimate price-his life. Over sixty years later, doubts still surface reguarding the justice (or injustice) of Hauptmann’s execution, who was convicted primarily by circumstantial evidence and the influence of the media. Reviewing the case leads many to ask whether “The Crime of the Century” was the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby or if in fact the real crime was the conviction and execution of an innocent Bruno Hauptmann. This question has no definitive or simple answer. It all depends on how you interpret the evidence or lack there of. The evidence at first seems to point a very sure finger towards poor Bruno but after careful examination of all of the evidence, there is definite cause for speculation. Because the majority of the evidence is based on people’s beliefs that Bruno was the man near the scene of the crime and the man responsible for the ransom notes, the verdict was based on testimonials. One of the biggest anti-advocates of testimonials is Jasper Becker. Throughout his Hungry Ghosts essay, he repeatedly quotes people who denied that the great famine ever occurred in China. The truth is that there really was a famine and that it can be proven as a fact. Yet despite all the physical and historical data that proves this event, people still choose to believe the false reports over the truth because it is easier to accept this by the general public. The same holds true for the unfortunate Mr. Hauptmann. The media, as well as the jurors refused to take a closer look at tangible evidence that would cause doubts as to whether or not Bruno really was the guilty party. They did not want to deal with skepticism anymore-they wanted blood for the death of Baby Lindbergh. So instead of keeping an open mind, they chose to let their minds be almost hypnotized into believing that Bruno was truly the murderer. They listened to each testimony that placed the blame on Bruno and let the condemning words of the witnesses be instilled into all of their minds as the cold, hard truth. There were never any doubts as to whether or not Bruno was really the killer. It was much easier to pretend that all the witnesses’ identifications of Bruno were more than just speculative, than to admit that no witnesses could actually positively identify Hauptmann as the guilty party everyone had deemed him to be. Had they allowed for speculation then there would be a chance that Bruno would have lived to see his own one year old son grow up. The main reason why they didn’t was because there was no other scapegoat to take the punishment for Baby Lindbergh’s death if Bruno was not convicted. This was a possibilty that the public and the court did not wish to ever have to deal with. They wanted retribution and they wanted it it immediately, so the guillotine was swiftly dropped and supposed justice was served. Hauptmann was doomed man from the start. This poor German immigrant was stripped of the American right to be considered “innocent until proven guilty” from the moment the police found the ransom money on him. The law was so swift to find an end to this case and Hauptmann was their redeeming in a thus far futile two and a half-year investigation. To prove “how” he was the murderer and not “if” he was the murderer was their biggest error. In this case, people assumed Hauptmann to be guilty from the start and they all adapted the common goal of determining exactly how they could link him to the crime. They used any small lead and followed every whim that they could to obtain with the little evidence that they had. Even the evidence they used was badly mishandled and tainted but it did not matter to anyone except Bruno. Yet it is seemingly human to do this according to Marcia Angell: Assuming there is a connection, some people have sought to explain how it works. This backwards a
approach does not entirely invalidate the observa- tions, of course. But it is an inefficient way to address a problem, and it raises the question of bias.(Angell 70) Although Angell is referring to the implementation of the scientific method to prove a hypothesis,this statement can be applied to the attempt to use the evidence at hand in the Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial to prove the guilt of Bruno Hauptmann. Like Angell would support, almost all of America was biased from the start concerning the outcome of this case. They were not seeking to prove WHETHER or NOT Hauptmann was th eguilty party, but they were out to CONFIRM THAT HE WAS indeed the killer. It was a backward approach and as a result, the case was not properly examined. No room was left to speculate the situation, nor any room for evidence that would contradict the fact that Hauptmann was the monster responsible for the baby’s death. Bruno would eventually be pinned for the murder by whatever evidence they should manipulate or whatever hints to his involvement they could use. If Becker, Angell, and I were to do a forensic analysis of the evidence that linked Bruno Richard Hauptmann to the crime, this man would have been spared. To begin with, it states in this nation’s code of law that if there is even reasonable doubt that one is guilty of murder, then it is grounds for exoneration. Clearly Bruno at least had that much going for him. In over one hundred forty hours of police hounding Bruno for a confession, he never once admitted to the crimes. He pleaded over and over that he was an innocent man and that he had obtained the ransom money from a friend that owed him some cash before returning to Germany. The friend was later found dead, and as a result, Bruno’s alibi could never be proven. Yet His story could not be disproven either. Also the police found a three-quarter inch chisel on the Lindbergh premises which they believed to be the kidnapper’s. When they searched Bruno’s apartment they noticed that he did not have that size chisel in his toolbox. Now just because there was no chisel of that size in his drawer, it is purely circumstantial evidence. After all, none of Bruno’s fingerprints were found at the scene of the crime, yet there were four sets of fingerprints that the police never identified but they admitted that the prints did not match Bruno’s prints. Something as concrete as a fingerprint cannot be ignored as solid evidence-yet there is absolutely no concrete evidence in this case. The only other evidence we have to examine is the biased accounts of sightings of the kidnapper. In each case, a witness tells of seeing the defendant from either a great distance, at night, or in heavy disguise, yet the witness always continues by saying that Bruno and the kidnapper were one in the same. That is like the British Royal who Becker spoke of in his essay. The Royal claimed that all of China was dramatically more abounding
Другие работы по теме:
David Poursalimi Essay Research Paper 103098 Per
David Poursalimi Essay, Research Paper 10-30-98 Per: 4 Charles A. Lindbergh Charles A. Lindbergh was born on February 4, 1902, in Detroit, and past away in 1974. Lindbergh was an aviator who made the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean on May 20-21, 1927. Other pilots had crossed the Atlantic before him.
Terrorism Essay Research Paper Day after day
Terrorism Essay, Research Paper Day after day the news is reporting on a kidnapping or a bombing somewhere in the world. Terrorism is an undiscriminating crime that comes in different types of threats and violence and is used primarily to attain some sort of a political goal in one form or another. Acts of terrorism such hijacking, bombings, kidnapping occur routinely in certain parts of the world making almost anyone a potential victim.
A Simple Plan Essay Research Paper The
A Simple Plan Essay, Research Paper The book all starts when three men, Hank, Jacob, and Lou they are driving and to avoid a fox they end up running into a fence. They got out to
The Court Ststem And It
’s Capability To Put Innocent People Into Jail Or To Death As Seen In The Book A Tale Of Two Cities Essay, Research Paper English Paper Topic: The court system, and it’s capability to put innocent people into jail or to death.
Jewish Essay Research Paper Beowulf EssayThere were
Jewish Essay, Research Paper Beowulf Essay There were many differences between Beowulf the play and 13th Warrior the movie. In the play Beowulf was depicted as a soul warrior who?s strength and ability was
How Important Was The My Lai Massacre
In Generating Support For The Peace Protest Movement? Essay, Research Paper The Peace Protest Movement was a time in the Vietnam war when people disagreed with it. This was because of a number of things. The amount of money it was costing, The amount of people killed, but it originated largely from the massacre at My Lai.
Hamlet Essay Research Paper Act IV Scene
Hamlet Essay, Research Paper Act IV, Scene vii: Claudius convinces Laertes that he is innocent in Laertes’ father’s death and that Hamlet is to blame. A messenger enters with Hamlet’s letter and Claudius is amazed to find that
12 Angry Men Essay Research Paper Every
12 Angry Men Essay, Research Paper Every man put on trial is considered innocent until proven guilty. In 12 Angry Men this theory can almost be considered false to the jurors involved in this murder case. But one man can be credited with sticking to the innocent until proven guilty theory that most likely saved a man?s life.
The Apology Essay Research Paper The ApologyIn
The Apology Essay, Research Paper The Apology In The Apology by Plato, Socrates was giving his testimony before he was forced to commit suicide. He was trying to prove that death is better than living without one?s beliefs. He believed that he was innocent, going to a better place, and he was going to die anyway.
Holocaust Essay Research Paper Quincy NnannaPeriod 3Holocaust
Holocaust Essay, Research Paper Quincy Nnanna Period 3 Holocaust Killings Picture yourself and millions of others. Freezing in the cold with only a pair of pants and a shirt on, without any shoes. Mud is up to your knees with bugs crawling through it. Scary SS guards put you and your family in different sections.
Behind Bars Essay Research Paper I agree
Behind Bars Essay, Research Paper I agree with the law that people who commit crimes need to be punished for their wrong doings. However, I do not agree with the way that the law thinks that problem should be handled through the death penalty. The bad part about the death penalty is that innocent people are executed, the mentally retarded are executed, and the death penalty is costly.
Death Penalty Essay Research Paper Is the
Death Penalty Essay, Research Paper Is the Death Penalty Right or Wrong? Should we be able to execute people that have been convicted of murder or should we give them a chance to break out of jail and maybe kill other people. Well the Death Penalty has been around for a while ever since the Old West use to hang people for punishment.
Macbeth Literary Essay Essay Research Paper Literary
Macbeth Literary Essay Essay, Research Paper Literary Essay – Macbeth In William Shakespeare s Macbeth, the play s central character Macbeth displays the atrocities created by greed, one of the play s many themes. The play Macbeth, illustrates to the reader how greed for power and wealth can destroy oneself and everyone in his treacherous path.
Movie All Quiet On The Western Front
Essay, Research Paper Movie: All Quiet on the Western Front In the movie “All Quiet on the Western Front” we see the boys almost innocent as they sit in class. The teacher in this scene is pressuring the boys
NonLethal Weapons VS Lethal Weapons Essay Research
Paper Resolved that non-lethal weapons, such as tasers, could be used instead of lethal weapons, such as guns. Every year over 10,000 people are killed by guns in the United States. This kind of violence does not need to happen, and won?t happen if weapons such as tasers are used in everyday life. Another problem in our society is violence such as riots and fights.
Charles Lindbergh Essay Research Paper Charles LindberghA
Charles Lindbergh Essay, Research Paper Charles LindberghA small one-engined plane with “The Spirit of St. Louis” painted on the side lands at LeBourget field, in the midst of thousands of cheering spectators. A tall, thin, sandy haired,twenty-five-year-old man emerges from the cockpit and timidly smiles.
Charles Lindbergh 2 Essay Research Paper Charles
Charles Lindbergh 2 Essay, Research Paper Charles Lindbergh, one of the world s aviation heroes and an American hero, was the first person to make a nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic. He was born on February 4, 1902, in Detroit. He went to school at the University of Wisconsin for two years, but dropped out to attend a flying school in Nebraska.
Charles Lindbergh Essay Research Paper One of
Charles Lindbergh Essay, Research Paper One of the greatest heroes the world has ever known Charles Augustus Lindbergh. He is most famous for his transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. Lindbergh acquired great fame for doing "good will" tours in Latin America. Other than politicians and war heroes no one has yet quite matched his fame.
Charles Lindbergh Essay Research Paper Charles LindberghShortly
Charles Lindbergh Essay, Research Paper Charles Lindbergh Shortly after Charles Lindbergh landed, he was swarmed by 25, 000 Parisians who carried the wearied pilot on their shoulders. They were rejoicing that Charles Lindbergh, the American aviator who flew the first transatlantic flight, had just landed at Le Bourget field in France.
Charles Lindbergh Essay Research Paper Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh Essay, Research Paper Charles Lindbergh was born on February 4, 1902, in his grandfather’s house in Detroit. The son of a lawyer and U.S. congressman, he grew up on a small farm in Minnesota (Lindbergh Biography, ONL). As a child, Lindbergh showed remarkable mechanical ability. He could understand every part of his motorcycle and car as he grew older.
Driving Drunk Essay Research Paper Drunk Driving
Driving Drunk Essay, Research Paper Drunk Driving is becoming a major concern in our society today. Drunk driving is not a funny thing. It has killed many people and ruined the lives of many others.
Frankenstien Essay Research Paper Frankenstein EssayUnjust PunishmentMany
Frankenstien Essay, Research Paper Frankenstein Essay: Unjust Punishment Many punishments for crimes are often given to innocent people. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, there are several instances in which the punishment is given to an innocent person. Justine, a maid at the Frankenstein residence, was killed for a crime she did not commit.
Defense Statement Essay Research Paper Defense Statement
Defense Statement Essay, Research Paper Defense Statement Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we, the defense, have shown you that there is no reason that George did not do the right and humane thing by shooting Lenny and that he is innocent of all charges against him.
Trial By Ordeal Essay Research Paper Trial
Trial By Ordeal Essay, Research Paper Trial by Ordeal I personally feel that trial by ordeal was a rather, how should I put this, “unjustified” way of determining guilt. Trial by ordeal was a type of “trial” that was used
Charles Lindbergh Essay Research Paper Charles Lindbergh1902
Charles Lindbergh Essay, Research Paper Charles Lindbergh (1902 – 1974) Charles Augustus Lindbergh was born on Feb. 4, 1902, in Detroit. He grew up on a farm near Little Falls, Minnesota. He was the son of Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Sr., a lawyer, and his wife, Evangeline Land Lodge. Lindbergh’s father served as a U.S. congressman from Minnesota from 1907 to 1917.
Debate Over The Death Penalty Essay Research
Paper The death penalty Thousands of innocent people are killed every year in the U.S., and many murderers of the killed ones get away with a life sentence in prison or even easier punishment. The death penalty has been used since ancient times to punish cruel criminals. The death penalty is not fair in every murder s case but it is appropriate to punish a killer.
Death Penalty Essay Research Paper The risk
Death Penalty Essay, Research Paper The risk of executing the innocent precludes the use of the death penalty. The death penalty alone imposes an irrevocable sentence. Once an inmate is executed, nothing can be done to make amends if a mistake has been made. There is considerable evidence that many mistakes have been made in sentencing people to death.
Crucible Essay Research Paper The Crucible
Crucible Essay, Research Paper The Crucible The Crucible takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. It begins with a sense of witchcraft in the air, when we find out that Reverend Parris (the town minister) and the town are
Character Summary The Mice Essay Research Paper
?Of Mice And Men?, being a story about two men and their struggles, however never really going into detail of the mice in which were unjustly murdered. The mice slaughtered by Lennie were never really at fault for their actions. When being harshly petted by Lennie, the mice would only try to protect themselves, thus Lennie resorted to killing the mice in his own defense.
Capital Punishment 5 Essay Research Paper Capital
Capital Punishment 5 Essay, Research Paper Capital Punishment This is an argumentative essay on capital punishment. I will give you two sides. There are two parties who argue over its many points, including whether or not it is morally wrong. These two classes of people can be grouped together as the retentionists, or the proponents, and the abolitionists, or the opponents.