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Guy Fawkes
Fawkes was arrested for conspirating to detonate the Parliament with gun powder. He was given the death sentence for treason. he became legendary because he did not flee with others or because he volunteered for the most dangerous task. He is celebrated for displaing courage under painful torture and is celebrated each November 5th in Great Britain. They celebrate with fireworks and bonfires. -
John Peter Zenger
One of the most important free speach cases. He was charged for publishing seditious libel. His article staed the dozens of Quakers had been disqualified because of religion and ballot boxes were stuffed. He was aquitted because the jury refused to enforce the law because it was unfair . -
Boston Massacre Trial
Captain Preston and 7 soldiers were charged for killing 5 and wounding more than a dozen others when they were called in to help with the crowd in front of the Customs House. No lawyer would represent the soldiers. The fired on crowd with no orders. The captain was tried seperately. 6 soldiers were aquitted, others were convited of manslaughter. -
Aaron Burr Teeason Trial
Former vice president of the U.S., Aaron Burr, was charged with treason. He plotted to divide the Union and make himself emperor of a new nation.He admitted to acts that her completed but denied treason. Treason required 2 witnesses, Burr was exonerated because there were no witnesses. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Mr. Scott was a owned slave. His owner started a suit in Missouri to declare Scott free. The case went to the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled that Scott had no right in Federal court because slaves and free blacks were not citizens coved by the Constitution. The court denied citizenship to balcks and barred Congress from interfering with slaveholding. Weeks later his owners freed him. -
Trial of the Lincoln Conspirators
This trial charged seven coconspirators with assassinating President Lincoln. They were given only 3 days to prepare and get a lawyer. Many wittnesses for the defense were not called to testify. They received seperate sentences, 4 were to be hung on July 7th. including a woman. -
Lizzie Borden Trial
30 year old Lizzie Borden was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an ax. There were no witnesses to the murders. She was wealthy so she hired a good defense team. The trial lasted 13 days and the jury deliberated for an hour and ten minutes. Their verdict was not guilty. It demonstrated an individual has the right not to testify. -
Sacco-Vanzetti Trial
Sacco and Vanzetti were Italian born and immigrated to America to get invoved in radical politics of WWI. They were charged with a holdup attempt and the double murder during a payroll robbery. They were not told their charges until 4 mos. later. On July 14th the jury came back with guitly of murder for both defendents. They were executed in electric chair on July 14, 1927 -
The Scottsboro trials
Nine black youths were arrested and charged for raping two white girls. They were indicted by an all-white jury in Scottsboro. The local judge appointed them 6 lawyers but only one agreed to comply. 4 months later 8 were sentenced to electric chair and the 14 year old life in prison. -
Salem Witchcraft Trials
Held in Massachusetts, the Salem Witchcraft Trials were the most famous trials in colonial America. This event has inspired books, plays, and movies. The accused, primarily women, were old. A slave, Tituba would teach the young girls during the winter months. She was from the Caribbean and tutored the girls palm reading, fortune-telling, and more. It was unique because the number of people accused and convicted that were innocent.
