The Trial Of Leo Frank

The trial of Leo Frank in 1913 was an important turning point in the history of the law in the United States. The murder of Mary Phagan, who was just 13 years old at the time of her death, was the primary focus of the trial. Mary's body was discovered in the cellar of the National Pencil Company in Atlanta, Georgia. The plant superintendent, Leo Frank, was accused of murdering the victim and was ultimately convicted of the crime; however, the trial was tainted by charges of anti-Semitism and mob interference. The outcome of the trial would have significant repercussions for American society as a whole, and in particular for the civil rights of Jews and other underrepresented groups.

Leo Frank was born in Texas in the year 1884, however, he

The testimony of Jim Conley, an African American factory worker who claimed to have helped Frank dispose of Phagan's body, was the primary piece of evidence that the prosecution used to build their case against Frank. Many people were under the impression that Conley had been forced to provide his testimony by the authorities due to the fact that it had numerous discrepancies. In spite of these deficiencies, the jury decided that Frank was guilty after deliberating for barely four hours. His appeals were turned down, and he was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to die by hanging. Frank's case immediately became famous, and many notable persons, including the governor of Georgia, called for a pardon or reduction of his sentence. Frank was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison. On the other hand, the majority of people in Georgia's public opinion were opposed to Frank, and a crowd of irate residents gathered outside of the prison where he was being detained. On August 17, 1915, a gang of men broke into Frank's cell and lynched him. They then threw his body into the river. The lynching was regarded as a horrendous abuse of justice, and it contributed to the widening of the gap between Jewish and non-Jewish residents of the South. The trial of Leo Frank had repercussions that were felt to a great extent throughout