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| − | =Introduction=
| + | '''Clarence Seward Darrow''' (1857-1938) was an American defense [[lawyer]] who handled high-profile cases for the [[American Civil Liberties Union]], [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]] ([[NAACP]]) and others. |
| − | Clarence Seward Darrow (1857-1938) was an American defense [[lawyer]] who handled high-profile cases for the [[American Civil Liberties Union]], [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]] ([[NAACP]]) and others. | |
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| | ==Famous court cases== | | ==Famous court cases== |
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| − | ====''Illinois v. Leopold and Loeb''====
| + | ===''Illinois v. Leopold and Loeb''=== |
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| | Darrow's most famous defense, which was successful only to extent he avoided the [[death penalty]] for his clients, was in his 1924 representation of the teenagers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb after they murdered the younger 14-year-old Bobby Franks in what may have been a sexual assault. Leopold and Loeb were children of wealthy and prominent parents. | | Darrow's most famous defense, which was successful only to extent he avoided the [[death penalty]] for his clients, was in his 1924 representation of the teenagers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb after they murdered the younger 14-year-old Bobby Franks in what may have been a sexual assault. Leopold and Loeb were children of wealthy and prominent parents. |
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| − | ====''Tennessee v. Scopes''====
| + | ===''Tennessee v. Scopes''=== |
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| | Darrow was also unsuccessful in defending [[John Scopes]] in the so-called [[Monkey Trial]], ''Tennessee v. John Scopes'', in 1925.<ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/scopes.htm</ref> | | Darrow was also unsuccessful in defending [[John Scopes]] in the so-called [[Monkey Trial]], ''Tennessee v. John Scopes'', in 1925.<ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/scopes.htm</ref> |
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| | John Scopes taught high school biology in Dayton, Tennessee. He was convicted of illegally teaching the history of evolution and fined $100. The conviction ironically came at the request of Darrow, who wished to force precedent by having the Tennessee Supreme Court weigh in on the eventual appeal. That court eventually overturned the decision on a technicality, creating little meaningful precedent.<ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/evolut.htm</ref> | | John Scopes taught high school biology in Dayton, Tennessee. He was convicted of illegally teaching the history of evolution and fined $100. The conviction ironically came at the request of Darrow, who wished to force precedent by having the Tennessee Supreme Court weigh in on the eventual appeal. That court eventually overturned the decision on a technicality, creating little meaningful precedent.<ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/evolut.htm</ref> |
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| − | ====''Michigan v. Sweet''====
| + | ===''Michigan v. Sweet''=== |
| | Darrow was successful in representing Henry Sweet, younger brother of Ossian Sweet, against charges of murder in ''Michigan v. Henry Sweet'', a Detroit murder trial resulting from the killing of Leon Breiner. The previous year, Darrow had argued to a mistrial the same case as charged against all nine people who were in the house from which the shots that killed Breiner were fired.<ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/sweet/chronology.HTM</ref> | | Darrow was successful in representing Henry Sweet, younger brother of Ossian Sweet, against charges of murder in ''Michigan v. Henry Sweet'', a Detroit murder trial resulting from the killing of Leon Breiner. The previous year, Darrow had argued to a mistrial the same case as charged against all nine people who were in the house from which the shots that killed Breiner were fired.<ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/sweet/chronology.HTM</ref> |
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