who was the defending attorney int he scopes

by Myra Feeney DDS 5 min read

Clarence Darrow

Who are the lawyers in the Scopes Trial?

Jun 12, 2015 · July 2015 marks the 90 th anniversary of the Scopes Monkey Trial, one of the most famous court cases in American history. Defending substitute high school teacher John Thomas Scopes was Clarence Darrow, one of the celebrity lawyers of the day. William Jennings Bryan—the “Great Commoner,” three-time Democratic nominee for President, and Presbyterian Church in …

Who was the defense counsel for John T Scopes?

Scopes’ defense was led by the renowned Chicago attorney Clarence Darrow, a member of the ACLU known for his defense of labor unions and opposition to the death penalty.

How did Clarence Darrow find out about the Scopes Trial?

Neal speaks for Scopes defense 1 photographic print. | Attorney John R. Neal, chief defense counsel, talking in behalf of John T. Scopes, in the court at Dayton, Tenn. Malone is on the left and Clarence Darrow... Date: 1925

Who was the Attorney General at the time of Epperson v Scopes?

The Man Behind the Scopes Trial George Rappalyea The Defendant John Scopes The Visiting Prosecuting Attorney William Jennings Bryan The Most Famous of the Defense Attorneys Clarence Darrow A Scientific Expert Maynard Metcalf The Reporter from Baltimore

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What was the Scopes trial?

John Scopes. What became known as the Scopes Monkey Trial began as a publicity stunt for the town of Dayton, Tennessee. A local businessman met with the school superintendent and a lawyer to discuss using the ACLU offer to get newspapers to write about the town.

What was the purpose of the Scopes trial?

The trial was viewed as an opportunity to challenge the constitutionality of the bill, to publicly advocate for the legitimacy of Darwin’s theory of evolution, and to enhance the profile of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

How did the trial day start?

The trial day started with crowds pouring into the courthouse two hours before it was scheduled to begin , filling up the room and causing onlookers to spill into the hallways. There was applause when Bryan entered the court and further when he and Darrow shook hands.

When did the grand jury meet?

The grand jury met on May 9, 1925. In preparation, Scopes recruited and coached students to testify against him. Three of the seven students attending were called to testify, each showing a sketchy understanding of evolution. The case was pushed forward and a trial set for July 10.

Who was Clarence Darrow?

Clarence Darrow – a famous attorney who had recently acted for the defense in the notorious Leopold and Loeb murder trial – found out about the Scopes trial through journalist H.L. Mencken, who suggested Darrow should defend Scopes.

What was the Butler Act?

It was to a packed courthouse on Monday that arguments began by the defense working to establish the scientific validity of evolution, while the prosecution focused on the Butler Act as an education standard for Tennessee citizens, citing precedents.

Who gave expert testimony on the evolution of the human body?

Witnesses followed, establishing that Scopes had taught evolution and zoologist Maynard M. Metcalf gave expert testimony about the science of evolution, a signal that Scopes himself would not take the stand during the trial. Subsequent days saw prosecutors argue about the validity of using expert witnesses.

Who was John Thomas Scopes?

Defending substitute high school teacher John Thomas Scopes was Clarence Darrow, one of the celebrity lawyers of the day. William Jennings Bryan—the “Great Commoner,” three-time Democratic nominee for President, and Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. ruling elder—argued for the prosecution, the State of Tennessee, ...

Who was the secretary of state under Woodrow Wilson?

Charles Wishart, RG 414. (Image No. 4725) A convert to Presbyterianism, Bryan had served as Secretary of State under fellow Presbyterian Woodrow Wilson.

What was the battle between Fundamentalists and Modernists?

By the mid 1920s, the battle between Fundamentalists, who believed in the literal truth of the Bible, and Modernists, who believed religion should progress with modern society, embroiled most Protestant denominations. It was particularly divisive among Presbyterians, contributing to the formation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1936.

Why was Scopes arrested?

Arrested on May 9, 1925, Scopes asked some of his students to testify against him in front of a grand jury in Nashville (about 150 miles northwest of Dayton) to ensure that his case would go to trial. On May 25, the grand jury indicted Scopes on the charge that he “did unlawfully and willfully teach…certain theory and theories ...

What did Scopes teach?

On May 25, the grand jury indicted Scopes on the charge that he “did unlawfully and willfully teach…certain theory and theories that deny the story of Divine creation of man as taught in the Bible and did teach thereof that man descended from a lower order of animals.”. Scopes’ indictment opened the way for what would become known as the “trial ...

How old was John Scopes when he was a teacher?

John T. Scopes was a 24-year-old physics, chemistry and math teacher at the public high school in Dayton, Tennessee, when local community leaders persuaded him to answer the ACLU’s call for a defendant in a test case challenging the Butler Act.

What are some interesting facts about ancient Egypt?

8 Facts About Ancient Egypt's Hieroglyphic Writing. The drama reached its peak on the seventh day of the trial. The courtroom had grown so packed, and the heat so intense, that Judge John T. Raulston ordered that the trial proceedings be moved outside.

What was the scopes trial about?

The Scopes trial was as much about spectacle as it was about the clash of science and religion. Among those in attendance was a chimpanzee movie performer named Joe Mendi. Journalist H.L. Mencken dubbed Dayton "monkeytown.". Bryan College Archives hide caption.

Who was William Jennings Bryan?

A famous orator, William Jennings Bryan was 65 when he joined the prosecution team in the Scopes trial. Bryan was a a leading fundamentalist, traveling widely to warn against "the menace of Darwinism.". Bryan College Archives hide caption. toggle caption.

When did the monkey trial happen?

Eighty years ago, in July 1925, the mixture of religion, science and the public schools caught fire in Dayton, Tenn. The Scopes trial — or "Monkey Trial," as it was called — dominated headlines across the country. The trial lasted just a week, but the questions it raised are as divisive now as they were back then.

Who is Henry Drummond?

Henry Drummond, the deuteragonist, or character second in importance in Inherit the Wind, can be considered the hero of the play. Functioning as the mouthpiece for Lawrence and Lee, Drummond fights for man's right to think as well as "the right to be wrong.". He saves the townspeople of Hillsboro from their narrow-minded fundamentalist views.

What is Drummond's goal?

Drummond's goal is to prevent narrow-minded people from altering the Constitution of the United States with old-fashioned nonsense. He is empathetic toward Cates and his lonely situation. He is committed to defending Cates and respects Cates for "standing up when everybody else is sitting down.".

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