who was the defense attorney in the scopes trial and loeb

by Dorian Runolfsdottir 3 min read

Who was the lawyer in the Scopes Trial?

Dec 18, 2019 · That was a big name of the time, and a huge political influence being thrust into the case. In response, the defense had to match Bryan, and brought in the most famous trial lawyer in American history, Clarence Darrow. Darrow was most famous for his involvement in the “Leopold and Loeb” murder trial. The Scopes Trial occurred in July of 1925.

Who was the defense attorney for Leopold and Loeb?

Jun 12, 2006 · For the defense were Darrow, New York lawyer and co-counsel Dudley Field Malone, ACLU attorney Arthur Garfield Hays, and Scopes’ local lawyer, John Randolph Neal. The prosecution’s strategy was straightforward. It wasn’t interested in debating the value or wisdom of the Butler Law, only in proving that John Scopes had broken it.

How did Clarence Darrow find out about the Scopes Trial?

Nov 10, 2009 · the prosecuting attorney (against Cates) is Brady. In the real-life Scopes Trial: the defense attorney (for Scopes) is Darrow. the prosecuting attorney (against scopes) is …

How much did Loeb’s lawyer get paid for his case?

Mar 24, 2019 · Fearing for his nephew's life, Loeb's uncle went to famed defense attorney Clarence Darrow (who would later participate in the famous Scopes Monkey Trial) and begged him to take the case. Darrow was not asked to free the boys, for they were surely guilty; instead, Darrow was asked to save the boys' lives by getting them life sentences rather than the death …

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What was the Scopes v. State case?

John Thomas Scopes and commonly referred to as the Scopes Monkey Trial, was an American legal case in July 1925 in which a high school teacher, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee 's Butler Act, which had made it unlawful to teach human evolution in ...

Who was the judge in the Scopes trial?

Judge (s) sitting. John Tate Raulston. The Scopes Trial, formally known as The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes and commonly referred to as the Scopes Monkey Trial, was an American legal case in July 1925 in which a high school teacher, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee 's Butler Act, which had made it unlawful ...

What was the Scopes trial?

John Thomas Scopes and commonly referred to as the Scopes Monkey Trial, was an American legal case in July 1925 in which a high school teacher, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee 's Butler Act, which had made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any ...

How much was Scopes fined?

Scopes was found guilty and fined $100 (equivalent to $1,500 in 2020), but the verdict was overturned on a technicality. The trial served its purpose of drawing intense national publicity, as national reporters flocked to Dayton to cover the big-name lawyers who had agreed to represent each side.

What did the trial of the Fundamentalists and Modernists show?

The trial publicized the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy, which set Modernists, who said evolution was not inconsistent with religion, against Fundamentalists, who said the Word of God as revealed in the Bible took priority over all human knowledge.

Who was the attorney for Scopes?

Wells replied that he had no legal training in Britain, let alone in America, and declined the offer. John R. Neal, a law school professor from Knoxville, announced that he would act as Scopes' attorney whether Scopes liked it or not, and he became the nominal head of the defense team.

Who was the witness in the trial of William Jennings Bryan?

On the seventh day of the trial, Clarence Darrow took the unorthodox step of calling William Jennings Bryan, counsel for the prosecution, to the stand as a witness in an effort to demonstrate that belief in the historicity of the Bible and its many accounts of miracles was unreasonable.

Who was the attorney in the Leopold and Loeb case?

The subsequent trial, featuring famous attorney Clarence Darrow, made headlines and was often referred to as "the trial of the century.". The Leopold and Loeb case is similar to other teen partner killings, such as the murder of Micaela "Mickey" Costanzo .

Was Richard Loeb as intelligent as Leopold?

However, despite being brilliant, Leopold was very awkward socially. Richard Loeb was also very intelligent, but not to the same caliber as Leopold. Loeb, who had been pushed and guided by a strict governess, had also been sent to college at a young age.

Was Richard Loeb smart?

Richard Loeb was also very intelligent, but not to the same caliber as Leopold. Loeb, who had been pushed and guided by a strict governess, had also been sent to college at a young age. However, once there, Loeb did not excel; instead, he gambled and drank.

Did Loeb excel in college?

Loeb, who had been pushed and guided by a strict governess, had also been sent to college at a young age. However, once there, Loeb did not excel; instead, he gambled and drank. Unlike Leopold, Loeb was considered very attractive and had impeccable social skills.

What was the relationship between Leopold and Loeb?

Their relationship was both stormy and intimate. Leopold was obsessed with the attractive Loeb. Loeb, on the other hand, liked having a loyal companion on his risky adventures. The two teenagers, who had become both friends and lovers, soon began committing small acts of theft, vandalism, and arson.

When did Leopold and Loeb start their plan?

On May 21, 1924, Leopold and Loeb were ready to put their plan into action. After renting a Willys-Knight automobile and covering its license plate, Leopold and Loeb needed a victim.

Where did Leopold and Loeb dump Franks' body?

Dumping the Body. As Franks lay dying or dead in the backseat, Leopold and Loeb drove toward a hidden culvert in the marshlands near Wolf Lake, a location known to Leopold because of his birding expeditions. On the way, Leopold and Loeb stopped twice. Once to strip Franks' body of clothing and another time to buy dinner.

What was the name of the trial in Tennessee?

The Scopes "Monkey" Trial (official name is State of Tennessee v John Thomas Scopes) began on July 10, 1925, in Dayton, Tennessee. On trial was science teacher John T. Scopes, charged with violating the Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of evolution in Tennessee public schools. Known in its day as "the trial of the century," ...

Who was on trial for violating the Butler Act?

On trial was science teacher John T. Scopes, charged with violating the Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of evolution in Tennessee public schools.

What was the scopes trial?

On July 21, Scopes was found guilty and fined $100, but the fine was revoked a year later during the appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court. As the first trial was broadcast live on radio in the United States, the Scopes trial brought widespread attention to the controversy over creationism versus evolution .

Did Scopes teach evolution?

Scopes, in fact, usually taught math and chemistry, but had substituted for the regular biology teacher earlier that spring. He was not entirely certain that he had even taught evolution but agreed to be arrested.

Why was Scopes arrested?

The ACLU was notified of the plan, and Scopes was arrested for violating the Butler Act on May 7, 1925. Scopes appeared before the Rhea County justice of the peace on May 9, 1925, and was formally charged with having violated the Butler Act—a misdemeanor. He was released on bond, paid for by local businessmen.

Who was the Monkey Trial?

It was Mencken who dubbed the proceedings "The Monkey Trial.". The small town was soon besieged with visitors, including church leaders, street performers, hot dog vendors, Bible peddlers, and members of the press. Monkey-themed memorabilia was sold on the streets and in shops.

When did the Tennessee v John Thomas trial start?

State of Tennessee v John Thomas Scopes Begins. The trial began at the Rhea County courthouse on Friday, July 10, 1925, in a sweltering second-floor courtroom packed with more than 400 observers.

Who were the Leopold and Loeb?

(November 19, 1904 – August 29, 1971) and Richard Albert Loeb ( / ˈloʊb /; June 11, 1905 – January 28, 1936), usually referred to collectively as Leopold and Loeb, were two wealthy students at the University of Chicago who in May 1924 kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks in Chicago, ...

Where was Nathan Leopold born?

Nathan Leopold was born on November 19, 1904, in Chicago, the son of Florence (née Foreman) and Nathan Leopold, a wealthy German-Jewish immigrant family. A child prodigy, he claimed to have spoken his first words at the age of four months.

Who was Nathan Leopold?

Nathan Leopold was born on November 19, 1904, in Chicago, the son of Florence (née Foreman) and Nathan Leopold, a wealthy German-Jewish immigrant family. A child prodigy, he claimed to have spoken his first words at the age of four months. At the time of the murder, Leopold had completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Chicago with Phi Beta Kappa honors and planned to begin studies at Harvard Law School after a trip to Europe. He had reportedly studied 15 languages, claimed to speak five fluently, and had achieved a measure of national recognition as an ornithologist. Leopold and several other ornithologists identified the Kirtland's warbler and made astute observations about the parasitic nesting behavior of brown-headed cowbirds, which threatened the warblers.

Who was Richard Loeb?

Richard Loeb was born on June 11, 1905, in Chicago to the family of Anna Henrietta (née Bohnen) and Albert Henry Loeb, a wealthy lawyer and retired vice president of Sears, Roebuck & Company. His father was Jewish and his mother was Catholic. Like Leopold, Loeb was exceptionally intelligent. With the encouragement of his governess he skipped several grades in school and became the University of Michigan's youngest graduate at age 17. Loeb was especially fond of history and was doing graduate work in the subject at the University of Chicago at the time of the murder. Unlike Leopold, he was not overly interested in intellectual pursuits, preferring to socialize, play tennis, and read detective novels.

Was Loeb the Jewish?

His father was Jewish and his mother was Catholic. Like Leopold, Loeb was exceptionally intelligent. With the encouragement of his governess he skipped several grades in school and became the University of Michigan's youngest graduate at age 17.

What did Loeb do at the time of the murder?

Loeb was especially fond of history and was doing graduate work in the subject at the University of Chicago at the time of the murder. Unlike Leopold, he was not overly interested in intellectual pursuits, preferring to socialize, play tennis, and read detective novels.

When did Loeb and Leopold see each other?

Though Leopold and Loeb knew each other casually while growing up, they began to see more of each other in mid-1920, and their relationship flourished at the University of Chicago, particularly after they discovered a mutual interest in crime.

Where was the Bryan Bible Talk broadcast?

The trial was the first to be broadcast on radio. A "Bryan Bible Talk" in Miami, n.d. (Image No. 4726) Blocked by the judge from allowing most of his witnesses to testify in person, Darrow called Bryan to the stand as a Bible expert. How Bryan conducted himself depends on your source.

How long did Bryan die?

Bryan died on July 26, five days after the end of the trial--a defeated man to some, to others an unbowed champion of common people everywhere. The Scopes Trial did not settle the debate between Fundamentalists and Modernists. Ninety years later, that theological and cultural dispute continues.

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 Great Commoner?

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, which alleged that Scopes had broken the Butler Act by teaching human evolution at a state-funded school. Billed as a grand showdown between religion ...

When did the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy start?

Historians date the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy from 1922 to 1936, though its roots can be traced back another fifty years. 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. ...

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.

Who was the first Presbyterian minister to give a sermon in 1921?

It was particularly divisive among Presbyterians, contributing to the formation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1936. Harry Emerson Fosdick struck the first blow in the controversy in May 1921 when he gave the most famous sermon of his career at the First Presbyterian Church in New York City.

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Origins

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State Representative John Washington Butler, a Tennessee farmer and head of the World Christian Fundamentals Association, lobbied state legislatures to pass anti-evolution laws. He succeeded when the Butler Act was passed in Tennessee, on March 25, 1925. Butler later stated, "I didn't know anything about evolution... I'd re…
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Dayton, Tennessee

  • The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) offered to defend anyone accused of teaching the theory of evolution in defiance of the Butler Act. On April 5, 1925, George Rappleyea, local manager for the Cumberland Coal and Iron Company, arranged a meeting with county superintendent of schools Walter White and local attorney Sue K. Hicks at Robinson's Drug Store…
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Proceedings

  • The ACLU had originally intended to oppose the Butler Act on the grounds that it violated the teacher's individual rights and academic freedom, and was therefore unconstitutional. Principally because of Clarence Darrow, this strategy changed as the trial progressed. The earliest argument proposed by the defense once the trial had begun was that there was actually no conflict betwee…
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Appeal to The Supreme Court of Tennessee

  • Scopes' lawyers appealed, challenging the conviction on several grounds. First, they argued that the statute was overly vague because it prohibited the teaching of "evolution", a very broad term. The court rejected that argument, holding: Second, the lawyers argued that the statute violated Scopes' constitutional right to free speechbecause it prohibited him from teaching evolution. Th…
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Aftermath

  • Creation versus evolution debate
    The trial revealed a growing chasm in American Christianity and two ways of finding truth, one "biblical" and one "evolutionist".Author David Goetz writes that the majority of Christians denounced evolution at the time. Author Mark Edwards contests the conventional view that in th…
  • Anti-evolution movement
    The trial escalated the political and legal conflict in which strict creationists and scientists struggled over the teaching of evolution in Arizona and California science classes. Before the Dayton trial only the South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Kentucky legislatures had dealt with anti-evo…
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Publicity

  • Edward J. Larson, a historian who won the Pulitzer Prize for History for his book Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion (2004), notes: "Like so many archetypal American events, the trial itself began as a publicity stunt." The press coverage of the "Monkey Trial" was overwhelming. The front pages of newspapers like The New …
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Courthouse

  • In a $1 million restoration of the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, completed in 1979, the second-floor courtroom was restored to its appearance during the Scopes trial. A museum of trial events in its basement contains such memorabilia as the microphone used to broadcast the trial, trial records, photographs, and an audiovisual history. Every July, local people re-enact key mom…
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Humor

  • Anticipating that Scopes would be found guilty, the press fitted the defendant for martyrdomand created an onslaught of ridicule, and hosts of cartoonists added their own portrayals to the attack. For example: 1. American Experience has published a gallery of such cartoons, and 14 such cartoons are also reprinted in L. Sprague de Camp's The Great Monkey Trial. 2. Timemagazine's …
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in Popular Culture

  • Stage, film and television
    1. Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee's play Inherit the Wind (1955), fictionalizes the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial as a means to discuss the then-contemporary McCarthy trials. It portrays Darrow and Bryan as the characters who are named Henry Drummond and Matthew Brady. In a …
  • Art
    1. Gallery: Monkey Trial shows cartoonsmade in reaction to the trial.
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References

  • General bibliography
    1. de Camp, L. Sprague (1968), The Great Monkey Trial, Doubleday, ISBN 978-0-385-04625-1 2. Clark, Constance Areson (2000), "Evolution for John Doe: Pictures, The Public, and the Scopes Trial Debate", Journal of American History, 87 (4): 1275–1303, doi:10.2307/2674729, ISSN 0021 …
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