Great Trials in History

The trials of accused witches and the execution of those convicted continue and reach a climax. Will no one stop the madness?

The epidemic of accusations of witchcraft continues in and around Salem. How far will it go? How many victims will there be? Listen to part 2 of the continuing story and learn at least some of the answers.

In 1692 there occurred in Salem Massachusetts the greatest instance of mass hysteria in the history of America. Learn the full story and explore How and why it all happened.

In the 17th century , science and religion came into direct conflict when Galileo espoused the view that the sun , not the earth, was the center of the solar system. The Catholic church could not let this challenge to its authority go unanswered. Listen and learn about how it all played out.

In this second half of the story of the infamous 1925 kidnap and murder trial of two brilliant but emotionally disturbed young sons of privilege we follow what happens after the arrest of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. Will their brilliant lawyer, Clarence Darrow, be able to save them from hanging? Listen and find out.

It, along with the Lindbergh Kidnapping, was dubbed the "crime of the century" when it occurred in 1920's Chicago. A 14 year old boy was kidnapped from a quiet residential street in broad daylight and then brutally and senselessly  murdered by his captors. The criminals turned out to be two young men from wealthy families with the apparent motive being nothing more than a desire to prove themselve...

In this episode we journey to ancient Rome. In 81 BCE, a  wealthy old man was stabbed to death on the streets of Rome. It appeared to be a random attack ,at least initially . Not long after,his only son was charged in a Roman court with patricide, the heinous crime of killing his own father. Facing a horrendous punishment if convicted and shunned by the established lawyers in Rome , he turned to a...

 In 1917 she was executed by a French firing squad after being convicted in a military court of spying for Germany. Her name is synonymous with the concept of a femme fatale using her charms for evil purposes. Was she the woman we think we know? Listen and learn the real story of this complex and fascinating woman.  

In 1932, the young son of aviator Charles Lindbergh was taken from his upstairs bedroom in the Linbergh home. This crime shocked the nation. The child's decomposing was found 3 months later. This is the story of that crime and the investigation and trial which resulted from it.

Joan of Arc is a name that is known to almost all of us and her story ( or at least a version of it) has been told many times in books and movies. She was in fact a real person who lived and died in 15th century France. She was also a truly remarkable woman who burst on to the historical scene out of complete obscurity and changed the course of history in her brief lifetime. Learn the real story o...

The 17th president of the United States was Andrew Johnson who took office when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. His views and those of the Republican controlled Congress on the reconstruction of the Union were almost diametrically opposed leading to a great divide and ,ultimately, the first attempt to remove a sitting president in our history. Learn what happened.

In 1770, A small squad of British soldiers were confronted by an angry crowd on a snowy Boston street. Shots rang out and five unarmed civilians were shot and died. This is the story of what happened thereafter. Was justice done? Listen and learn.

Did you ever wonder how it came about that in much of this country persons of color were prohibited by law from  attending the same school, riding in the same street car or eating at the same restaurant as white people? How was the system known as "Jim Crowe laws" , . created? The answer , in large part, was because of Plessy v. Ferguson.  Hear, in this episode, how and why it happened.

Nearly 15 years after the defeat of Nazi Germany a number of leaders of the genocidal regime remained in hiding and had not yet been made to face consequences for their actions. One such man was Adolph Eichmann. This is the story of his capture and prosecution.

This trial, which took place in 1951, was America's most famous spy trial. It involved the transfer of U.S. military secrets ( including the secret of building the atomic bomb) to Russia. For many years there were questions raised about the true guilt or innocence of the defendants. We now know the answers to these questions. Listen and learn.

In this episode we examine the story of one of the most widely covered criminal trials in U.S. history. Sheppard was charged with the cold blooded and brutal murder of his pregnant wife. Did he do it? Hear the full story and make up your own mind.

In this episode we examine the story of Anne Boleyn. Who was this woman for whom Henry the VIII left his wife ,Catherine of Aragon, how did she become a queen, and why did she lose her head? All these questions will be examined and discussed in this visit to Tudor England.

The prosecution of Alfred Dreyfus, a French Army officer, on charges of being a spy for Germany led to a 12 year long struggle for justice and a profound change in French society. There are both heroes and villains in this famous struggle.

In this episode we examine the infamous Dred Scott case, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857.The decision in this case exacerbated the differences between the northern and southern states and led, in an almost direct line to the rebellion of the south resulting in a civil war.

In this episode we examine the landmark decision in 1803 by the U.S. Supreme  which established that it had the power to declare void actions by the other branches of the government if those actions violated the Constitution. We also consider the claim that the Court is immune to politics.

In 399 B.C., Socrates , one of the fathers of philosophy,was convicted by a jury of his fellow Athenians and ended his life, as ordered by the judgment of the court. Who was Socrates and why did his peers condemn him to death? We will explore these questions in this episode and perhaps learn there is such a thing as too much democracy!

One man's fight for the right of all accused of crime to have the assistance of a lawyer in attempting to preserve their freedom. Clarence Earl Gideon , an inmate in a Florida penitentiary , battled all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking his freedom.

The Trial of J.P. Zenger in 1735 was all about the freedom of the press and the governments attempt to punish those who criticize the powerful.