Clarence Darrow
Hunter Spears
Biography of Clarence Darrow
Clarence Darrow started out as a small town lawyer who wanted to make it big in the law career. He made it big when he became North Western Railway Company's attorney. His career as a labor lawyer ended when he defended the McNamara brothers accused of blowing up the Los Angeles Times building. This moved him into the criminal defense part of being a lawyer. He defended two thrill killers Loeb and Leopold in their case of murdering a 14 year old. Darrow did something unexpected and had them plead guilty and defended them from being hanged. He was also faced with a challenge in defending a school teacher who taught Darwinian Theories. Teaching evolution was illegal in Tennessee at the time. He lost the case, but made people wonder about their religion. Clarence Darrow was a very successful criminal defense lawyer that believed criminals were led into committing anti-social acts.
Impact of Clarence Darrow on the 1920's
Clarence Darrow made everyone rethink their religion. With his debate against bible expert, William Jennings Bryan, he made a national case. People everywhere wondered if Darrow was right. Many others hated Darrow and his theories of evolution. Making people question their faith wasn't the only thing Darrow made questionable. He made in his Leopold-Loeb case that it is inhumane and barbaric to punish people with death. He stated that people were led into committing crimes and weren't free willing monsters. When he argued in court for the jail time of Leopold and Loeb he made the judge think about capital punishment. The judge sentenced the men to life in prison instead of hanging them. Clarence Darrow led people into believing the theories of evolution and question capital punishment.
Clarence Darrow Quote
Clarence Darrow believed criminals are people who were led into committing an anti-social act, not free willing monsters.
Leopold-Loeb Trial
- Darrow defended two young thrill killers keeping them from being hanged.
Scopes Trial
In the Scopes Trial Darrow and William Jennings Bryan debated over the factuality of the Bible.
Clarence Darrow
Questions
Who influenced him to become a lawyer?
Where did he get his theories?