THE LEOPOLD AND LOEB CASE
On May 22, 1924, Chicago residents discovered
the body of 14 year old Bobbie Franks. He had been beaten to death.
At the scene of the crime, police discovered a pair of eyeglass frames
that turned out to be of a very special make -- only three pair had been
sold. The owner of one pair was Nathan Leopold, a student at
Chicago University. As an alibi, he provided the name of a friend,
Richard Loeb. Loeb broke under questioning and confessed. The most sensational
aspect of the crime was the motive. The two young men were obsessed with
Nietsche's concept of the "superman," and committed the murder to
prove their own superiority. At the trial, Clarence Darrow made a rousing
speech blaming the degenerate state of education at the University for
warping the boys' minds. He saved them from the death penalty and they
were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Escape Clause
