The Loeb-Leopold case - The Clarence Darrow Collection

The Loeb-Leopold Case
ON
July 21, 1924, in the criminal court room
of Cook County, Illinois, when the case of
the People vs. Richard A. Loeb and Nathan
F. Leopold, Jr., was called, Clarence Darrow, repre-
senting the defendants, arose, and addressing Chief
Justice John R. Caverley, presiding, said:
Your Honor, we have determined to withdraw our pleas of
not guilty and enter pleas of guilty. We dislike to throw this
burden upon this court or any court. We know its serious-
ness and its gravity. And while we wish it could be other-
wise we feel that it must be as we have chosen.
The statute provides, your Honor, that evidence may be
offered in mitigation of the punishment, and we shall ask at
such time as the court may direct that we be permitted to
offer evidence as to the mental condition of these young men,
to show the degree of responsibility they had, and also to
offer evidence as to the youth of these defendants, and the
fact of a plea of guilty as a further mitigation of the penalty
in this case. With that we throw ourselves upon the mercy
of this court and this court alone.
Young Loeb and Leopold had — just two months
before — kidnaped and killed still younger Robert
Franks. All were sons of wealthy parents, and all
residents of Chicago, where the crime was com-
mitted. The slayers were college graduates.
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