The Loeb-Leopold case - The Clarence Darrow Collection

The Loeb-Leopold Case
Q. Now, which is responsible for the murder in this case;
the emotional man or the intellectual man?
A. Well, you cannot split a man up that way into two
parts. When the man acts he acts as a whole.
Q. Well, where does the crime originate, in the emotions
or in the intellect?
A. The emotions represent psychologically the instinctive
drives of the individual. We would say action originated in
the drive of the instincts. But that I don't believe would be
a complete statement of the situation.
Q. Will you explain how such an emotional infantile character
as Loeb could appear so normal in all of his human
contact?
A. Unfortunately that is a very common experience with
these people.
Q. In your opinion did Richard Loeb, who appeared normal,
yet had partaken in planning this murder to the minutest
detail, have the power of choosing to carry out that plan or
not? Answer yes or no.
A. I can't answer it yes or no.
Mr. Crowe: Answer it any way you want to.
A. Whether he could have avoided doing it or not is
largely a metaphysical question. He did not avoid doing it,
and so far as I can see inside of him, the powers that were
at work within him at least impaired his capacity to choose
very materially.
Q. Are you able to tell from your examination of Richard
Loeb whether or not on the 21st day of May, 1924, he knew
the difference between right and wrong?
A. He knew intellectually that murder was proscribed by
the law.
Q. Did he know it was morally wrong?
A. He had no adequate feeling attitude toward its moral
wrongfulness.
Q. But did he have sufficient capacity to refrain from
killing?
A. I don't know.
Q. Doctor, from your examination of Nathan Leopold, Jr.,
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