The Loeb-Leopold case - The Clarence Darrow Collection

The Loeb-Leopold Case
The Court: We will go on
Mr. Crowe: I merely want to put my personal feelings
plainly before the court. It was not the intention of the
State's Attorney
The Court: The State's Attorney knew that would be
heralded all through this country and all over this world; and
he knows the court hadn't an opportunity except to do what
he did. It was not the proper thing to say. This court will
not be intimidated by anybody at any time or place so long
as he occupies this position.
The court then took the case under advisement, remarking
that it had been a record one for speed, due to the " able
manner in which the State's Attorney investigated and prepared
his case for trial."
On Sept. 10 the decision was announced, both defendants
being sentenced to the penitentiary for life.
In connection with the formal sentences the court rendered
the following opinion:
In view of the profound and unusual interest that this
case has aroused not only in this community but in the entire
country and even beyond its boundaries, the court feels it
his duty to state the reasons which have led him to the de-
termination he has reached.
It is not an uncommon thing that pleas of guilty are
entered in criminal cases, but almost without exception in
the past such pleas have been the result of a virtual agreement
between the defendant and the State's Attorney
whereby, in consideration of the plea, the State's Attorney
consents to recommend to the court a sentence deemed ap-
propriate by him, and, in the absence of special reasons to
the contrary, it is the practice of the court to follow such
recommendations.
In the present case the situation is a different one. A
plea of guilty has been entered by the defense without a
previous understanding with the prosecution and without any
knowledge whatever on its part. Moreover, the plea of guilty
did not in this particular case, as it usually does, render the
task of the prosecution easier by substituting admission of
guilt for a possibly difficult and uncertain chain of proof.
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