 |
Clarence Seward DarrowAmerican lawyer
Date of Birth: 18.04.1857
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Clarence Darrow: The Renowned Defense Attorney and Civil Libertarian
- Education and Legal Career
- Move to Chicago and Political Activism
- Representation of Labor and Corporate Interests
- High-Profile Criminal Cases
- McNamara Bombing Trial
- Leopold and Loeb Case
- Death and Legacy
Clarence Darrow: The Renowned Defense Attorney and Civil Libertarian
Early Life and InfluencesClarence Seward Darrow was born on April 18, 1857, in rural Ohio. His father, Amirus Darrow, was a courageous abolitionist and a proud rebel who defended religious freedoms, earning the nickname "country pagan." Emily, his mother, was an early advocate for women's suffrage and their right to represent clients in court.
Education and Legal Career
Darrow attended Allegheny College and the University of Michigan Law School but did not complete degrees at either institution. Admitted to the Ohio bar in 1878, he began his career in Youngstown, Ohio, under the mentorship of Judge Alfred W. Mackey. He later practiced in Andover and Ashtabula, Ohio, where he served as city attorney and became involved in Democratic politics.
Move to Chicago and Political Activism
In 1887, Darrow relocated to Chicago with his wife, Jessie Ohl, and infant son, Paul. He worked for the city government and campaigned for Democrats. He became a close friend and protégé of Illinois governor John Altgeld, assisting in the pardon of anarchists imprisoned for the Haymarket bombing.
Representation of Labor and Corporate Interests
Darrow emerged as a leading voice for American laborers. He helped organize the Illinois Populist Party and ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a Democrat in 1896. With Altgeld's support, he became a corporate attorney for the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company. In 1894, he defended Eugene V. Debs, leader of the American Railway Union, in federal court.
High-Profile Criminal Cases
Prendergast and the Insanity DefenseIn 1894, Darrow defended Patrick Eugene Prendergast, a "feeble-minded wanderer" who confessed to murdering Chicago Mayor Carter H. Harrison, Sr. Despite Darrow's efforts to argue his client's insanity, Prendergast was found guilty and executed, the only time Darrow failed to prevent a death sentence in over 50 murder cases.
McNamara Bombing Trial
Darrow agreed to defend John and James McNamara, accused of bombing the Los Angeles Times headquarters. Despite knowing their guilt, he vigorously defended them. A bribery attempt by the defense resulted in the arrest of one of Darrow's investigators. This led to a plea deal where the McNamaras admitted guilt in exchange for long sentences instead of execution. Darrow was subsequently indicted on bribery charges, but one charge was dismissed, and the other was dropped as part of an agreement banning him from practicing law in California.
Leopold and Loeb Case
In the sensational Leopold and Loeb case, Darrow argued that the "boys" were not fully adults (defined as 21 years old at the time) and that Chicago had a history of not executing minors. Darrow's 12-hour closing argument moved Judge John Caverly to sentence the student murderers to "life plus 99 years." His summation became a literary classic, published in various editions in the 1920s and 1930s and reprinted after his death.
Death and Legacy
Clarence Darrow died on March 13, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois. Known for his wit, agnosticism, and unwavering belief in civil liberties, he was one of the most famous attorneys and defenders of freedom in American history. His legacy as a "wise old civil lawyer" and "champion of every human being's right to a fair trial" continues to inspire generations of lawyers and activists.
