Chicago's Crime of the Century: Leopold and Loeb

In May 1924, two wealthy University of Chicago students believed they were intelligent enough to commit the perfect crime. Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb, both brilliant young men from Chicago's elite Kenwood neighborhood, kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old Robert "Bobby" Franks—Loeb's own second cousin—simply to prove they could get away with it.

The elaborate plan unraveled when Leopold left his distinctive eyeglasses at the crime scene. The frames were ordinary, but the hinges were so rare that only three people in Chicago owned that particular model. One was Nathan Leopold. Within days, their "perfect crime" became a nightmare of contradictory alibis and reckless admissions.

The trial became a national sensation. Defense attorney Clarence Darrow's impassioned 12-hour closing argument saved them from execution, introducing psychiatric evidence that would change American criminal defense forever. The case revealed how privilege, arrogance, and twisted philosophy could produce unthinkable evil—and why some crimes haunt us across generations.

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Show Notes

In This Episode:

• Two brilliant Chicago students plot what they call the "perfect crime"
• A rare pair of eyeglasses becomes the key evidence that cracks the case
• Clarence Darrow delivers one of history's most famous defense arguments
• The trial introduces psychiatric defense to American criminal justice
• How privilege and philosophy twisted into murderous arrogance

Key Figures:

• Nathan Leopold Jr. - University of Chicago student with IQ of 210, nationally recognized ornithologist
• Richard Loeb - Youngest University of Michigan graduate at age 17, Leopold's partner
• Robert "Bobby" Franks - 14-year-old victim, Harvard debate team member, Loeb's second cousin
• Clarence Darrow - Legendary defense attorney who saved them from execution
• Jacob Franks - Bobby's father, wealthy Chicago real estate mogul
• Robert Crowe - State's Attorney who prosecuted the case

Timeline:

• May 21, 1924: Leopold and Loeb abduct and murder Bobby Franks
• May 22, 1924: Ransom note delivered; body discovered near Wolf Lake, Indiana
• May 29, 1924: Leopold's distinctive eyeglasses link him to crime scene
• May 30, 1924: Both men arrested after contradictory alibis collapse
• September 10, 1924: Sentenced to life plus 99 years (avoided death penalty)
• January 28, 1936: Richard Loeb killed by fellow inmate
• 1958: Leopold's autobiography "Life Plus 99 Years" becomes bestseller
• August 29, 1971: Nathan Leopold dies at age 66

Historical Significance: This case introduced psychiatric evidence and childhood trauma as criminal defense strategies, fundamentally changing American jurisprudence. It also highlighted how wealth and privilege could shield killers from execution—a controversy that persists today.

Cultural Impact: The case inspired numerous adaptations including:

• Richard Wright's novel "Native Son" (1940)
• Meyer Levin's "Compulsion" (1956)
• Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope" (1948) - loosely based on case
• "Murdoch Mysteries" episode "Big Murderer on Campus"

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