In 1924, the kidnapping and murder of 14-year-old Bobby Franks horrified the country, especially when the killers were revealed to be two wealthy teenagers, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. Everyone expected Leopold & Loeb to hang. But would th

The Trial of Tokyo Rose: Part Two

26 days ago 1h 6m

In 1949, Iva Toguri D'Aquino's treason trial began. The defendant was accused of collaborating with the Japanese during World War II by working as the legendary propaganda radio host "Tokyo Rose." Iva was confident that a trial would reveal the

The Trial of Tokyo Rose: Part One

May 30th, 2024 44m 50s

In 1945, American journalists in Japan scrambled to identify the legendary "Tokyo Rose," an English-speaking, female broadcaster who had performed in Japanese propaganda radio broadcasts during the war. One woman who seemed to fit the bill was

The Motion Picture Murder

May 20th, 2024 1h 11m

In 1874, the father of motion pictures stood trial for murder. Most people know Eadweard Muybridge as a pioneering photographer and inventor whose work sparked the birth of movies. But Muybridge had a dark side: he was once accused on murdering

Radical Priests v. the FBI

May 2nd, 2024 54m 35s

In 1970, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover stunned Congress when he announced that anti-war activists planned to kidnap Henry Kissinger and bomb Washington, D.C. But when the Justice Department pursued these activists, a group that came to be known

The Triangle Fire Trial

Apr 18th, 2024 1h 12m

In 1911, a devastating fire raged through the Triangle Waist Company, killing 146. It was one of the worst workplace disasters in American history. Many people blamed the factory's owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, and wanted them to pay. Bu

Tabloids on Trial

Apr 4th, 2024 1h 6m

In 1957, California declared war on a tabloid magazine. Confidential Magazine was the most powerful gossip magazine in the country, with millions of readers and the ability to make or break stars' careers. Movie studios hated the magazine and p

Garfield & Guiteau: An Assassin's Trial

Mar 21st, 2024 1h 16m

In 1881, President James Garfield was assassinated by a man named Charles Guiteau. The American public, understandably, wanted vengeance. But as the government began to prepare for Guiteau’s trial, a problem emerged: Guiteau, some experts belie

A Star-Spangled Speech Trial

Mar 7th, 2024 51m 1s

In 1835, Washington D.C. was a city on edge: tensions over race and slavery were nearing a boiling point. District Attorney Francis Scott Key (author of the national anthem!) was tasked with maintaining order in the city. But when Key charged a

A Very Victorian Scandal

Feb 22nd, 2024 1h

In 1874, the most famous preacher in America, Henry Ward Beecher, was publicly accused of adultery. The story became one of the greatest sex scandals of the 19th century, and led to a shocking trial, in which Beecher’s accuser, Theodore Tilton,

The Manhattan Well Murder

Feb 8th, 2024 1h 3m

In early 1800, Levi Weeks went on trial for the murder of Elma Sands. Rumor had it that Weeks and Sands had been lovers, until something went tragically wrong. But at the trial, where Weeks was defended by Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, a m

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Introducing: History on Trial

Feb 1st, 2024 2m 41s

From the Salem Witch Trials to O.J. Simpson, trials have always revealed hidden truths about our world. History on Trial digs into famous legal battles from American history, uncovering the real story behind the headlines, and exploring the pow

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