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Execution of Boston Italian immigrants still intrigues 99 years later
Historians say the trial reflected anti-immigrant prejudice, weak evidence and denied appeals, while a Massachusetts committee later upheld the convictions.
- On Aug. 23, 1927, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed at Charlestown State Prison in Boston following their 1921 conviction for a Braintree robbery and murder involving $15,000.
- The arrests occurred during the post-World War I era, when the nation grappled with anti-immigrant prejudice. Sacco and Vanzetti, self-proclaimed anarchists, faced a quick conviction partly due to their political beliefs.
- Judge Webster Thayer denied all appeals despite factors like recanting witnesses and evidence tampering that typically warrant a new trial. Only a single bullet was tied to Sacco's gun.
- Protests erupted worldwide, from Johannesburg to Tokyo, with figures like Albert Einstein supporting the pair. Fifty years after their deaths, Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis declared they were unfairly tried and convicted.
- Author Bruce Watson believes Sacco and Vanzetti remain on trial today, noting the case parallels modern legal system flaws like overzealous prosecution and scant evidence use. He expects new evidence will emerge as the 100th anniversary approaches.
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Leaning Left0Leaning Right0Center26Last UpdatedBias Distribution100% Center
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100% Center
C 100%
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