Births

Clarence Darrow

1857 – Clarence Darrow – was an American lawyer and renowned civil liberties advocate, best known for his defense work in some of the most high-profile and controversial cases of the early 20th century. Born in Kinsman, Ohio, Darrow grew up in a modest family with strong abolitionist values. Darrow’s legal career began in the late 19th century, and he quickly gained a reputation as a skilled and unconventional attorney. He became a prominent figure in the Progressive Era, championing the rights of workers, challenging corporate power, and advocating for social justice. Darrow’s legal philosophy was deeply rooted in his belief in individual liberties and his disdain for what he saw as the unjust power dynamics of the time. One of Darrow’s most famous cases was the defense of Leopold and Loeb in 1924. The two young men were accused of the brutal murder of a 14-year-old boy and faced the death penalty. Darrow’s passionate and eloquent defense, focused on the idea of rehabilitation and the impact of social and environmental factors on criminal behavior, spared his clients from the gallows. This case highlighted Darrow’s commitment to challenging prevailing notions of punishment and justice. Another landmark trial that showcased Darrow’s legal prowess was the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925. Darrow defended John T. Scopes, a high school teacher accused of violating Tennessee’s Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of evolution in public schools. The trial became a symbol of the conflict between science and religious fundamentalism, with Darrow arguing for the importance of academic freedom and the separation of church and state. Throughout his career, Clarence Darrow continued to take on controversial cases, often representing the underdog and challenging prevailing societal norms. His advocacy extended beyond the courtroom as he wrote extensively on social and legal issues. Darrow’s dedication to civil liberties, free speech, and the rights of the accused left an enduring legacy, influencing generations of lawyers and activists who followed in his footsteps. Clarence Darrow’s life and work serve as a testament to the power of the law to effect positive social change and to the enduring importance of defending the rights and dignity of every individual.

1868 – Patrick Eugene Prendergast – was an Irish-American who gained notoriety for the assassination of Chicago’s Mayor Carter Harrison Sr. Born in Ireland in 1868, Prendergast immigrated to the United States and settled in Chicago. Prendergast’s life took a dark turn when he became obsessed with politics and developed delusional beliefs about his own significance in the political landscape. He believed that he was owed a political appointment for his support of Harrison during the mayoral election. However, his expectations were not met, leading to a deep resentment and a sense of betrayal. On October 28, 1893, Prendergast carried out a shocking act that would go down in history. He attended a reception at Mayor Harrison’s home and, when the mayor refused to see him, Prendergast shot and killed him. The assassination stunned the city, as Mayor Harrison was a well-respected figure. Following the murder, Prendergast was arrested and later found guilty of first-degree murder. His defense argued that he was insane at the time of the crime, citing his erratic behavior and delusional beliefs. However, the jury rejected the insanity plea, and Prendergast was sentenced to death. On July 13, 1894, Patrick Eugene Prendergast was executed by hanging. His crime and subsequent trial highlighted the importance of mental health considerations in the legal system and sparked discussions about the treatment of individuals with mental illness within the criminal justice system. The tragic events surrounding Prendergast’s life and the assassination of Mayor Harrison left a lasting impact on Chicago’s history.

1891 – Jack Dragna – was a prominent figure in organized crime during the early to mid-20th century. He was a key player in the American Mafia, particularly associated with the Los Angeles crime family. Dragna was born in Corleone, Sicily, and immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century. Like many immigrants of that time, he became involved in organized crime. His criminal career gained momentum during the Prohibition era when illegal activities such as bootlegging and racketeering were thriving. In the 1920s and 1930s, Dragna established himself as a formidable force within the Los Angeles criminal underworld. He became associated with the Sicilian Mafia and rose through the ranks of the local crime family. Dragna’s influence extended beyond traditional organized crime activities, and he was known for his involvement in labor union extortion, gambling, and other illicit enterprises. One of Dragna’s most significant contributions to organized crime was his role in the establishment of the “Racing Wire,” a system that allowed bookmakers to receive up-to-the-minute information on horse races, facilitating large-scale betting operations. In 1951, Jack Dragna became the boss of the Los Angeles crime family after a power struggle within the organization. However, his leadership was not without challenges. The Chicago Outfit, another powerful Mafia organization, sought to expand its influence to the West Coast, leading to conflicts and power struggles within the Los Angeles family. Jack Dragna’s reign came to an end on February 23, 1956, when he passed away from a heart attack. Following his death, there were further internal struggles within the Los Angeles crime family, but Dragna’s legacy endured as one of the key figures in the early history of organized crime on the West Coast. His life and activities have been the subject of various books, documentaries, and works of fiction exploring the intriguing and often violent world of American Mafia during the mid-20th century.

1893 – Leonarda Cianciulli – gained notoriety as a notorious serial killer known as the “Soap-Maker of Correggio.” Her life, marked by superstitions and a troubled past, took a dark turn that led to a series of gruesome murders. Cianciulli’s early life was challenging, filled with hardships and personal tragedies. She claimed to have experienced a traumatic event during her childhood, which she believed had supernatural consequences. These experiences fueled her superstitious beliefs and later influenced her criminal actions. In 1917, Leonarda married Raffaele Pansardi and the couple had four children. Unfortunately, three of their children died in early childhood, which further fueled Leonarda’s belief in superstitions and the supernatural. Despite these losses, she continued to pursue a family life and dabbled in fortune-telling and occult practices. Her criminal activities began in the 1930s when Leonarda started to plan and carry out a series of murders. Her motivation was rooted in a twisted sense of sacrifice and a belief that she could protect her surviving son through dark rituals. Leonarda lured three middle-aged women to her home, promising them employment opportunities or suitable marriages. Once inside, she drugged and killed her victims with an ax. After murdering the women, Leonarda engaged in horrifying acts to dispose of their bodies. She used a combination of soap, tea, and cakes to create a gruesome concoction, believing that it would turn her victims into soap and biscuits. Her crimes went undetected for a while, as she managed to convince others that the missing women had simply relocated. Eventually, Leonarda’s crimes were uncovered when one of the victims’ sisters grew suspicious and reported her concerns to the police. In 1940, Cianciulli was arrested and later confessed to her crimes. She was tried and found guilty of multiple murders. Leonarda Cianciulli was sentenced to 30 years in prison and three years in a criminal asylum. Leonarda Cianciulli’s case remains a chilling example of the intersection between superstition, mental instability, and criminal behavior. Her macabre story continues to be a subject of interest for those fascinated by true crime and the dark recesses of the human psyche.

1927 – Sidney Cooke – is a British criminal who gained notoriety for his involvement in a series of child sexual abuse cases during the late 20th century. Born on April 18, 1927, Cooke’s criminal activities came to light in the 1980s, and he became a symbol of the disturbing and heinous nature of such offenses. Cooke was part of a group of pedophiles known as the “Dirty Dozen,” a network of individuals involved in the sexual exploitation and abuse of children. The group’s activities shocked the public and led to increased awareness of the need for better protection of children against such crimes. In 1985, Cooke was arrested and later convicted for his role in the abduction, sexual assault, and killing of 14-year-old Jason Swift. The case exposed the extent of child abuse within the group, and Cooke was sentenced to 19 years in prison for manslaughter. He was also convicted of other child abuse-related offenses, contributing to his notoriety. Cooke’s crimes sparked public outrage and led to discussions about the legal system’s handling of such cases and the need for stricter measures to protect children. Despite serving a lengthy prison sentence, Cooke’s name remains associated with one of the darkest chapters in criminal history in the United Kingdom. It is important to note that discussions about individuals like Sidney Cooke often involve sensitive and distressing subject matter, and they highlight the ongoing efforts to address and prevent child abuse.

1944 – Robert Hanssen – was an American FBI agent who led a double life for over two decades, secretly selling classified information to the Soviet Union and then Russia. Considered one of the most damaging spies in American history, Hanssen’s betrayal compromised countless intelligence operations and put countless lives at risk. Born in Chicago in 1944, Hanssen joined the FBI in 1976, seemingly driven by a desire to serve his country. He quickly rose through the ranks, gaining access to highly classified information due to his work in counterintelligence. However, beneath the surface, Hanssen harbored a growing resentment towards the United States, fueled by personal and ideological reasons. In 1979, Hanssen approached the Soviet Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and offered his services. He began a sporadic period of espionage, providing classified documents and information about American intelligence operations. This initial phase ended in 1981, but Hanssen resumed his activities in 1985, this time with renewed fervor. Hanssen employed various methods to conceal his espionage. He used code names like “Ramon Garcia” and “The Ghost” to communicate with his Russian handlers. He left classified documents in prearranged “dead drops” – hollowed-out logs, park benches, and even a fake gravestone. He also employed sophisticated encryption techniques to mask his communications. The full extent of Hanssen’s damage is still being debated, but it is undeniable that his actions had a devastating impact on American intelligence. He compromised the identities of numerous double agents, leading to their capture and execution. He exposed details of critical intelligence-gathering operations, hampering their effectiveness. The Department of Justice called Hanssen’s actions “possibly the worst intelligence disaster in U.S. history.” After years of eluding capture, Hanssen was finally arrested in 2001. He pleaded guilty to 15 counts of espionage and conspiracy in exchange for the death penalty being taken off the table. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole and died in 2023 at the ADX Florence supermax prison.

1947 – Herbert Mullin – a name synonymous with chilling murders and a twisted rationale, was an American serial killer who left a bloody trail across California in the early 1970s. His life, a stark contrast between outward normalcy and inner demons, remains a cautionary tale of mental illness and the devastating consequences it can unleash. Mullin’s childhood was seemingly ordinary. His father, a strict but not abusive war veteran, instilled discipline, while his mother provided warmth and affection. He excelled in school, earning the coveted title of “Most Likely to Succeed” in high school. However, beneath the surface lurked a darkness. Mullin exhibited early signs of mental illness, experiencing auditory hallucinations and developing paranoid delusions. As Mullin entered his twenties, his mental state deteriorated. Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, he began fixating on numerological patterns and harboring bizarre beliefs. He convinced himself that he was divinely chosen to prevent earthquakes through sacrifice. This twisted conviction fueled a murderous spree that would claim 13 innocent lives. Between 1972 and 1973, Mullin embarked on a series of brutal killings. His victims, ranging from teenagers to families, were targeted seemingly at random. He used various weapons, including knives and firearms, often attacking in remote areas like forests and beaches. The motives were as diverse as the victims: some were chosen based on their birthdays or license plate numbers, while others were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. As the body count mounted, fear gripped California. A massive manhunt ensued, bringing Mullin’s reign of terror to an end in February 1973. He readily confessed to the murders, maintaining his delusional belief that he was a savior. Mullin’s trial was a spectacle, with his sanity at the forefront of the proceedings. After months of evaluations and legal battles, he was found guilty of two first-degree murders and nine second-degree murders. Sentenced to life in prison, Mullin spent the next four decades behind bars, denied parole eight times. He died in 2022 at the age of 75, leaving behind a legacy of horror and a chilling reminder of the devastating power of unchecked mental illness.

1949 – James Rodney Johnson – In the midst of a heated dispute at his residence with his spouse and grown-up daughter, Johnson forcefully ejected his daughter from the premises at gunpoint, only to return shortly thereafter. Deputy Sheriff Leslie Roark responded to a call regarding a domestic disturbance at the location. As Roark was returning to his patrol vehicle, Johnson emerged from the house and fired two shots at the deputy. Hearing Roark’s groans, Johnson went back outside and delivered a fatal shot to Roark’s forehead. Subsequently, Johnson, armed with his firearms and ammunition, drove to County Sheriff Kenny Jones’ residence where a Christmas Party was underway. Utilizing a .22 caliber rifle, Johnson opened fire on a group of individuals he spotted through a window. Pam Jones, the wife of Sheriff Jones, was hit five times in various parts of her body including her shoulder, face, neck, and the back of her head. She succumbed to her injuries on the spot, in the presence of her family. Johnson’s next stop was the residence of Deputy Sheriff Russell Borts who was engaged in a phone conversation at the time. Johnson fired four shots at Borts, hitting him in the face, hand, and chest. Despite the attack, Deputy Borts survived. Johnson then proceeded to the Moniteau County Sheriff’s Office where he shot and killed Cooper County Sheriff Charles Smith with his .22 rifle. Upon the arrival of Deputy Sheriff Sandra Wilson, Johnson shot her in the chest with an eight-millimeter, bolt-action Mauser rifle, resulting in her death at the scene. Johnson managed to flee the scene and took refuge on the back porch of a local resident’s house, holding her captive for the majority of the day. Eventually, law enforcement officials were able to negotiate Johnson’s surrender. It’s worth noting that Johnson had no previous criminal record before these incidents. At his trial, a defense of insanity was put forth, citing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as the cause, but it was dismissed. Johnson, a former helicopter pilot and Vietnam War veteran, was executed in Missouri in January 2002.

1964 – Richard James Wilkerson – He grew up in a poor and dysfunctional family, with an abusive father and a drug-addicted mother. He dropped out of school at the age of 16 and joined a gang that engaged in robbery and violence. He was arrested several times for theft, assault, and drug possession. On July 1, 1983, Wilkerson and his cousin Kenneth Ray Ransom, along with their friend James Edward Randall (who was only 16 at the time), went to the Malibu Grand Prix Amusement Center in southwest Houston to rob it after Wilkerson had been fired from his job there two weeks earlier. They armed themselves with kitchen knives and entered the center after closing time. They encountered Anil Verughese, the manager of the center, who recognized Wilkerson and let them inside. Wilkerson stabbed Verughese 42 times in the chest and throat, killing him instantly. The other three victims were Roddy Harris (22), Arnold Pequeno (19), and Joerene Pequeno (18), who were brothers working at the center. They tried to fight back or escape from the attackers, but they were all slashed or stabbed multiple times. Wilkerson’s cousin Ransom confessed to his role in the murders during the trial. Randall testified against Wilkerson as well, saying that he killed the victims so they would not be able to identify their attackers. The jury found Wilkerson guilty of murder and sentenced him to death by lethal injection. Wilkerson appealed his conviction several times on various grounds, such as ineffective counsel, racial discrimination on his jury, and new evidence that suggested he was not involved in the murders. However, all of his appeals were denied by higher courts. On August 31, 1993, Wilkerson was executed at Huntsville State Penitentiary in Texas. He was pronounced dead at 12:16 a.m. CDT after receiving a series of injections that caused him to convulse violently for about two minutes. Wilkerson’s case remains one of the most notorious examples of mass murder in Texas history

1968 – Jason Oric Williams – Williams had spent the night drinking and getting high with a mixture of crack cocaine and LSD when he went back to the trailer where he’d been sleeping, whilst off his face he had spoken to his ex-wife and once the call finished he grabbed the nearest weapon which was a .22 caliber rifle and shot Gerald Paravacini who was the head of the family that he’d been staying with, Gerald’s wife was beaten with the weapon and their 16-year-old son was shot in the face before Williams left the trailer and went to a neighbor’s home and annihilated the family, 50-year-old Freddie Barber, his wife, 45-year-old Linda and their 22-year-old son Bryan he then stole valuables and the family car before making his getaway.

1972 – Ronald Jeffrey Prible Jr – is a death row inmate in Texas who was convicted of killing his best friend, his friend’s fiancée and their three children in 1999. He was sentenced to death in 2002, but his conviction and sentence were overturned by a federal judge in 2020, who ordered new proceedings against him. Prible was born on June 6, 1962, in Houston, Texas. He grew up in a poor neighborhood and dropped out of school in the ninth grade. He became involved in drug dealing and robbery with his friend Esteban “Steve” Herrera, who was also his business partner. They wanted to open a topless bar together, but their plan fell apart after Prible accused Herrera of stealing $250,000 from him. On April 24, 1999, Prible shot Herrera and his fiancée Nilda Tirado at their home in northwest Houston. He then raped and shot Tirado before setting her body on fire to hide DNA evidence. The children died from smoke inhalation from the resulting fire. They were aged between 7 and 22 months. Prible was the last person seen with Herrera at the house before the murders. He claimed that he and Tirado had an affair on the night of the killings, but this was denied by her friends. Prible confessed to the murders while in prison to Michael Beckcom, a convicted murderer and “jailhouse snitch”, who admitted to angling for a lower sentence. Prible’s confession was based on promises of relief from investigators, according to prosecutors. His lawyers argued that prosecutors suppressed evidence and trained a group of jailhouse informants to set up Prible. A Harris County jury condemned Prible to death row in 2002 for capital murder charges. His sentence partially stemmed from the testimony of Beckcom and other jailhouse informants. In 2020, U.S. District Judge David Hittner ordered new proceedings against Prible after finding that prosecutors had withheld exculpatory evidence from him during his trial. In August 2020, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed Hittner’s order and reinstated Prible’s death sentence. The panel ruled that there was not enough credible evidence to overturn his conviction and sentence.

1983 – Tierra Capri Gobble – Having already had three children removed from her care for abuse and neglect Gobble’s four-month-old son Phoenix Parrish was removed and placed with a great uncle with strict instructions not to allow her anywhere near the child, the uncle did not listen and allowed Gobble to move in with him and the child, unfortunately for little Phoenix his fate was sealed, she admitted that she had banged his head against the crib to stop him crying, however, an autopsy would show that the infant suffered a fractured skull, five broken ribs, both wrists were broken and he was covered with bruises. This sick and twisted waste of space received the death penalty!

Deaths

Frederick Henry Seddon

1912 – Frederick Henry Seddon – was a British murderer who was hanged in 1912 for the arsenic poisoning murder of his lodger Eliza Mary Barrow. Seddon was born in Liverpool on 21 January 1872 to William Seddon and Mary Ann Kennen. He married Margaret Ann Jones in 1893 and had five children with her. Seddon worked as a Superintendent of Collectors for a national insurance company and had an obsession with making money. He ran a second-hand clothes business and speculated in real estate. In 1910, he advertised to let out the second floor of his London home to Barrow, an eccentric spinster who lived with her ward Ernest Grant, an eight-year-old orphan. Seddon persuaded Barrow to sign over to him all her savings and annuities, including £1,500 of India Stock, in exchange for taking care of her for the rest of her life. In August 1911, the Seddons, Barrow, and Grant went on holiday together to Southend. On their return, Seddon’s daughter Maggie bought flypaper from the chemist. Shortly after, Barrow began to suffer from stomach pains. The local doctor prescribed bismuth and morphine, but she refused to go to hospital. On 13 September 1911, Barrow made a will that left all her property to Seddon. She also gave him a letter that revealed that she had been poisoned by him. She died on 16 September at home. Seddon confessed to the murder after being arrested by the police. He claimed that he had killed Barrow because she wanted to leave him and take Grant with her. He also said that he had given her flypaper because he thought it would cure her stomach ache. Seddon was tried at the Old Bailey on 11 December 1911. He pleaded guilty but tried to justify his actions by saying that he loved Barrow as his own daughter and that he had acted out of compassion for her suffering. The jury found him guilty of murder and recommended mercy. However, the Home Secretary decided to sentence him to death by hanging at Pentonville Prison on 18 April 1912. Seddon was executed at Pentonville Prison on 18 April 1912. He was buried in an unmarked grave at Brookwood Cemetery near Woking.

2006 – Richard Alford Thornburg Jr – A waste of space drug dealer who was instrumental in the murders of 51-year-old James Poteet, 39-year-old Terry Shepard, and 24-year-old Kevin Smith who all died from shooting and arson after the house they were in was set on fire by Thornburg. Thornburg and his accomplice Glenn Anderson were sentenced to death, and another accomplice Roger Embrey was given life sentences

2012 – Mark Wayne Wiles – was born on March 11, 1963, in Canton, Ohio. He worked for the Klima family as a farmhand until January 1983, when he was fired for stealing from them. In February 1985, he returned to the farm and stole more valuables from the house. During this theft, he was discovered by 15-year-old Mark Klima, who confronted him with a knife. Wiles stabbed Mark Klima 24 times with a butcher knife and left it buried in his back. He then fled to Georgia, where he lived under an alias for several months. In July 1985, he confessed to a friend that he had killed Mark Klima and also revealed that he had planned to kill Mark’s parents as well. He was arrested by the police in Savannah, Georgia, in August 1985. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to death by a jury. Wiles appealed his conviction and sentence several times, but all of his appeals were denied by the courts. He also requested clemency from various governors and presidents, but none of them granted him mercy. He maintained his innocence until the day of his execution. On the day of his execution, he apologized to Mark’s family and expressed regret for his actions. He was executed by lethal injection in Ohio on April 18, 2012.

Events

Robert Blake

1938 – A headless mad butcher victim is found in Cleveland

1958 – A US Federal Court rules that Ezra Pound be released from an insane asylum

1990 – The Supreme Court rules that states could make it a crime to possess or look at child pornography, even in one’s own home

2002 – Robert Blake is arrested and charged with ex-wife Bonnie Lee Bakley’s murder

2003 – Scott Petersen is arrested

2020 – Canada’s worst mass shooting takes place as a gunman kills 18 people including an RCMP officer across Novia Scotia