Clarence Darrow (1857-1938) was a famous and controversial American lawyer.
Did he attempt to bribe a juror in California?
This question has been raised and discussed on several occasions.
Different persons have different answers to this question
Was Clarence Darrow ever accused of committing such a crime?
The answer is yes. In 1911 and 1912, while he was involved in a case in California, he was accused of committing such a crime.
Suddenly, the famous defense lawyer became a defendant who was accused of a crime. He was a defendant two times:
** During the first case, he was defended by another lawyer (Earl Rogers)
** During the second case, he decided that he was going to defend himself
What were the results?
(1) The first case ended with a verdict = not guilty
(2) The second case ended with a hung jury = no verdict
While Darrow was never found guilty of this crime, the question remains:
Was he guilty?
Did he really do it?
Some observers say no. They are sure he was innocent
Other observers say yes. He did it. But having said that, they tend to forgive him for doing this.
The matter has been investigated several times. But the final proof of guilt or innocence has not been found.
PS. Earl Rogers, who defended Clarence Darrow in the bribery case, was the inspiration when author and lawyer Erle Stanley Gardener (1889-1970) created the fictional character Perry Mason, the criminal defense lawyer who almost never loses a case.
REFERENCES
The People V. Clarence Darrow:
The Bribery Trial of America’s Greatest Lawyer
By Geoffrey Cowan
(1993 = hardcover)
(1994 = paperback)
John A. Farrell
“Clarence Darrow: Jury Tamperer?”
The Smithsonian Magazine
December 2011
Mark Pulliam
“Darrow’s Dereliction,”
Law & Liberty
18 May 2017
*****
The People V. Clarence Darrow:
The Bribery Trial of
America's Greatest Lawyer
By Geoffrey Cowan
(1993 = hardcover)
(1994 = paperback)
*****
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