Criminal Trials as Culture Wars: Southern Honor and the Acquittal of Frank James
40 Pages Posted: 21 Jan 2013
Date Written: January 21, 2003
Abstract
More than any other nation, the United States was formed by individuals for whom public justice was central to identity. What the country has lacked in public religious spectacle we have replaced with public narratives of crime, justice, and redemption. A century before we became addicted to simulated spectacles of triumph, tragedy, life, and death in movie theaters and sports arenas, we sought out the real thing in criminal trials and executions. These legal proceedings were often the most widely-attended public events in the community.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Gottlieb, David J., Criminal Trials as Culture Wars: Southern Honor and the Acquittal of Frank James (January 21, 2003). Kansas Law Review, Vol. 51, No. 409, 2003, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2204527
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