Leopold and Loeb
Two University of Chicago students who murdered a 14-year-old boy.
Nathan Freudenthal Leopold Jr. and Richard Albert Loeb, known together as Leopold and Loeb, were two American university students who kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks in Chicago, Illinois, on May 21, 1924. The crime was characterized at the time as 'the crime of the century,' committed in the belief that their superior intellect enabled them to carry out a 'perfect crime' without consequences. Their trial, led by defense attorney Clarence Darrow, became a landmark case against capital punishment.
- Born
- Nathan Leopold: November 19, 1904; Richard Loeb: June 11, 1905
- Died
- Nathan Leopold: August 29, 1971; Richard Loeb: January 28, 1936
- Field
- Murder, criminal case
- Nationality
- American
- Known for
- Kidnapping and murder of Bobby Franks; 'crime of the century'; Clarence Darrow's defense against capital punishment
Lore & Background
Leopold and Loeb grew up in the affluent Kenwood neighborhood of Chicago. Leopold was a child prodigy who spoke his first words at four months old, studied 15 languages, and achieved national recognition as an ornithologist. Loeb was exceptionally intelligent, an avid reader, and became the University of Michigan's youngest graduate at age 17. Their sexual relationship began in February 1921 and continued until their arrest. Loeb had a history of stealing since childhood, and together they committed burglaries, arsons, and other crimes before planning the murder. Leopold justified their actions through a personal interpretation of Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of 'supermen,' believing they were exempt from ordinary laws.
Reader's Guide
The case of Leopold and Loeb remains significant for its legal and cultural impact. Their defense attorney Clarence Darrow delivered an eight-hour summation at their sentencing hearing that criticized capital punishment as retributive rather than transformative justice. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment plus 99 years. Loeb was murdered by a fellow prisoner in 1936; Leopold was released on parole in 1958. The case has inspired several dramatic works. It also highlighted the role of intellectual arrogance and philosophical justification in violent crime, as well as the legal debate over the death penalty for young offenders.
Did You Know?
- Leopold spoke his first words at four months and three weeks old.
- Leopold identified nesting sites of Kirtland's warblers and observed the parasitic nesting behavior of brown-headed cowbirds.
- The pair spent approximately six months planning the kidnapping and murder of Bobby Franks.
More in Infamous Criminals And Gangsters 1-24
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