Rosenberg Trial
Prof. Harmon
POL217
Criminal Justice
When one says the name Rosenberg today there are some very confused faces and no one really knows who they are, but when one gets someone who was alive during the Cold War era and they will say that they were part of the era and they will say that they were part of the worst crisis to hit the United Stats. This is because no one hears about the crime that these two individuals were convicted of, the crime of treason, witch we define today as terrorism.
According to section 490.25 of the New York State Penal Law:
"A person is guilty of the crime of terrorism when, with intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influences the policy of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion, or affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder, assassination or kidnapping, he or she commits a specified offense."
According to this section of the penal code one who is convicted of the crime of Terrorism, which in New York State is an A Felony, one has to do several things resulting in the compromise of the government. This is today's standard and is most likely the same standard that people used several years ago.
After a trial that lasted for about 3 months the jury was given the case for a judgment. After several straight hours of deliberation both Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of treason. Both of them were sentenced to death by electrocution on 21, 1951. Julius went quickly in his death however Ethel didn't. Ethel had to be electrocuted several times before she went. This sentence is considered by many to be a travesty of justice because of the cruel and unusual punishment they received, especially Ethel.
But...
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