The Sacco-Vanzetti Trial

Sacco-Vanzetti Trial

On April 15, 1920 at three in the afternoon a paymaster and his guard were gunned down. Fredrick Parmenter and Alessandro Berardelli were carrying the payroll for a shoe factory through the streets of South Braintree, Massachusetts. The payroll was worth $15,776. Two men standing in the street suddenly drew guns from their dark apparel and shot down the payroll officers. The two men then grabbed the cash and swiftly escaped into a getaway car containing several other people and then drove away from the crime scene.

Investigators questioned bystanders. Many witnesses stated that the robbers were Italians. This wasn't a big lead for investigators, but it was something. Although at first this common post war crime only amused the locals in whom it most closely effected, it would soon be one of the most notorious political trials of its time.

It was three weeks before any suspects were apprehended.

Bartolomeo Vanzetti (left) and Nicola Sacco in han...

Italiano: Immagine di Nicola Sacco e Bartolomeo Va...

Protest to save Sacco and Vanzetti in London, Engl...

Authorities of Braintree set a trap strictly targeted to lure the felons of the payroll crime. The turn out of this plan was the capture of Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco. The only evidence at the time that was being held against the two was that they were in fact Italians, and they were both carrying guns. Neither Sacco nor Vanzetti had criminal records, but they were known anarchists and they were thought to have stolen the money to support their anarchist political campaign.

Before this trial was to begin, Vanzetti was being tried on another crime he supposable committed. Vanzetti was convicted a robbery in Bridgewater. Although he had a strong alibi he was found guilty and sentenced ten to fifteen years. He had many eyewitnesses who were mostly Italians who couldn't speak English and they were unsuccessful in convincing the jury of Vanzetti's...