Caryl Whittier Chessman (May 27, 1921 – May 2, 1960) was a convicted robber, kidnapper and rapist who was sentenced to death for a series of crimes committed in January 1948 in the Los Angeles area. Chessman was charged with 17 counts and convicted under a loosely interpreted "Little Lindbergh law" – later repealed, but not retroactively – that defined kidnapping as a capital offense under certain circumstances. His case attracted worldwide attention, and helped propel the movement to end the use of capital punishment in the state of California.
Born |
27 May 1921 St. Joseph, Michigan, U.S.
|
Died |
2 May 1960 (aged 38) San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, California, U.S.
|
Zodiac | Gemini |
Tags | Add tag |