True Crime Stories

I wish that I would have prepared this post sooner as tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. However, shamelessly I admit that I have not kept up with this blogger much as of late.  I will also admit that time will not likely permit me to hit every target that I would like to in this area. Over the years I have read many things pertaining to the assassination.  Kennedy and Lincoln both are presidents that I have read a vast amount of things on and in fact have many more in my library to read in the future on both subjects.  Just recently I have read "Killing Kennedy" by Bill O'Reilly and "Reclaiming History" by Vincent Bugliosi.  I am a huge fan of Bugliosi's writing as I feel that it flows very well.  It feels like you are sitting down and having a conversation with him.  "Killing Kennedy" was flat for me.  First, I admit not to be a huge fan of O'Reilly and also admit that I was skeptical going into the bo...

I have a list of cases that I intend to blog about.  Depending on my mood I am either sitting in front of my computer researching a case or composing a blog based on my notes.  The list tends to grow based on tidbits of information I hear  from different references.  I have a few already done, mostly smaller cases and when I am ready to compose them I will.  However, from time to time a case comes along that I have a huge urge to put my thoughts down almost immediately... such is the case known as The Sweet Trials. While researching this case I am reminded how glad I am that I was born in the decade that I was (the 1970's).  I have lived in a small, predominately white town, for the last 10 years but I was raised in the inner city.  The high school that I graduated from was a predominately black high school.  The town I live in is not far from where I grew up so we still receive their local news if we would like.  I remember not long after...

Along with my fascination with true crime, I also have a great interest in history.  When the two intermingle it is even better.  I do admit that there are a few areas in which I am disinterested in.  I am not super interested in war and war times, aside from a slight interest in the Civil War of the 1860's.  And, then there are the areas that I am nearly obsessed with.  The Lincoln era and his assassination is one, the other is the 1930's gangster era.  This was a time in which many of the "outlaws" were celebrated because it was during The Great Depression and many felt that a lot of the mobsters of the time were just simply trying to survive and reading their stories gave them some sort of excitement.  Such is the story of Bonnie and Clyde.   What set them apart from other gangsters of the time like John Dillinger and "Pretty Boy" Floyd was Bonnie.  The only other woman I can really think of that was considered to be deep into ...

This is one of the few cases that I had not heard of when I stumbled across it while researching other well known cases.  It is one of those cases that easily could have caused just as much of a media frenzy today, as it did in 1922 when it happened.  It involved wealthy suspects, adultery, devote church members, a bungled crime scene and an extremely gruesome crime. On September 16, 1922 the bodies of Episcopal minister, Edward Hall, and a member of his choir, Eleanor Mills were found under a crab apple tree on a road near what was known as "Lover's Lane" in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Immediately it was pretty well known that the bodies had been posed.  Edward's arm was under Eleanor's head and her hand lay on his thigh.  Edward's hat was covering his face and when it was removed it was noticed his glasses apparently had been nicely placed on his face; his business card (often called a calling card) was propped up against his shoe.  Eleanor had a scarf w...