In this installment of The American Mercury’s series on the 1913 Leo Frank trial, the focus is on Luther Rosser’s closing arguments on August 22–23, 1913, in the case of 13-year-old Mary Phagan’s murder. Using the trial’s Brief of Evidence, the video details Rosser’s defense, where he aggressively challenged Jim Conley’s testimony, accusing him of lying about Frank’s involvement and suggesting Conley committed the murder alone. Rosser also dismissed the forensic evidence, such as Phagan’s blood and hair in the factory, as inconclusive, while framing Frank’s prosecution as a product of antisemitic bias. The episode highlights Rosser’s commanding oratory, though it failed to sway the jury, leading to Frank’s conviction on August 25, 1913. Amidst societal tension, the trial resulted in Frank’s 1915 lynching and the creation of the Anti-Defamation League, a case that continues to provoke discussions on justice and prejudice.
