Politics on Trial

Five Famous Trials of the 20th Century

William M. Kunstler

Introduction by Michael Ratner, Karin Kunstler Goldman, and Michael Steven Smith

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Five cases of political repression and manipulation of public fear

 

As the United States once again finds itself adrift in a violent sea of patriotism, bigotry and fear, these essays portray a dark past of political repression and racist scapegoating.

William Kunstler, champion of civil liberties and human rights, reflects on five famous cases, which seem shockingly resonant today. These essays review the cases of:

  • Sacco and Vanzetti (Italian immigrant anarchists framed for murder)
  • The "Monkey Trial" (John Thomas Scopes convicted of teaching evolution)
  • The Scottsboro Nine (young African Americans falsely accused of rape).
  • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (communists executed for espionage)
  • Engel's Supreme Court challenge to prayer in schools

 

The current day threats to civil liberties posed by the "war against terrorism" and the resurgence of Christian fundamentalism are highlighted in the editors' introduction and the introductory notes to each essay.

William M. Kunstler was the most prominent radical lawyer and outstanding defender of civil rights in the United States. He was committed to social justice and social change and represented, among many others, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Jack Ruby, Marlon Brando, the Attica prisoners, and the Chicago Seven.

Michael Ratner (editor) is the president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, New York, and is currently defending prisoners from Afghanistan held at the US Naval Base in Guantánamo, Cuba.

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130 pages | ISBN 978-1-876175-49-8