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History on Trial

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iHeartPodcasts

From the Salem Witch Trials to O.J. Simpson, trials have always revealed hidden truths about our world. History on Trial digs into famous legal battles from American history, uncovering the real story behind the headlines, and exploring the powerful cultural contexts that shaped the verdicts -- and still impact us today. Fans of true crime, legal dramas, and history alike will be captivated by the unbelievable cases that played out in the courtrooms of history. Hosted by Mira Hayward. New episodes drop every other Thursday.

#26

Charity's Crime

In 1854, a gruesome murder rocked the Oregon Territory. Charity Lamb stood accused of killing her husband, Nathaniel, with an axe. Newspapers called Charity a monster and speculated on her marriage. But there was more to the story. Would Nathaniel's history of physically abusing Charity convince jurors that she had acted in self-defense? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

02 Jan 2025

44 MINS

44:24

02 Jan 2025

#25

Horror in Honolulu: Part Two

It's 1932, and Thalia Massie's husband, Tommie, and mother, Grace, are getting frustrated with what they see as the failings of the Hawaiian justice system. Soon they decide to take matters into their own hands. When events take a deadly turn, will Tommie and Grace's connections help them evade punishment? Or will Hawai‘i itself suffer the consequences of these visitors' actions? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

12 Dec 2024

59 MINS

59:28

12 Dec 2024

#24

Horror in Honolulu: Part One

In 1931, Thalia Massie, a white woman, told Honolulu police that she had been raped by a group of Hawaiian men. Police quickly zeroed in on five young men who'd been involved in a fight earlier that night. But there was a problem: the suspects had ironclad alibis. In the face of a political establishment determined to get convictions for Thalia Massie’s rape, would the truth be a good enough defense? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

05 Dec 2024

53 MINS

53:08

05 Dec 2024

#23

Trial at the O.K. Corral

In 1881, the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday faced the Clantons and the McLaurys in the Old West's most famous showdown: the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. When the smoke cleared, three men lay dead. Some called it Western justice. But would Western justice suffice as a defense when one of the survivors took the Earps and Holliday to trial for murder? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

21 Nov 2024

57 MINS

57:47

21 Nov 2024

#22

The Poison Precedent: Part Two

It's 1900, and Roland Molineux's murder trial is coming to a close. The prosecution has used some unorthodox methods to prove their case. Will their tactics secure them a conviction? Or will the defense manage to argue their way out? What happens next will create a precedent that still matters today. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

31 Oct 2024

55 MINS

55:18

31 Oct 2024

#21

The Poison Precedent: Part One

In 1898, two fatal poisonings horrified New Yorkers. When it emerged that both victims were connected to one person, a wealthy young chemist named Roland Molineux, the police thought they had their man. But proving their suspicions was easier said than done, and convicting Molineux would require creativity on the part of the police and the district attorney. Would their legal tricks succeed...or get their case thrown out? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

24 Oct 2024

55 MINS

55:52

24 Oct 2024

#20

The Real Lincoln Lawyer

In 1859, Abraham Lincoln walked into a courtroom in Springfield, Illinois, ready to defend his client. No one knew it then, but this would be Lincoln's last murder trial; fourteen months later, he would be elected president. Lincoln's defense of 22-year-old Quinn Harrison, accused of killing another young man in a fight, highlights the future president's brilliance. But would Lincoln's legal skills be enough to free Quinn Harrison? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

10 Oct 2024

48 MINS

48:56

10 Oct 2024

#19

Murder in Plymouth

In 1638, four English indentured servants attacked and robbed Penowanyanquis, a member of the Nipmuc tribe. Once the killers were caught, colonial authorities decided to put the men on trial. The case seemed clear enough. But with tensions rising between colonists and indigenous peoples, not to mention a makeshift court system, could the Plymouth colonists find a path to justice and prevent further violence? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

26 Sep 2024

45 MINS

45:27

26 Sep 2024

#18

The Questionable Confession

In 1919, the murder of three Chinese diplomats stunned Washington, D.C. When a young Chinese man, Ziang Sung Wan, confessed to the crime, it seemed like an open and shut case. But at the trial, Wan's lawyers would claim that police had coerced Wan into confessing. What happened next would change the nature of police work and the rights of suspects, forever. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

12 Sep 2024

54 MINS

54:31

12 Sep 2024

#17

The American Plan

In 1918, teenager Nina McCall was detained, forcibly examined for an STI, and then imprisoned in a hospital for three months. Nina's story is horrifying, but it is not unique: throughout the 20th century, thousands of women endured similar ordeals, all thanks to an STI prevention program known as "The American Plan." Like many other women, Nina fought back, suing the officials responsible for her treatment. Could her lawsuit stop the Plan -- or at least get her justice? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

29 Aug 2024

57 MINS

57:37

29 Aug 2024

#16

Mutiny on the Somers

In 1842, three Navy men plotted to seize control of the USS Somers and turn it into a pirate ship. When the Somers' captain, Commander Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, learned of the plot, he had the three men executed. But when the Somers arrived back in America, questions started to emerge. Were the executions justified? Was the mutiny plot even real? These questions would be explored at the commander's 1843 court-martial. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

15 Aug 2024

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:02

15 Aug 2024

#15

Grizzlies on Trial

In 1972, a grizzly bear killed twenty-five year old Harry Walker in Yellowstone National Park. His family thought it was a tragic, random death. But the Walkers soon learned that Harry's death was part of a larger conversation about how to manage bears in national parks. Could suing the National Park Service for Harry's death change policies and save lives -- both human and bear? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

01 Aug 2024

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:25

01 Aug 2024

#14

Vanderbilt v. Vanderbilt

In 1934, a custody battle between members of one of America's wealthiest families proved that money truly can't buy happiness. At the case's heart was Gloria Vanderbilt, dubbed "Poor Little Rich Girl" by the press. Her mother, Gloria, and her aunt, Gertrude, both claimed that they just wanted what was best for the girl. But was a courtroom the best place to decide little Gloria's future? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

18 Jul 2024

1 HR 09 MINS

1:09:33

18 Jul 2024

#13

Rebellion in Jackson County

In 1933, a populist uprising in Jackson County, Oregon, threatened to overthrow the county government. The escalating violence reached its peak when one of the group's leaders, Llewellyn Banks, shot a police officer who had come to arrest him for election interference. Would Banks's murder trial extinguish the burning ember of insurrection in Jackson County…or fan the flames into an inferno? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

04 Jul 2024

1 HR 10 MINS

1:10:17

04 Jul 2024

#12

The Crime of the Century

In 1924, the kidnapping and murder of 14-year-old Bobby Franks horrified the country, especially when the killers were revealed to be two wealthy teenagers, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. Everyone expected Leopold & Loeb to hang. But would the arrival of one of America's most famous defense lawyers, Clarence Darrow, change the outcome? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

20 Jun 2024

1 HR 09 MINS

1:09:45

20 Jun 2024

#11

The Trial of Tokyo Rose: Part Two

In 1949, Iva Toguri D'Aquino's treason trial began. The defendant was accused of collaborating with the Japanese during World War II by working as the legendary propaganda radio host "Tokyo Rose." Iva was confident that a trial would reveal the truth and exonerate her. But what would happen when it became clear that the prosecution wasn't interested in playing by the rules...or following the law? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

06 Jun 2024

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:38

06 Jun 2024

#10

The Trial of Tokyo Rose: Part One

In 1945, American journalists in Japan scrambled to identify the legendary "Tokyo Rose," an English-speaking, female broadcaster who had performed in Japanese propaganda radio broadcasts during the war. One woman who seemed to fit the bill was Iva Toguri D'Aquino, an American citizen who worked on the famous radio program "Zero Hour." How had Iva become Tokyo Rose? And were her actions treasonous? This is part one of a two part series. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

30 May 2024

44 MINS

44:50

30 May 2024

#9

The Motion Picture Murder

In 1874, the father of motion pictures stood trial for murder. Most people know Eadweard Muybridge as a pioneering photographer and inventor whose work sparked the birth of movies. But Muybridge had a dark side: he was once accused on murdering his wife's lover. Would a Western jury, comfortable with the idea of taking justice into one's own hands, let Muybridge get away with it? See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

20 May 2024

1 HR 11 MINS

1:11:05

20 May 2024

#8

Radical Priests v. the FBI

In 1970, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover stunned Congress when he announced that anti-war activists planned to kidnap Henry Kissinger and bomb Washington, D.C. But when the Justice Department pursued these activists, a group that came to be known as the Harrisburg Seven, on conspiracy charges, shocking revelations about the FBI's main witness made many wonder if the plot had ever been real to begin with... See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

02 May 2024

54 MINS

54:35

02 May 2024

#7

The Triangle Fire Trial

In 1911, a devastating fire raged through the Triangle Waist Company, killing 146. It was one of the worst workplace disasters in American history. Many people blamed the factory's owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, and wanted them to pay. But at Blanck and Harris's manslaughter trial, a shrewd defense attorney and weak worker protection laws ensured that the prosecutors were in for the fight of their life... See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

18 Apr 2024

1 HR 07 MINS

1:07:15

18 Apr 2024

#6

Tabloids on Trial

In 1957, California declared war on a tabloid magazine. Confidential Magazine was the most powerful gossip magazine in the country, with millions of readers and the ability to make or break stars' careers. Movie studios hated the magazine and politicians worried that it was ruining the country's morals. When California charged Confidential with publishing libel and obscenity, many cheered. But others worried about what this case meant for free speech... See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

04 Apr 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:28

04 Apr 2024

#5

Garfield & Guiteau: An Assassin's Trial

In 1881, President James Garfield was assassinated by a man named Charles Guiteau. The American public, understandably, wanted vengeance. But as the government began to prepare for Guiteau’s trial, a problem emerged: Guiteau, some experts believed, was insane, and might not have been responsible for his actions. Could justice be achieved in a case like this? Guiteau's dramatic trial put that question to the test... See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

21 Mar 2024

1 HR 10 MINS

1:10:38

21 Mar 2024

#4

A Star-Spangled Speech Trial

In 1835, Washington D.C. was a city on edge: tensions over race and slavery were nearing a boiling point. District Attorney Francis Scott Key (author of the national anthem!) was tasked with maintaining order in the city. But when Key charged a man named Reuben Crandall with distributing anti-slavery pamphlets, he unwittingly set off an explosive chain of events... See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

07 Mar 2024

51 MINS

51:01

07 Mar 2024

#3

A Very Victorian Scandal

In 1874, the most famous preacher in America, Henry Ward Beecher, was publicly accused of adultery. The story became one of the greatest sex scandals of the 19th century, and led to a shocking trial, in which Beecher’s accuser, Theodore Tilton, sued Beecher for ruining his marriage. The trial would reveal just how hard it can be to find answers in a courtroom, especially when a celebrity is involved… See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

22 Feb 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:39

22 Feb 2024

#2

The Manhattan Well Murder

In early 1800, Levi Weeks went on trial for the murder of Elma Sands. Rumor had it that Weeks and Sands had been lovers, until something went tragically wrong. But at the trial, where Weeks was defended by Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, a much more complicated story emerged… See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

08 Feb 2024

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:15

08 Feb 2024

#1

Introducing: History on Trial

From the Salem Witch Trials to O.J. Simpson, trials have always revealed hidden truths about our world. History on Trial digs into famous legal battles from American history, uncovering the real story behind the headlines, and exploring the powerful cultural contexts that shaped the verdicts -- and still impact us today. Fans of true crime, legal dramas, and history alike will be captivated by the unbelievable true cases that played out in the courtrooms of history. Hosted by Mira Hayward. New episodes drop every other Thursday. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

01 Feb 2024

02 MINS

02:41

01 Feb 2024

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#26