Why Leopold and Loeb Committed Cold-Blooded Murder in the 'Crime of the Century'

Meilan Solly Associate Editor, History When Bobby Franks was 14 years old, he delivered an impassioned indictment of capital punishment during a school debate competition, arguing that “only God is permitted to take human life.” Asked whether this stance contradicted the principle of “an eye for an eye,” he replied, “Punishment should be reformative, never vindictive.” Franks’ rhetoric impressed the contest’s…