Bruno Richard Hauptmann

Bruno Hauptmann was a man who was found guilty of the kidnapping and killing of a young boy, Charles Lindbergh Jr. All throughout his trial, there were many flaws that were not considered toward Hauptmann to try and prove him innocent. Charles Jr. was a 20 month year old child who was kidnapped on the night of March 1, 1932 in Hopewell, New Jersey, from his own bedroom. There had been a handwritten letter left by forced open widow. The note requested $50,000 to be given to the kidnappers in return for the baby. There was a ladder that was left by the window, with a broken step. Also, investigators found a set of two footprints that were left in the mud beside the house.

The money had been given to the kidnapper, a person known as John, and in return they had given the location to where the baby was; on a boat between Horseneck Beach and near Elizabeth Island. Lindbergh flew around trying to find the boat, but there was no luck. Soon after, a couple truck drivers had discovered the body of the baby, who had been dead since the night of the kidnapping buy the condition he was in. The police had no leads except for the ransom money. One was cashed, which lead police to Hauptmann. Hauptmann said that a man, Fish, had given him the money. Soon after, he was accused of the murder and kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Jr.

The whole case had many flaws in it. Hauptmann pleaded his innocence throughout the case, but the court sought differently. The evidence had been tampered with. The police had found two sets of footprints in the yard, but only said they had found one set in court. The ladder that was found by the baby's window was also different than that of the scenes. Hauptmann had an attorney, Reilly, who had an interest in Lindbergh and was on his side. Reilly had concluded that there was no way that the kidnapping could have taken place by just one person, but did not mention that to the court. Hauptmann's appeals to his case were denied, and the attempts to prove him guilty were not looked into.

The jury found Hauptmann guilty. He was then sentenced to the death penalty. Hauptmann was executed on April 3, 1936 by the electric chair. He stuck to his innocence and would not budge, even being offered money for his family or any other bribes. Still today people wonder whether Hauptmann was innocent or not.



Hunterdon County Democrat, . (n.d.). Crime of the century. Retrieved from http://www.nj.com/lindbergh/

Linder, D. (2000). The bruno hauptmann trial: a cronology. Retrieved from http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Hauptmann/chrono.html

Linder, D. (2002, February). The trial of bruno hauptmann. Retrieved from http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/trials26.htm