With Justice for Some: Politically Charged Criminal Trials in the Early 20th Century That Helped Shape Today’s America

With Justice for Some by Lise Pearlman revisits some of the most infamous trials in America’s history while arguing their continued relevance in the modern age.

Among the 13 high-profile cases covered here are the assassination of President William McKinley, the kidnap and murder of Charles Lindbergh’s infant son, the Scopes trial regarding evolution taught in schools, and the controversial executions of Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco.

Pearlman, a former lawyer and judge, is well-suited to summarize these scandals and demonstrate their enduring legal and cultural significance. She does so by punctuating the history with references to contemporary politics and attempting to draw parallels between what happened then and what we see happening now.

For example, controversial newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, whose journalistic antics Pearlman highlights many times over, is likened to current media mogul Rupert Murdoch. Other comparisons are more of a stretch: a confused preface to the Leopold and Loeb case begins by mentioning gay and transgender rights and concludes with a remark on the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein.

The book’s thesis, reflected in its title, is that wealthy and privileged Americans have historically received special preference under the law, while ordinary individuals (in particular racial minorities, immigrants, and working class people) were routinely railroaded, demonized, and executed without due process.

Each case is presented methodically with abundant background information for context. Readers may find some background information overly abundant as Pearlman occasionally veers into biographical tangents that stray from the essentials of the case in question. To her credit she avoids—with some exceptions (e.g. likening ICE to the Gestapo)—sensationalism and divisive rhetoric, sticking to the facts and opting for a sober and balanced tone throughout.

Instructive and engaging, With Justice for Some is likely to interest true crime enthusiasts as much as legal history buffs.

Also available in hardcover and ebook.