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The Rosenberg Trial

The Rosenberg Trial « As is the case with many famous trials, it is a story of betrayal, a love story, a spy story, a story of a family torn apart, and a story of government overreaching .  ». The charges. conspiracy to commit espionage. The type of trial: civil? c riminal !.

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The Rosenberg Trial

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  1. The Rosenberg Trial « As is the case withmanyfamous trials, itisa story of betrayal, a love story, a spy story, a story of a family torn apart, and a story of government overreaching. »

  2. The charges conspiracy to commit espionage

  3. The type of trial: civil? criminal!

  4. The defendant Emanuel Bloch The Rosenberg case wouldbeBloch'smostinfamous as well as his last. In early 1954 Bloch wasfounddead in hisapartment, dead of a heartattack at age 52. According to hisfather, Emanuel Bloch wasalso a victim of the Rosenberg case.

  5. The prosecution The lawyer:United States Attorney Irving Saypol Hismain grounds: investigation by the FBI and testimonies of Gold and Greenglass. Hispieces of evidence:circumstantial evidence (conflicting stories by Gold and Greenglass, vague sketches of the secrets passed by Julius to the Soviets); government secrecy with its own evidence. The sentence beingasked: death penalty

  6. The chain of spies

  7. The witnesses for the defense The witnesses : Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Main arguments: both Rosenbergs pleaded the Fifth Amendment; testified as to their modest lifestyle, inconsistent with the rewards one would expect a world class spy to have received; mostly offered a long string of denials.

  8. The witnesses for the prosecution • Max Elitcher • David Greenglass & Ruth Greenglass • Harry Gold • Elizabeth Bentley, dubbed "The RedSpyQueen" • Ben Schneider

  9. The chronology of the case On June 15, 1950, FBI officialsquestioned David Greenglass. In 1944, David had beenassigned to work as a soldier-machinist in Los Alamos. Greenglass told the FBI that Rosenberg asked his wife, Ruth, to talk with him to see if he might be willing to provide descriptions of Manhattan Project research.

  10. Shortly after 8 a.m. on June 16, 1950, FBI agents showed up at the apartment of Julius Rosenberg and asked that he accompany him for questioning. • Two agents showed up on the evening of July 17, 1950 to clap handcuffs on Rosenberg in the view of both his sons. • One month later, on August 11, Julius’ wife, Ethel, was also arrested, charged with assisting her husband with his illicit activities.

  11. Things began to happen to several of Julius's acquaintances who shared his enthusiasm for leftist politics. • March 6, 1951, the case of the United States v Julius Rosenberg, Ethel Rosenberg, and Morton Sobell was called for trial. • Summations by both sides brought the month-long trial to its end, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were found guilty and executed shortly after 8 p.m. in Sing-Sing Prison on June 19, 1953.

  12. The sentence given Callingtheir crime "worsethanmurder" and blamingthem for 50,000 American deaths in Korea, Judge Irving Kaufman sentencedboth Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to death in the electric chair. Morton Sobellreceived a thirty-year sentence.

  13. THE END Thank you for your attention!

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