Sacco and Vanzetti by Farah El-Zein

The Trial of Sacco and Vanzetti

farahelzein2 — 2025-04-18 03:10:14 UTC

The Sacco and Vanzetti trail began in 1920 when a robbery occurred leading to two gunmen killing a payroll master and his guard. Weeks later Italian born anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti were arrested, carrying revolvers. Attorney General Katzmann presented eyewitnesses identifying Sacco as one of the gunmen, leaving out the many who claimed he wasn’t the same person prior to the trial. Ballistic tests showed that a bullet from his gun had killed the guard. Against Vanzetti only a few witnesses claimed that they had seen him beforehand in the getaway car. The prosecution also claimed that the gun Vanzetti had been arrested with belonged to the guard. His alibi that he was hawking fish that day had been difficult to prove. In the end both Sacco and Vanzetti were found guilty and executed. Often the court testimonies would be different from what was told to the investigators shortly after the crime took place. Sacco had also had an alibi for that day, a claim backed by defence witnesses and the written statement of the Italian Counselor's office. On Vanzetti’s end, aside from those who believed they had seen him with the car, no witness could identify Vanzetti at the crime scene. One of the witnesses who had claimed to have seen Vanzetti within the getaway car also claimed to have heard him yelling in English, without an accent despite the fact that Vanzetti (as well as Sacco) spoke in broken English with a strong accent.

South Braintree Massachusetts

farahelzein2 — 2025-04-18 03:20:15 UTC

The robbery occurred at South Braintree Massachusetts. This northern state had a considerable Italian population. This, as well as nativism influenced from WWI and the Russian revolution, led to a strong anti-Immigrant outlook.

farahelzein2 — 2025-04-18 15:44:12 UTC

After Sacco and Vanzetti were denied a new hearing even after people believed that the trial wasn't fair and more evidence that led to Vanzetti's innocence was uncovered but not brought to the trial.

farahelzein2 — 2025-04-18 15:54:24 UTC

This video of Sacco and Vanzetti highlights why the case is significant. The case showed that Sacco and Vanzetti's trials not only didn't provide enough evidence to actually prove they were guilty, but also how when new information rose that they could have been innocent, they were still denied a new hearing. They had been victims to a prejudice system that assumed they were guilty from the beginning.

Sacco and Vanzetti

farahelzein2 — 2025-04-18 16:02:19 UTC

This is a picture of Sacco and Vanzetti. One of the witnesses who saw the gunmen claimed that they looked Italian.

Sacco e Vanzetti

farahelzein2 — 2025-04-18 16:23:30 UTC

In 1971 a movie about the Sacco and Vanzetti case (Sacco e Vanzetti) was released in Italy. This shows the impact this case had internationally and how others saw them as martyrs.

Sacco e Vanzetti

farahelzein2 — 2025-04-18 16:25:51 UTC

Another scene from the Sacco e Vanzetti movie that shows how not only were they seen as martyrs in other countries, but how many resinated with their cause.