The Murder of Mary Phagan

The murder of Mary Phagan involved the brutal killing of a 13-year-old girl working in a Georgia pencil factory in 1913. Her body was found in the factory basement, and the case gained national attention due to intense social and racial tensions. Leo Frank, the factory manager, was convicted largely on questionable evidence. His trial and subsequent appeals sparked widespread controversy, with many believing his innocence or guilt was influenced by anti-Semitic prejudice. Ultimately, Leo Frank was sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted, and he was lynched by a mob in 1915. The case highlighted issues of justice, prejudice, and societal bias.