The People v. Leo Frank

This documentary from writer-director Ben Loeterman tells the tragic story of the 1913 sexual assault and murder of Mary Phagan, a young girl employed in a factory in Atlanta, and the subsequent conviction and lynching of Leo Frank, the Jewish plant supervisor accused of the crime. At the time, Atlanta was prosperous and proud of its role as the hub of the “new South,” and although the city's Jewish population kept a low profile, most felt safe and secure. But that serenity was shattered with the death of Phagan, as suspicion quickly settled on Frank, a transplanted New Yorker. Combining dramatic re-creations with interviews of historians, The People v. Leo Frank depicts Frank as a nervous, excitable man who failed to elicit sympathy from the public or the jury as the criminal proceedings captured national headlines. Fanned by the sensational coverage in an upstart William Randolph Hearst tabloid newspaper, ugly stereotypes quickly emerged, further exploited by opportunistic politicians. Loeterman includes key witness testimony and defense and prosecution strategies in his account of the trial, which concluded with a swift guilty verdict delivered amidst an atmosphere of mass hysteria. Although cooler heads, including the governor's, decided a review of the evidence was warranted, vigilante justice ultimately prevailed, as a mob seized Frank from his supposedly secure jail cell and lynched him. DVD extras include a teacher's guide developed by the Anti-Defamation League. A compelling look at a troubling case marked by intolerance and injustice, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)