what famous lawyer defended john scopes

Who was the attorney for Scopes?

Wells replied that he had no legal training in Britain, let alone in America, and declined the offer. John R. Neal, a law school professor from Knoxville, announced that he would act as Scopes' attorney whether Scopes liked it or not, and he became the nominal head of the defense team.

How long did it take for Scopes to be found guilty?

His teachings, and His teachings alone, can solve the problems that vex the heart and perplex the world. After eight days of trial, it took the jury only nine minutes to deliberate. Scopes was found guilty on July 21 and ordered by Raulston to pay a $100 fine (equivalent to $1,500 in 2020).

How long did the confrontation between Bryan and Darrow last?

The confrontation between Bryan and Darrow lasted approximately two hours on the afternoon of the seventh day of the trial. It is likely that it would have continued the following morning but for Judge Raulston's announcement that he considered the whole examination irrelevant to the case and his decision that it should be "expunged" from the record. Thus Bryan was denied the chance to cross-examine the defense lawyers in return, although after the trial Bryan would distribute nine questions to the press to bring out Darrow's "religious attitude". The questions and Darrow's short answers were published in newspapers the day after the trial ended, with The New York Times characterizing Darrow as answering Bryan's questions "with his agnostic's creed, 'I don't know,' except where he could deny them with his belief in natural, immutable law".

How much was Scopes fined?

Scopes was found guilty and fined $100 (equivalent to $1,500 in 2020), but the verdict was overturned on a technicality. The trial served its purpose of drawing intense national publicity, as national reporters flocked to Dayton to cover the big-name lawyers who had agreed to represent each side.

What was the Scopes v. State case?

John Thomas Scopes and commonly referred to as the Scopes Monkey Trial, was an American legal case in July 1925 in which a high school teacher, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee 's Butler Act, which had made it unlawful to teach human evolution in ...

Why did the ACLU oppose the Butler Act?

The ACLU had originally intended to oppose the Butler Act on the grounds that it violated the teacher's individual rights and academic freedom , and was therefore unconstitutional. Principally because of Clarence Darrow, this strategy changed as the trial progressed. The earliest argument proposed by the defense once the trial had begun was that there was actually no conflict between evolution and the creation account in the Bible; later, this viewpoint would be called theistic evolution. In support of this claim, they brought in eight experts on evolution. But other than Dr. Maynard Metcalf, a zoologist from Johns Hopkins University, the judge would not allow these experts to testify in person. Instead, they were allowed to submit written statements so their evidence could be used at the appeal. In response to this decision, Darrow made a sarcastic comment to Judge Raulston (as he often did throughout the trial) on how he had been agreeable only on the prosecution's suggestions. Darrow apologized the next day, keeping himself from being found in contempt of court.

When was the Rhea County Courthouse restored?

The Rhea County Courthouse is a National Historic Landmark. In a $1 million restoration of the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, completed in 1979, the second-floor courtroom was restored to its appearance during the Scopes trial.

What was the Scopes trial?

John Scopes. What became known as the Scopes Monkey Trial began as a publicity stunt for the town of Dayton, Tennessee. A local businessman met with the school superintendent and a lawyer to discuss using the ACLU offer to get newspapers to write about the town.

What was the purpose of the Scopes trial?

The trial was viewed as an opportunity to challenge the constitutionality of the bill, to publicly advocate for the legitimacy of Darwin’s theory of evolution, and to enhance the profile of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

What was Bryan Darrow's goal?

Darrow’s goal in getting involved was to debunk fundamentalist Christianity and raise awareness of a narrow, fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible. It was the only time in his career he offered to give free legal aid. Bryan and Darrow set the tone by immediately attacking each other in the press.

What did Bryan do before the trial?

Bryan arrived in Dayton three days before the trial, stepping off a train to the spectacle of half the town greeting him. He posed for photo opportunities and gave two public speeches, stating his intention to not only defend the anti-evolution law but to use the trial to debunk evolution entirely. Recommended for you.

How did the trial day start?

The trial day started with crowds pouring into the courthouse two hours before it was scheduled to begin , filling up the room and causing onlookers to spill into the hallways. There was applause when Bryan entered the court and further when he and Darrow shook hands.

Why was the Darwin trial important?

The trial was viewed as an opportunity to challenge the constitutionality of the bill, to publicly advocate for the legitimacy of Darwin’s theory of evolution , and to enhance the profile of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

When did William Jennings Bryan testify?

William Jennings Bryan Arrives. The grand jury met on May 9, 1925 . In preparation, Scopes recruited and coached students to testify against him. Three of the seven students attending were called to testify, each showing a sketchy understanding of evolution. The case was pushed forward and a trial set for July 10.

Who was John Scopes?

Born in Kentucky in 1900, John Scopes was a teacher in Tennessee who became famous for going on trial for teaching evolution. Scopes was part of an American Civil Liberties Union attempt to challenge a state law prohibiting the teaching of evolution. Scopes's trial became a national sensation, with celebrity lawyers like Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan involved in the case. Scopes was found guilty, but his story remains famous as the Scopes "Monkey Trial," dramatized in the 1960 film Inherit the Wind starring Spencer Tracy.

Who represented Scopes in the trial?

On July 10, 1925, Scopes appeared in a Dayton courtroom to stand trial. He was represented by one of the most famous lawyers of the time, Clarence Darrow. On the opposing side, former presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan had come to town to help the prosecution.

What did Scopes teach?

In the fall of 1924, Scopes joined the faculty of Rhea County Central High School in Dayton, Tennessee, where he taught algebra, chemistry and physics. At the time, there was a national debate about whether evolution should be taught in schools. British naturalist Charles Darwin championed the theories of evolution, espousing that all modern animal and plant life had descended from a common ancestor. Darwin's theories, however, directly contradicted the Bible's teachings on the beginning of life. Across the United States, Christian fundamentalists moved to bar any discussion of evolution from the nation's classrooms.

How old was Scopes when he was charged?

That was enough to get him charged under the new law. Only 24 years old, Scopes saw the case as a chance to stand up for academic freedom.

How did Scopes die?

In 1967, Scopes published Center of the Storm, a book about his life and experiences as part of the famed Scopes "Monkey Trial.". He died of cancer on October 21, 1970, in Shreveport, Louisiana.

What did the Butler Act make it illegal for a teacher to teach?

The Butler Act made it illegal for any teacher in a publicly funded school "to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.".

Where did Scopes go to college?

There, he graduated from high school in 1919. After one year at the University of Illinois, Scopes transferred to the University of Kentucky. He had to drop out for a time for medical reasons, but he eventually earned a degree in law.

Who was the ideal defendant in the case of John Thomas Scopes?

The defense found the ideal defendant in the person of twenty-four-year-old John Thomas Scopes. Defense lawyer Arthur Garfield Hays said of Dayton’s popular new general science teacher and football coach, “Had we sought to find a defendant to present the issue, we could not improved upon the individual.” Scopes was clean-cut, cared about teaching and intellectual inquiry, but exhibited no hostility to religion.

How many witnesses did John Scopes call?

The entire prosecution case in the trial of John Scopes occupies less than two hours of a Wednesday afternoon session of court. The state calls only four witnesses.

What commission did Scopes get for selling Fords?

Scopes had hoped to spend the summer selling Fords for a five per cent commission, but with the comings and goings in Dayton, there was little time to make extra money. Had it not been for his father, who insisted the trial was John’s chance to serve his country, Scopes might have terminated his involvement.

What books did Thomas Scopes carry on his boat?

One account has Thomas Scopes stepping off the boat at Galveston, Texas with four books in his luggage: the Bible, a hymn book, Carlyle’s The French Revolution, and Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. Thomas and his wife, Mary, insisted that their children read literature and philosophy—and quizzed them regularly on their readings.

Where did John Scopes go to high school?

John Scopes came to Dayton, Tennessee after graduating from the University of Kentucky in 1924, when the man who served as Rhea County High School’s principal, football coach, and algebra and physics teacher suddenly resigned in late summer.

When did Scopes leave Dayton?

A date “with a beautiful blonde” at an upcoming church social kept Scopes in Dayton for a few days beyond his originally scheduled departure in May of 1925, at the end of the Rhea County school term. He was playing tennis one hot afternoon on the town’s tennis court when a small boy approached him.

What was Thomas Scopes' fifth child?

They were especially proud of their fifth child, John, whom Thomas called “an extraordinary boy.”. The politics of Thomas Scopes bent left as he became a railroad machinist, a union activist, pacifist, and a Socialist. Although reared in the Church of England, Thomas Scopes moved toward agnosticism in his later years.

Why was John Scopes arrested?

John Scopes arrested for teaching evolution, May 5, 1925. On this day in 1925, Tennessee authorities arrested John Scopes, a substitute high school teacher, for teaching evolution. They charged him with having violated a newly enacted law that criminalized the teaching of human evolution in the state’s public schools.

Who covered the trial of the Infidel Scopes?

H.L. Mencken , who covered the trial for The Baltimore Sun and The American Mercury, wrote: “All that remains of the great cause of the State of Tennessee against the infidel Scopes is the formal business of bumping off the defendant.

Who argued the case for the prosecution?

William Jennings Bryan , a three-time Democratic presidential candidate and a former senator and U.S. secretary of state, argued the case for the prosecution, while Clarence Darrow, a famed defense attorney, represented Scopes. The trial soon degenerated into a media circus.

How long did it take for the jury to return a guilty verdict?

The jury took nine minutes to return a guilty verdict. Scopes was fined $100. The Tennessee State Supreme Court, however, acquitted him on a technicality while upholding the constitutionality of the state law.

Overview

Courthouse

Origins

Dayton, Tennessee

Proceedings

Appeal to the Supreme Court of Tennessee

Aftermath

Publicity