Summary of the Lindbergh Baby Case
The Lindbergh baby case trace back on March 1, 1932, when a 20 months old baby named Charles Lindbergh Jr. the son of a famous pilot Charles Lindbergh was abducted from his bed in Hopewell, New Jersey (N.J.) ( Regensburger, 2019) . Lindbergh kidnapping became national news immediately, and the police launched probe all over in search of the baby. The kidnappers had left a note in the baby’s room demanding a $50,000 in cash from the parents ( Indermaur & Roberts, 2009) . Negotiations between Lindbergh and kidnappers were conducted by a volunteer retired educator, Dr. John F. Condon who later met with the person claiming to be having the baby on March 12. Three months after the kidnapping, the baby’s body was found 5miles from their home (Cushman 2010). A suspect called Bruno Richard Hauptmann was later arrested and charged over extortion and murder respectively. On February 13, 1935, a jury in N.J. declared Hauptmann guilty and was sentenced to death and executed later through electrocution.
Components of U.S. criminal justice
The three elements of the criminal justice system in the United States, police, courts, and corrections interrelate in several ways. They interact in the processing of specific cases (Indermaur, David & Roberts 2009). The police officers conduct investigations and make the arrest. As it applies in the Lindbergh baby case the police launched a probe in search of kidnappers focusing on the ransom money sent to the suspect by tracing the serial numbers of the ransom bills a pamphlet with the serial numbers were circulated in N.Y. providing information on what to do if they were found ( Indermaur & Roberts, 2009) . Most of the bills found were scattered in Chicago city. The police got a breakthrough to the probe when a matching serial number was traced in Manhattan bank. This led to the arrest of the suspect, Bruno Hauptmann. After an arrest, the suspect is taken to court for hearing and judgment. The individuals in the court ensure that a person’s rights are not violated and fair trial takes place. The court is made up of judges, prosecutors, jury members, and defense lawyers. After he was arrested, Hauptmann presented before the court in N.Y. and N.J ( Regensburger, 2019) . where he pleaded not guilty. The prosecutors produced various pieces of evidence connecting the suspect to kidnapping and murder of the child. Defenders of Hauptmann pointed out that his fingerprints were never traced from the ladder or where the baby was before the abduction. They also claimed that the crime scene was in a mess due to masses and that any available evidence could have been compromised. However, the defense claims were termed as unreliable, and Hauptmann was charged with murder and sentenced to death. The third component, the correction has the responsibility to make sure that convicted offenders serve their jail term as ordered by the court. There are correction officers in charge of servicing sentenced prisoners ( Cushman, 2010) . In this case, the correction officers were in charge of supervising the execution of Hauptmann as directed by the court.
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First Appearance, Preliminary Hearing and Arraignment Concerning Lindbergh Kidnapping
The first appearance refers to the initial court hearing after a person has been arrested and charged with the crime ( Regensburger, 2019) . The charges are read to the suspect and maximum penalty if found guilty and their rights to an attorney. Hauptmann first appearance was in a county courthouse in N.J. due to the complex nature of the case, the defendant could not have been given a temporally release or bail. A preliminary hearing is evidentiary in which an attorney’s needs to prove to the judge that there is substantial evidence to believe a suspect committed a felony. During the preliminary of the Lindbergh baby case, the court was satisfied with the evidence provided by the prosecution and was ready to proceed with the warrant of the trial against the suspect. Arraignment involves defendants’ first appearance on the formal charges where they enter a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest (Regensburger 2019). In Lindbergh baby kidnapping Hauptmann was charged with involvement in the kidnapping and first-degree murder. The prosecutor provided detailed evidence connecting Hauptmann with the crime. A specimen of Hauptmann’s handwriting was compared with the writing in the ransom notes, and remarkable similarity was identified. It was also found that he bore striking similarities with the portrait of “John” prepared from the descriptions given by Dr. Condon. Hauptmann was found to have previous criminal records and had served a jail term for robbery. DR. Condon’s telephone number was also found scribbled on a door frame in the suspect’s house. A day after his arrest, ransom certificates were traced at his garage ( Cushman, 2010) . The ladder which the kidnapper used against the wall in Lindbergh home to access the baby had peculiar marks basing the evidence that the suspect was a carpenter. Hauptmann pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Adjudication in Relation to Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping
Adjudication refers to the legitimate procedure by which an arbiter examine affirmation and arguments presented before a court including legalities of reasoning presented the by opposing parties to come up with a final decision which determines the rights and responsibilities between the parties involved in a case ( Regensburger, 2019) . In Flemington N.J. Feb 13, 1935, Bruno Hauptmann was declared guilty of the murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr. he was given a death senctence through electrocution. However, there was confusion in the court as the jury delayed to give its verdict. It was learned later that there was a last minutes search by the federal agents to eliminate doubts of any dictographs that could have been concealed in the suspect’s house ( Regensburger, 2019) . There was also a confirmation by the lawyers from both sides to ensure that all the exhibits were available to the jurors. During the adjudication, it was reported that the jurors had taken five ballots and the first and the last jury stood two for life imprisonment against ten for a death sentence. The defense appealed against the ruling. However the supreme court of N.J. State confirmed the ruling of the previous court ( Regensburger, 2019) . Suspect’s appeal to the supreme court of the United States was not successful later in December, and he was to be executed on January 17th, 1936. When Hauptmann was denied appeal, the governor of N.J. gave a 30-day reprieve and after that, Hauptmann was resentenced to be killed.
Sentencing About Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping
A sentence is a punishment ordered by a court after critical listening to the arguments presented to the judge ( Indermaur & Roberts, 2009) . Sentencing is conducted through the set criminal procedures. It forms the final move of a ruling process by the judge and a symbolic act connected to their duty. During sentencing, the judge usually diction already set in a criminal statute and some jurisdiction mandatory minimum sentence may be considered. If unsatisfied with the ruling, a defendant can appeal a sentence in a higher court. In Lindbergh baby kidnapping Hauptmann was convicted of kidnapping and murder and which the conviction was a death penalty. The sentence was read in March 1935 in the morning ( Indermaur & Roberts, 2009) . When the verdict was returned, Hunterdon court was surrounded by crowds. However, the public was restricted from the court at the time the final judgment was rendered. The efforts of the defense’s side to appeal for the verdict were fruitless as the supreme court of the state of N.J. upheld the decision made by the jury ( Cushman, 2010) . The appeal to the supreme court of the U.S. was denied living defense side limited of choices.
Corrections Concerning Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping
Correction is the supervision of a suspect or a convict facing criminal charges. It includes probation officers, correctional officers, prisons and jails ( Indermaur & Roberts, 2009) . Correction officers also oversee inmates that are being housed and serving sentences of imprisonment. After the offenders are convicted in court, the correction component alienates them from the rest of the society. The system provides security to the inmates as it oversees their daily activities. In Lindbergh kidnapping, it is evident that Hauptmann was taken to a police station in Green which for questioning ( Cushman, 2010) . Through the whole process of investigation to sentencing, he was under supervision. After the preliminary hearing, he was referred to jail as he waited for his final conviction and sentence after the prosecution won and proved to be guilty of murder. The custody served as a correction center for the case. After the jury trial, he was remanded under the custody of the sheriffs ( Regensburger, 2019) . Before getting access to the United States, Hauptmann had spent three years in a correction center for robbery. The correction system provided security to Hauptmann from the wrath of the public who could have killed him in mob justice when the news about his arrest was aired.
References
Cushman, B. (2010). Headline Kidnappings and the Origins of the Lindbergh Law. . Louis ULJ , 55 , 1293.
Indermaur, D., & Roberts, L. (2009). Confidence in the criminal justice system. Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice , (387), 1.
Regensburger, D. (2019). Criminal evidence: From crime scene to courtroom . Aspen Publishers.
