Hiss-Chambers Chapter 29: The Verdict

Pic: Hiss Defense Attorney Lloyd Paul Stryker At last we hear the two great trial lawyers, Lloyd Paul Stryker for The Hiss Defense and Thomas Murphy for The Prosecution, sum up the evidence and loose their rhetorical flourishes.  Stryker, remember, was going for a hung jury, just trying to get one or two jurors to hold out for a Not Guilty verdict no matter what the others thought.  Murphy had to convince all twelve.  Stryker’s speech was a masterpiece of rhetoric, which Murphy in his speech dismissed as ‘cornball stuff’ and ‘old, old.’ Murphy stuck to what he called the undisputed facts.  Ask yourself who won the final war of words before the jury got the Case.   Then . . . . hear the jury’s conclusion!   ** CHECK OUT John W. Berresford's conversation on the case with Brian Lamb of CSPAN, in this week's podcast episode of  "Booknotes" here:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/booknotes/id1560876048