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Executed in Error: Chapter 3
Posted: October 1st, 2008
In 1910, an American doctor named Hawley Crippen was convicted in England of poisoning and dismembering his wife. The vicious murder—and execution that followed—made international headlines. It was a landmark case: The first trial by media, and the first to be dominated by forensic science. But did the prosecutors get it right? Almost one hundred years later, investigators have re-opened the files on a murder that became known as one of the crimes of the century. In chapter 3, learn about the final conclusions reached by the forensics team, including speculations of foul play that led to Crippen’s final verdict, the death sentance. |
I’m a distant relative. My grandmother V. Bonnie Crippen was related to Dr. Crippen, though not directly. I was very glad to see this program as his case has always been a negative legacy in the family. Thanks for airing it.
I began to be suspect about the entire piece when I double-checked one provocative piece of evidence the producer claims supports the theory that Crippen’s wife was not murdered, and in fact, started another life in America as Belle Rose.
The genealogist who contributed to Testrail’s film claims to have found Belle Rose living with a relative by the name of Bertha Mersinger in NY in 1910. Is this the smoking gun needed to prove Crippen’s innocence? Alas NOT. I looked up this census data of NY 1910 and saw Belle Rose age 29 (way too young to be the same person) and her occupation was NOT “Singer” as the film claimed, but instead, listed on the census as “Designer - wholesale millinery.” If you can’t check facts, particularly pivotal facts, any better than that, you have don’t have much of a documentary as far as I’m concerned.
I apologize for an error in my previous post. The census referred to in the film is from 1920. The genealogist allegedly finds Belle Rose living in NY. Correct. This is the same entry I refer to for year 1920. I find Belle Rose living with Bertha Mersinger. Again, her occupation is “designer” not “singer.” They live in Manhattan, not Brooklyn as the genealogist cites, and her age (29) is all wrong to be Cora Turner Crippen.
I KNOW THAT FORENSIC TESTING IS VERY COSTLY, BUT WITH THIS CASE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE REMAINS OF THE BODY TESTED ALONG WITH ALL EVIDENCE SUBMITTED AT TRIAL INCLUDING CRIPPEN’S OWN DNA FOR PURPOSES OF THE CLOTHING. I AM NOT SURE IF BLOOD SPATTER WAS TESTED IN 1910, BUT WAS BLOOD TESTED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE HOUSE? WHAT ABOUT INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE DETECTIVES AND PROSECUTION TEAM FOR THIS CASE SINCE WINSTON CHURCHILL WAS INVOLVED? THE FAMILY OF THIS UNKNOWN MALE IS STILL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS JUST AS WE ARE BUT DOES ANYONE CARE OR WANT TO HELP?
David Foran is the DNA expert who using DNA found on one of the original slides used in the trial to prove that the remains found in the basement were not those of Cora Crippen.
Over a hundred years later, these “Crimes of the Century,” sensationalized in the media like the Crippen case, are still the subject of horror stories and films.
In the case of Hawley Crippen, the unusual poison choice, Hyosine, led investigators to question the validity of the remains. What are the more common poisons used in murders?
Download a casebook with articles and media surrounding the original Crippen murder trial.
The quiet Dr. Crippen moved to the U.K. in 1910, and worked as a homeopathic doctor in London. How did this man end up convicted for a grisly murder?
In 1910, an American doctor named Hawley Crippen was convicted in England of poisoning and dismembering his wife. The vicious murder—and execution that followed—made international headlines. But did the prosecutors get it right?
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In 1910, an American doctor named Hawley Crippen was convicted in England of poisoning and dismembering his wife. The vicious murder—and execution that followed—made international headlines. But did the prosecutors …
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