John Dillinger shot and killed
Richard Cavendish remembers the capture and slaying of the definitive American gangster on July 22nd 1934.
Crime
Past Redemption
In his twenties, Philippe Maurice was sentenced to death by guillotine for murdering a policeman. Saved by a change of government, he transformed himself through prison study into one of France’s leading medieval historians. William Smith reports.
Swinging Sixties: The Abolition of Capital Punishment
Liz Homans looks back over the long campaign to remove the death penalty from the statute book in Britain.
Violence and the Law in Medieval England
How dangerous was life in the Middle Ages? Sean McGlynn gets to grips with the level of violent crime, and the sometimes cruel justice meted out to offenders.
Germany's Convict Exports
Richard Evans tells the little-known story of how 19th-century Germany attempted to solve its prison problems by secretly sending felons to the United States as immigrants.
Pact With the Devil?
One of the great conspiracy theories of the Second World War is that the Americans struck a deal with Mafia mobsters to conquer Sicily. Tim Newark exposes the truth behind this notorious story of Mafia collaboration.
Formal Opening of the Old Bailey
The courthouse, built on the site of Newgate Prison, was formally opened on February 27th, 1907.
Tyrants on Trial
As preparations are made for Saddam Hussein’s trial in Iraq, Clive Foss examines the precedents for bringing tyrants to justice and finds the process fraught with political complexity.
Ruth Ellis Executed
The last woman hanged in Britain was executed on 13 July 1955.
The Black Widows of Liverpool
Angela Brabin uncovers the gruesome tale of serial murder committed by a group of women in the poorest districts of 19th-century Liverpool.