Why did Judge Parker hand down so many death sentences?
According to federal law, if the jury returned a verdict of guilty for rape or murder, the judge was required to hand down a death sentence. This mandatory death sentence remained federal law until 1898. In several cases at Fort Smith, Judge Parker petitioned the president on behalf of defendants sentenced to death. The nature of the court’s jurisdiction provided for an unusually large number of criminal cases, including those with the death penalty. When was he first called a “Hanging Judge?” The earliest that the phrase ‘Hanging Judge’ appears in reference to Judge Parker is in the 1920s, nearly 30 years after his death. Did Judge Parker watch the executions? No. In fact, often he would recess the court prior to an execution and either retire to his chambers or go home. The U.S. Marshal was the official in charge of supervising the executions. Did Judge Parker really cry after handing down death sentences? Available evidence indicates that it is highly unlikely that the Judge cried w
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