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Lizzie Borden: The Murders, the Trial, & the Media Frenzy

Lizzie Borden, the famous woman from Fall River, Massachusetts, who went to trial for brutally murdering her father and step-mother, was acquitted, so why does the age-old rhyme vividly describe her wielding an ax, and why do so many of us believe she did it? In this episode, Mary, Kirk, and Haley break down the facts of the murders and explore why a century-old case captures our imagination in such a profound way. Why did the trial create a media frenzy across the country and bring a city to a standstill? How did it reflect important social issues of the time like women’s rights and classism?

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