Darrow's Summations in the Sweet Trials
On any fair accounting, there can be little question that the second
closing is both considerably riskier and altogether more brilliant than
the first, but together the two represent very well not only the depth
of Darrow’s thinking about race, but also how he was able to bring that
thinking to bear within a controversial trial. These two speeches
also provide an opportunity, otherwise without parallel in Darrow’s preserved
trial oratory, of observing him at work in refashioning his rhetorical
presentation in order to make his trial narrative more convincing.
– Prof. Bruce W. Frier, Law School, The University of Michigan (7/2000).
Darrow's Summation in the Case of People v. Ossian Sweet et al. (November 24 and 25, 1925)
Darrow's Summation in the Case of People v. Henry Sweet (May 11, 1926)