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)