The tragic kidnapping of Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr., the infant son of aviator Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, took place on March 1, 1932, at the Lindbergh family home in Hopewell, New Jersey. The case quickly gained widespread media coverage, leading to a frenzy of public interest and speculation. Following extensive investigations, Bruno Richard Hauptmann, a German immigrant, was arrested in September 1934 after authorities found a portion of the ransom money in his home. His trial began in 1935 and was marked by sensational testimony, including evidence implicating Hauptmann and accusations of manipulated evidence. The trial drew immense public attention, becoming one of the first cases in America to be heavily covered by the media, further complicating the legal proceedings due to the public's emotional investment.

Despite maintaining his innocence, Hauptmann was convicted of first-degree murder in February 1935, with the jury sending a strong message regarding the gravity of the crime. The verdict prompted extensive appeals and protests from various groups advocating for his innocence, but these efforts failed. Ultimately, he was sentenced to death. As a result of the trial, the case became emblematic of larger issues concerning justice, media influence, and societal fears of crime in the 1930s. Hauptmann was executed in the electric chair at the New Jersey State Prison on April 3, 1936, amidst public protests and calls for justice reform, solidifying the Lindbergh case’s place in American legal history.