Clarence Darrow
Clarence Darrow
Clarence Seward Darrowwas an American lawyer, leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, and prominent advocate for Georgist economic reform. He was best known for defending teenage thrill killers Leopold and Loeb in their trial for murdering 14-year-old Robert "Bobby" Franks. Some of his other notable cases included defending Ossian Sweet, and John T. Scopes in the Scopes "Monkey" Trial, in which he opposed William Jennings Bryan. Called a "sophisticated country lawyer", he remains notable for his wit, which...
ProfessionLawyer
Date of Birth18 April 1857
CityKinsman, OH
I cannot tell and I shall never know how many words of mine might have given birth to cruelty in place of love and kindness and charity.
Some false representations contravene the law; some do not. The law does not pretend to punish everything that is dishonest. That would seriously interfere with business, and, besides, could not be done. The line between honesty and dishonesty is a narrow, shifting one and usually lets those get by that are the most subtle and already have more than they can use.
We're all killers at heart . . . . I have never taken anybody's life, but I have often read obituary notices with considerable satisfaction.
Punishment as punishment is not admissible unless the offender has had the free will to select his course.
It is bigotry for public schools to teach only one theory of origins.
All men have an emotion to kill; when they strongly dislike someone they involuntarily wish he was dead. I have never killed anyone, but I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction.
I have suffered from being misunderstood, but I would have suffered a hell of a lot more if I had been understood.
My constitution was destroyed long ago; now I am living under the bylaws.
In spite of all the yearnings of men, no one can produce a single fact or reason to support the belief in God and in personal immortality.
Nothing is so loved by tyrants as obedient subjects.
There is a soul of truth in error; there is a soul of good in evil.
The pursuit of truth will set you free; even if you never catch up with it.
I am a friend of the working man, and I would rather be his friend, than be one.
Inside every lawyer is the wreck of a poet.