How did Arbuckle not face a possible death sentence?
The murder he was accused of fits all the requirements .
He was found innocent. They never got to the sentencing phase of the trial.
shareThey don't find people 'innocent', they find them 'not guilty', big difference.
shareActually, he WAS in fact declared innocent by the jury.
The jury statement as read by the jury foreman stated:
Acquittal is not enough for Roscoe Arbuckle. We feel that a great injustice has been done him. We feel also that it was only our plain duty to give him this exoneration, under the evidence, for there was not the slightest proof adduced to connect him in any way with the commission of a crime. He was manly throughout the case and told a straightforward story on the witness stand, which we all believed. The happening at the hotel was an unfortunate affair for which Arbuckle, so the evidence shows, was in no way responsible. We wish him success and hope that the American people will take the judgment of fourteen men and woman who have sat listening for thirty-one days to evidence, that Roscoe Arbuckle is entirely innocent and free from all blame.
Well, I'll happily eat my words, thanx - that's an interesting bit of information.
shareI remembered seeing some documentary on him and a re-enactment of some of the trial and the jury verdict being read etc. Did not recall exactly what was said so I looked it up.
shareI saw the statement as well. I've actually read a couple biographies on him. My dad was a big fan and it rubbed off and got my interest.
shareWow! I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.
shareYes he was found "not guilty" but as the other poster said the jury read a statement saying they believed him to be totally innocent and apologized for him being prosecuted. He should never had seen the inside of a court room. Virginia Rappe died as a result of a botched abortion. Roscoe found her in pain at a party they were attending. They barely knew each other. Since he was at the scene, they picked him as the fall guy.
share