The Five Most Famous Crimes in History

Year Happened: 1972-1974
Place: Washington, D.C., USA
Perpetrators: Members of President Richard Nixon’s administration
Victims: The American public and U.S. democratic institutions
Cause of Death: N/A (no fatalities)

Crime Details: The Watergate controversy began on June 17, 1972, when the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. were broken into. The burglars were linked to President Richard Nixon’s re-election campaign, and over the next two years, a succession of revelations exposed a vast conspiracy involving illegal surveillance, political espionage, and efforts to conceal the administration’s involvement. The Washington Post’s investigative writers Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein played a critical part in revealing the scandal, which eventually led to Nixon’s resignation on August 8, 1974, making him the first US president to do so.

Current Status: The Watergate scandal resulted in the conviction and incarceration of several key Nixon administration officials, including White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman and White House Counsel John Dean. Nixon, on the other hand, was pardoned by his successor, President Gerald Ford, effectively ending any judicial proceedings against him. The incident radically altered the relationship between the press and the presidency, prompting a number of measures aimed at boosting government transparency.

Cultural Impact: Watergate was a landmark point in American history, permanently changing the public’s opinion of the presidency and the government. It broke many Americans’ trust in their leaders, ushering in a period of increasing suspicion about government operations. The scandal had a significant impact on journalism, emphasizing the value of investigative reporting in holding people in power accountable. The suffix “-gate” is still routinely used to refer to political crises today, demonstrating Watergate’s long-lasting impact.

Year Happened: 1994
Place: Los Angeles, California, USA
Perpetrator: O.J. Simpson (accused)
Victims: Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman
Cause of Death: Homicide by multiple stab wounds.

Crime Details: Nicole Brown Simpson, the ex-wife of former NFL star O.J. Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman were brutally killed outside Nicole’s Brentwood, Los Angeles home on June 12, 1994. The two victims had been stabbed several times, and evidence at the scene, including a bloody glove, implicated Simpson in the crime. What followed was one of the most notorious trials in American legal history. Simpson became the leading suspect, and after a low-speed police chase shown live on television, he was captured and charged with the murders.

The trial, which began in 1995, enthralled the nation and received considerable media coverage. Simpson’s defense team, led by Johnnie Cochran and Robert Shapiro, organized what became known as the “Trial of the Century.” They questioned the prosecution’s evidence, including DNA analysis, and the trustworthiness of the Los Angeles Police Department. Simpson was eventually acquitted of the murders in October 1995, shocking much of the public.

Current Status: Despite being acquitted in the criminal trial, Simpson was judged accountable for the wrongful deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in a 1997 civil trial. He has been forced to pay $33.5 million in damages to the victims’ families. The case remains one of the most contentious court verdicts in American history, with many still believing Simpson was guilty.

Cultural Impact: The O.J. Simpson trial became the turning point in American culture, exposing profound racial divides and stirring discussions about fame, justice, and the media. It paved the way for the media to cover high-profile criminal trials, ushering in the era of 24-hour news coverage. The case also called into question the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, particularly in cases involving riches and renown. Even decades later, the case remains relevant, spawning documentaries, novels, and television shows like The People v. O.J. Simpson.

Year Happened: 1865
Place: Ford’s Theatre, Washington, D.C., USA
Perpetrator: John Wilkes Booth
Victim: Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States
Cause of Death: Homicide by gunshot

Crime Details On the evening of April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln and his wife saw a performance of the play Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre. During the play, actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential box and shot Lincoln in the back of the head. Booth, a well-known actor, had planned to assassinate Lincoln as part of a larger conspiracy to restore the Confederacy. After shooting Lincoln, Booth leaped onto the stage and fled, only to be traced down and murdered by Union soldiers 12 days later. Lincoln was brought to a neighboring boarding house and died the next morning.

Current Status: Booth was slain during a standoff with Union soldiers, but some of his co-conspirators were apprehended and executed for their roles in the assassination conspiracy. Among them was Mary Surratt, the first woman to be executed by the United States federal government. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was an iconic episode in American history, occurring just days after the Civil War’s end. It plunged the country into great sadness and had a long-lasting impact on subsequent restoration efforts.

Cultural Impact: Lincoln’s assassination profoundly impacted the trajectory of American history. It deposed a leader who had planned to take a more liberal approach to the South’s postwar reconstruction, and it empowered others who advocated for harsher measures. Lincoln’s death also cemented his legacy as one of America’s greatest presidents, representing unity and emancipation. The assassination has been the topic of several historical studies, documentaries, and books, and it is still considered one of the most significant events in American history.

Year Happened: 1963
Place: Ledburn, England
Perpetrators: A group of 15 robbers, led by Bruce Reynolds
Victims: British Rail and its customers
Cause of Death: N/A (no fatalities)

Crime Details: On the night of August 8, 1963, a Royal Mail train traveling from Glasgow to London was stopped by a group of 15 bandits who had tampered with the signals. The group, led by Bruce Reynolds, stole £2.6 million (about £53 million now) in cash. They used little violence during the heist, with the only injury being to the train’s driver, who was struck in the head but survived. The criminals painstakingly planned their theft, using walkie-talkies and other technology to coordinate the operation. Following the robbery, the gang retreated to a nearby farmhouse and divided the profits.

However, despite their meticulous planning, the robbers left important evidence, including fingerprints, at their hideout. This resulted in the arrest of many gang members within months. The Great Train Robbers trial became a media spectacle, and the majority of the men convicted received lengthy prison sentences.

Current Status: Most of the gang members were apprehended and sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Ronnie Biggs, one of the more well-known members, escaped from prison in 1965 and spent many years as a fugitive in Brazil before returning to the United Kingdom in 2001. He was re-imprisoned but was released on compassionate grounds in 2009. Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind, was captured in 1968 and spent ten years in prison.

Cultural Impact: The Great Train Robbery has become part of British legend. The sheer daring and size of the robbery captivated the public’s attention. The crime has been depicted in films, television shows, and books, with the thieves obtaining an anti-hero image. The attack also resulted in heightened security measures on the UK railway system. It is still one of history’s most famous heists, with a lasting impact on popular culture.

Year Happened: 1963
Place: Dallas, Texas, USA
Perpetrator: Lee Harvey Oswald
Victim: John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States
Cause of Death: Homicide by gunshot.

Crime Details: On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was riding in an open-top motorcade past Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, when shots were fired. Kennedy was hit twice: once in the back and once fatally in the head. Governor John Connally, who was in the same car, was also hit but survived. The convoy raced to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where Kennedy was pronounced dead around 30 minutes after the gunshot. Lee Harvey Oswald, a former Marine with Communist inclinations, was apprehended later that day and accused of the killing. However, Oswald was slain two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby while being moved from the municipal jail, thus he never stood trial.

Current Status: The Warren Commission, formed to investigate the assassination, found that Oswald acted alone. However, the official answer has been highly questioned. Many conspiracy theories imply that Oswald was part of a wider operation involving multiple organizations, including the Mafia, the CIA, and Cuban operatives. These hypotheses have continued for decades, and the assassination is still one of the most frequently debated incidents in modern history.

Cultural Impact: Kennedy’s assassination sent shockwaves throughout the United States and around the world. It was a watershed moment in twentieth-century history, profoundly influencing American politics, society, and culture. The tragedy sparked a surge of suspicion in government institutions, with many finding the official narrative difficult to believe. The assassination has been immortalized in innumerable novels, films, and documentaries, becoming a focal point for a slew of conspiracy theories. It also marked the end of the “Camelot” era, a period of hope and idealism associated with the Kennedy administration.