Leo Frank Trial 1913: Roan’s Guidance, ADL Role, Apr 2025

Leo Frank Trial 1913: Roan’s Guidance, ADL Role, Apr 2025 analyzes the trial of Leo Frank, a Jewish community figure (B’nai B’rith, 1912-1914), accused of Mary Phagan’s murder, with Judge Roan’s August 25, 1913, guidance defining murder, malice, and the need for guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Roan permitted Frank’s character to create doubt, though not to negate clear proof, with sentencing options. The 1986 pardon, pushed by ADL’s Dale Schwartz, drew scrutiny in the Phagan Family Newsletter (April 2025) and Mary Phagan Kean’s 2025 book, refuting Schwartz’s racial epithet claim about Roan, traced to Frank’s attorneys (Rosser and Arnold). Frank’s defense exploited racial fears against Jim Conley, including a poison plot. The ADL, launched in 1913 as ADL of B’nai B’rith, shed the name post-pardon. This 2025 perspective underscores the case’s racial dynamics and ADL’s stance.