ETV Presents National Production of “The People V. Leo Frank”

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ETV Presents National Production of "The People V. Leo Frank"

New Film Explores One of the Most Sensational Murder Cases in American History

For Immediate Release
October 28, 2009

Columbia, SC…The body of 13-year-old Mary Phagan, a child laborer in an Atlanta pencil factory, was discovered in the factory's basement on the morning of April 27, 1913. She had been robbed and possibly raped, and her story appalled and outraged Georgians. The resulting police investigation and trial quickly grew to become one of the most sensational murder cases in American history.

Two men from opposite ends of the social ladder found themselves the prime suspects and were quickly arrested— Jim Conley, a poor black janitor who worked at the factory and Leo Frank, the wealthy Jewish factory superintendent from "up North" who was also the last man to admit to seeing Phagan alive. In the blind rush for justice, who would ultimately be found guilty for the young girl's death? More importantly, did he, in fact, commit the heinous act?

On Monday, Nov. 2 at 10 p.m., ETV presents the national broadcast of "The People V. Leo Frank," a film that illuminates the scandalous trial and its shocking aftermath with dramatic sequences created verbatim from transcripts, documents and letters.

Shot in Atlanta, and set against the backdrop of an American South struggling to shed its legacy of bigotry and xenophobia, “The People V. Leo Frank,” is both a first-rate murder mystery and a thought provoking look at racial, religious, regional and class prejudices in the early years of the 20th century. The cast is led by Will Janowitz (“The Sopranos”) as Frank, and Seth Gilliam (“The Wire”) as Conley.

The proceedings of Frank's month-long trial descended into a free-for-all of hearsay testimony, lurid details, shoddy police work and mind-boggling contradictions on the witness stand. Despite Conley’s conflicting statements and the lack of any physical evidence linking Frank to the murder, the all-white jurors accepted the word of the Southern black janitor over that of the Northern Jewish factory superintendent. Frank was pronounced guilty and sentenced to death.

In a bizarre twist, William Smith, the man who represented Conley, staked his reputation--and his life--to overturn Frank's conviction. After the trial had ended, he continued to pour over the transcripts and evidence of the case, uncovering details that actually incriminated his own client and could exonerate Frank. Smith was successful only in convincing Georgia's governor to commute Frank's sentence to life in prison—a decision that whipped Atlanta's citizens into such a fury, a mob descended on the jail to try and take matters into their own hands.

The most famous lynching of a white man in America inspired two conflicting legacies: Partly in Phagan's honor, membership in the Ku Klux Klan saw a sudden resurgence. Now, not only would the group continue intimidating Southern blacks, but they would also begin spreading their hate against Jews, Catholics and others across the country.

Meanwhile, a fledgling organization found its mission in the Frank case. The Anti-Defamation League became a powerful defender of civil rights and social justice for all in America that continues to this day.

South Carolina ETV is the state's public educational broadcasting network with 11 television and eight radio transmitters, and a multi-media educational system in more than 2,500 schools, colleges, businesses and government agencies. Using television, radio and the web, SCETV's mission is to enrich lives by educating children, informing and connecting citizens, celebrating our culture and environment and instilling the joy of learning.

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For more information, contact Rob Schaller at (803) 737-6556 or rschaller@scetv.org.

Photos may be downloaded for the sole purpose of publicizing this program. To download an image, click on the picture below. A new Web page will open containing the hi-res version. Right click on the hi-res image, and select "Save As" or "Save Picture As."

Leo Frank, a Jewish supervisor of a pencil factory in Atlanta, Georgia, was convicted of the 1913 murder of Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old laborer in the factory. Credit: Courtesy of BLPI, Inc.

Seth Gilliam portrays Jim Conley, a worker at the Atlanta pencil factory where Mary Phagan was murdered. Credit: Courtesy of BLPI, Inc.

Will Janowitz portrays Leo Frank, a Jewish factory supervisor, was convicted of the murder of Mary Phagan in one of the most sensational criminal cases in American history. Credit: Courtesy of BLPI, Inc.

Mary Phagan, a child laborer in an Atlanta pencil factory, was 13 years old when she was murdered. The trial of her accused killer, Leo Frank, was one of the most sensational criminal cases in American history. Credit: Courtesy of BLPI, Inc.