August 23

On August 23, 1927, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed by execution.

Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were two Italian immigrants accused of taking part in a robbery gone wrong. A payroll robbery that ended with killings. The perpetrators were described as Italian.

Sacco and Vanzetti were anarchists, not uncommon at the time. They had distributed some literature and attended meetings. There were a lot of procedural irregularities in the police work, the the judge in the proceedings was openly hostile to the defendants. Unfortunately for Sacco and Vanzetti, the same judge presided over his appeal.

The case was sensational and attracted a lot of press. Another man confessed he had participated, but not action was taken. Worldwide protests were held, but the Supreme Court declined to reopen the case.

In 1961, the gun used was tested using science not available at the time of the killings. The evidence strongly indicated Sacco's gun was used. The chain of evidence was not unbroken however. The general belief is that Vanzetti was not involved, in fact there was evidence he was elsewhere when the robbery was committed.

Governor Dukakis issued a pardon in 1977.