Murder on the High-Speed Rail

All of the California Leaders Who Claim to Be Saving the Bullet Train Are Prime Suspects in Its Demise

“Stop where you are,” declared the short, mustachioed, dandily dressed detective, in a European accent, as he entered the Assembly chamber.

“I am informed there has been a murder, right here in the Capitol!”

Legislators looked puzzled. This was like something out of an Agatha Christie novel.

A progressive Democrat rose and said: “We are unaware of any murders, other than the usual killing of moderates’ political careers. Who’s your victim?”

The detective held up a handkerchief bearing the monogram, “HSR.”

“These are the victim’s initials.”

“That can’t be!” shouted the governor, who had rushed to …

The Historian and the Murderer | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

The Historian and the Murderer

A Croatian Historian’s Death Ultimately Put Our Profession on Trial

On May 14, 2018, I was led into a nondescript courtroom in Kew Gardens, Queens to testify at a murder trial. I am a historian who loves details, and the …

Why Is It so Easy to Get Away With Murder? | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Why Is It so Easy to Get Away With Murder?

The Case of Serial Killer Jose Martinez Offers a Disquieting Look at the Disparities of Our Justice System

If you commit murder in the United States, there’s a 40 percent chance you’ll get away with it. That shocking statistic belies other realities; you have better than even odds …

The Beautiful Female Accomplice Whose Prosecution Fascinated Los Angeles | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

The Beautiful Female Accomplice Whose Prosecution Fascinated Los Angeles

In 1933, Burmah White, aka the ‘Blonde Rattlesnake,’ Was Punished Harshly as a Warning to Worldly Girls

What is the root of our cultural fascination with women—often wives or girlfriends—who accompany men as they commit a violent or notorious crime? In recent years, the husband-and-wife San Bernardino …