January 16, 1941
New York
Police killer Anthony Esposito is booked after a robbery and shootout on the 14th
Anthony and his brother William followed a man from the Empire State Building to an office building, demanded the victim’s money, then shot him in the head. Police arrived in short order and a fire fight broke out, the end of which saw Esposito brothers injured, a police officer killed, and no civilian casualties.
During trial, the brothers attempted a heavy-handed insanity defense, and demonstrated their lack of mental fitness by walking in an ape-like fashion, drooling excessively, eating paper, banging their heads on tables, and howling. The jury did not buy their act and deliberated for just one minute before finding them guilty. Both were executed in Sing Sing.
