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The Congressman Who Accidentally Killed Himself In Court While Arguing A Dead Man Had Done The Same
Ohio politician Clement Vallandigham bizarrely lost his life in an accidental shooting while trying to prove in court how an accidental shooting could be possible
Dramatic presentations by lawyers during trials are something we have all come to associate with the American justice system. Over the top arguments to hammer home the validity of a case makes for good drama and can also help sway judges and juries. However, they don’t always go as planned, with one of the most epic failures being the case of former U.S. Congressman and lawyer Clement Vallandigham. While defending a client accused of murder, he attempted to show how the victim may have accidentally shot himself instead of being killed by his client. Unfortunately, he failed to check the weapon before he began his demonstration of how the gun could have misfired, and ended up shooting himself with a live round that ended his life before he could gain a verdict.
Vallandigham was born in 1820 in New Lisbon, Ohio. The son of a minister, he began what became a long line of contrarianism when he was honorably dismissed from Jefferson College prior to receiving his degree due to a dispute he…
