5. The Third Degree and the Fourth Estate

In 1908, the idea of law enforcement as an investigatory body hadn’t quite caught on. Police forces were more brute squad than Sherlock Holmes. Corruption among the ranks of law and order was rampant, and criminal confessions were often coerced, leading to the prosecution of innocents. The investigation of Hazel Drew’s murder case was an arduous task for the Rensselaer County district attorney and his skeleton crew of detectives, who lacked technology, experience, and defense against intense pressure from the media to solve the crime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices