Trial and Executions
Fernandez quickly confessed, with the understanding that they would not be extradited to New York; Michigan had no death penalty, but New York did. They were, however, extradited. They vehemently denied seventeen murders that were attributed to them, and Fernandez tried to retract his confession, saying he only did it to protect Beck.
Their trial was sensationalized, with lurid tales of sexual perversity. Newspaper reporters described Beck's appearance with derision, and she wrote protesting letters to the editors.
Fernandez and Beck were convicted of Janet Fay's murder--the only one for which they were tried--and sentenced to death. On March 8, 1951, both were executed by electric chair.
Despite their tumultuous arguments and relationship problems, they often professed their love to each other, as demonstrated by their official last words:
"I wanna shout it out; I love Martha! What do the public know about love?" - Raymond Fernandez.
"My story is a love story. But only those tortured by love can know what I mean Imprisonment in the Death House has only strengthened my feeling for Raymond...." - Martha Beck.
Read more about this topic: Raymond Fernandez And Martha Beck
Famous quotes containing the words trial and/or executions:
“You may talk about Free Love, if you please, but we are to have the right to vote. To-day we are fined, imprisoned, and hanged, without a jury trial by our peers. You shall not cheat us by getting us off to talk about something else. When we get the suffrage, then you may taunt us with anything you please, and we will then talk about it as long as you please.”
—Lucy Stone (1818–1893)
“[Asserting] important First Amendment rights ... why should [executions] be the one area that is conducted behind closed doors?... Why shouldn’t executions be public?”
—Phil Donahue (b. 1935)