Giuseppe Zangara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giuseppe Zangara
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Mug shots of Giuseppe Zangara following his arrest
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| Born | September 7, 1900 Ferruzzano, Calabria, Italy
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| Died | March 20, 1933 (aged 32) Florida State Prison, Raiford, Florida, U.S.
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| Cause of death | Execution by electrocution |
| Conviction(s) | First degree murder Attempted murder (4 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
Giuseppe Zangara (born September 7, 1900 – died March 20, 1933) was an Italian immigrant who became a United States citizen. He is known for trying to kill Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was about to become the President of the United States. This happened on February 15, 1933, just 17 days before Roosevelt's official start as president.
During a speech by Roosevelt in Miami, Florida, Zangara fired five shots. He missed Roosevelt but accidentally killed Anton Cermak, the Mayor of Chicago. Five other people were also hurt.
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Early Life of Giuseppe Zangara
Giuseppe Zangara was born on September 7, 1900, in a town called Ferruzzano in Calabria, Italy. He served in the Royal Italian Army during World War I. After the war, he worked many small jobs in his village.
In 1923, he moved to the United States with his uncle. He settled in Paterson, New Jersey. By 1929, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. This means he officially became a citizen of the country.
Health Challenges
Zangara did not have much schooling. He worked as a bricklayer. He suffered from very bad stomach pain. Doctors told him this pain was long-lasting and could not be cured. In 1926, he had an operation to remove his appendix. However, this did not help his pain. Some even thought it made it worse.
Later, doctors who examined his body after his death found problems with his gallbladder. Zangara himself wrote that his pain started when he was six years old. He believed it was because he had to do hard farm work for his father from a very young age.
Some people wondered about Zangara's mental state. They discussed if he was mentally ill and if he understood right from wrong.
The Assassination Attempt
On February 15, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was giving a speech. He was speaking from the back of an open car in Bayfront Park in Miami, Florida. Giuseppe Zangara was in Miami at the time, doing small jobs and living off his savings.
Zangara bought a small gun, a .32-caliber revolver, for $8 from a local shop. He joined the crowd watching Roosevelt. Zangara was only about 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall. He could not see over the other people. So, he stood on a wobbly metal folding chair.
After Zangara fired the first shot, people nearby grabbed his arm. He then fired four more shots wildly. Five people were hit by the bullets. These included Mrs. Joseph H. Gill, Miss Margaret Kruis, detective William Sinnott, Russell Caldwell, and Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak. Mayor Cermak was standing right next to Roosevelt's car. Luckily, Roosevelt, the main target, was not hurt.
What Happened Next
Zangara admitted he was guilty of trying to murder four people. He was sentenced to 80 years in prison. As he was leaving the courtroom, Zangara told the judge, "Four times 20 is 80. Oh, judge, don't be stingy. Give me a hundred years."
Sadly, Mayor Cermak died 19 days later, on March 6, 1933. He died from an infection called peritonitis. This was just two days after Roosevelt became president. Because of Cermak's death, Zangara was then charged with first-degree murder.
Even though Zangara's main target was Roosevelt, he was still guilty of murder. This is because he intended to kill someone. The law calls this "transferred intent". It means if you try to kill one person but accidentally kill another, you are still responsible for the murder.
Zangara pleaded guilty to the murder charge as well. He was sentenced to death. At that time, Florida law said a person sentenced to death could not share a cell. Because another prisoner was already waiting for execution, Zangara's sentence led to the prison expanding its area for death row prisoners. This area became known as "Death Row".
Execution
Giuseppe Zangara spent only 10 days on death row. He chose not to appeal his sentence. He was executed on March 20, 1933. This happened at Florida State Prison in Raiford, Florida. The method used was the electric chair, known as Old Sparky.
Conspiracy Theory
Most people believe Zangara was trying to kill Roosevelt. They think Mayor Cermak and the others were accidentally hit. However, a different idea, a conspiracy theory, started in Chicago. This theory suggests that Zangara was hired to kill Mayor Cermak, not Roosevelt. Some people believe he was working for Frank Nitti, a leader of the Chicago Outfit crime group.
Supporters of this theory point out that Cermak had supposedly tried to have Nitti killed a few months earlier. They also suggest Zangara was an expert shooter from his time in the Italian Army. However, others argue against this. They note Zangara's age, health problems, and short height. He also had to stand on a wobbly chair. His army experience was with a rifle, not a pistol from a distance. Zangara himself always said he wanted to kill Roosevelt.
Raymond Moley, who spoke with Zangara, believed he acted alone. Moley was sure Zangara's target was Roosevelt.
See also
- List of assassinations
- List of people who were executed
- List of people executed in Florida (pre-1972)
