What crime was Leo Frank accused of?

Leo Frank was accused of the murder of Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old employee of the National Pencil Company where Frank was the superintendent. Phagan was found dead in the factory’s basement in April 1913, leading to a highly publicized trial that garnered national attention. The evidence against Frank was largely circumstantial, and his subsequent conviction was influenced by the intense media scrutiny and rampant anti-Semitism of the time. This case highlighted significant issues within the American legal system, including biases and the impact of public opinion on judicial outcomes. Frank's trial and lynching became pivotal events in both Georgia's history and the broader civil rights movement, serving as a critical reflection on issues of justice and societal prejudice.