Women Who Kill Men: California Courts, Gender, and the Press

The period 1870-1958 was revolutionary in the lives of women. Society's shifting perceptions of women and their role were apparent in the courtroom. Women Who Kill Men analyzes eighteen sensational cases of women on trial for murder in this period to identify the intersections of media, law, and gender in California.

The fascinating details of these murder trials, documented in court records and embellished newspaper coverage, mirrored the changing public image of women. Most women and the...