George and Michael Krull
George Krull (c.1923–1957) and Michael Krull (c.1925–1957) were brothers from Pennsylvania, executed by the United States Federal Government on August 21, 1957.[1] They were the only persons ever executed in Georgia on a federal death warrant.
George Krull | |
|---|---|
| Born | George Krull 1923 Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 21, 1957 Georgia State Prison, Georgia, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Execution by electrocution |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Criminal charge | Kidnapping Rape |
| Penalty | Death by electrocution |
Michael Krull | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michael Krull 1925 Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 21, 1957 Georgia State Prison, Georgia, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Execution by electrocution |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Criminal charge | Kidnapping Rape |
| Penalty | Death by electrocution |
The Krull brothers were convicted for the kidnapping and raping of a 53-year-old woman from Chattanooga, Tennessee.[2] They were charged for kidnapping by federal authorities[3] on the grounds that kidnapping was a federal capital crime. If they were charged by the state of Georgia for rape they would still have faced execution, because rape was a capital crime in Georgia at the time.
After President Dwight D. Eisenhower declined to commute their death sentences, the Krull brothers were executed in Georgia's electric chair. George was 34 years old at the time of his death and Michael was 32.[4]
Michael Krull commented on the death sentence, "It was all prejudice. When your local people commit rape they get just 10 or 20 years sometime."[2]
References
- Executions 1790 to 1963 Archived April 13, 2003, at the Wayback Machine, 340 Federal, 271 Territorial and 40 Indian Tribunal.
- Federal Executions Have Been Rare but May Increase. The New York Times.
- George Krull and Michael Krull, Appellants, v. United States of America, Appellee
- The Federal Death Penalty.