Chronique du crime et de l'innocence, tome 4/8 by J.-B.-J. Champagnac

Summary of Chronique du crime et de l'innocence, tome 4/8

Volume 4 of Chronique du crime et de l'innocence is a collection of true crime stories from France, compiled by J.-B.-J. Champagnac and originally published in 1833. It includes accounts of poisonings, assassinations, massacres, and parricides.

Some of the notable cases covered in this volume include:

• The trial of Jean-Baptiste Merle, a 9-year-old boy who was forced by his mother to be her accomplice in a crime. Merle was sentenced to life imprisonment in a reformatory.
• The murder of a young woman named Marie-Madeleine Ruffin by her lover, Jean-Baptiste Léger. Léger was convicted and sentenced to death.
• The poisoning of a man named François Peyron by his wife and her lover. All three were convicted and sentenced to death.
• The massacre of a family of five by a group of bandits. The bandits were all captured and executed.

In addition to these individual cases, the book also includes a discussion of the nature of crime and punishment. Champagnac argues that crime is a product of social conditions, and that the best way to prevent crime is to address the root causes of poverty and inequality. He also criticizes the French criminal justice system, which he believes is too harsh and does not do enough to rehabilitate offenders.

Chronique du crime et de l'innocence was a popular book in its day, and it helped to shape public opinion about crime and punishment in France. It is still a valuable resource for historians and criminologists today.*

Here are some additional details about the book:

• Author: J.-B.-J. Champagnac
• Original publication date: 1833
• Genre: True crime
• Language: French
• Number of pages: 416