Wesley Elkins entered Anamosa State Penitentiary at 4'8" and 75 pounds. He was six years younger than the next youngest inmate. The 11-year-old would spend the next 12 years in prison for the 1889 murder of his father, John, and stepmother, Hattie.
River to River host Ben Kieffer is joined by authors and husband-and-wife duo Tom Wolf and Patricia Bryan to discuss their book The Plea, in which they explore this early case of horrific youth violence and the legal, social and political environment in Iowa that surrounded it.
Guests:
- Patricia Bryan, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill professor of law, author
- Thomas Wolf, freelance writer, author
