any sociologists here pls?

[historian]

Im doing research on Lizzie Borden and have to apply three sociological theories about the case. My premise is that Lizzie belonged to an upper class in a stratified society and being a women of top of it, could not committed that crime. "Ladies" didnt do things like murdering someone with an axe. Therefore i believe the jury was highly influenced, perhaps even from the beginning, by her status which made it impossible for them to convict her. Is there a sociological theory for this? I had though social control theory would do it, because Lizzie belonged to that particular, it had been drummed into peoples that she was incapable emotionally of committing such a crime.
would appreciate any help. If i said anything stupid here because my fundamental approach is wrong, please let me know. Im thick skinned.
Again thanks much.

[eridani]

1. Ann Jones has an excellent discussion of this case in Women Who Kill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Jones_(author)

A new edition has been released with a new intro, but used copies should be available.

[historian]

2. ok thanks a lot

[H2O Man]

3. Unequal access

to justice in a stratified society is indeed a valid approach. A couple of thoughts: consider the era; the national economic situation; and the national/regional rise in violent crime & suicide. Compare Dizzy Miss Lizzie's access to "justice" compared to, say, a non-white, lower-economic class female, or a lower-economic class, non-WASP male at that time. You are on the right track.

[historian]

8. thanks excellent reply

[aikoaiko]

4. Cross sex-typed behavior is a double edged sword.

From my social psychology days, I remember that sometimes when a person is accused of crossing over sex-typed behavior denial kicks in, but if the jury believes the evidence then punishment is harsher.

If you can get into PSYCinfo, search for "sex-type behavior" with terms like "jury", "attribution of blame", etc.

Good luck.

[WVRICK13]

5. You Can Find Supportive Information

in a social stratification text. As another DUer said, better access to legal advice plus lots of others. You will find the results interesting.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

6. I've always been fascinated by Lizzie Borden

I am unsure of a couple thing in your OP- Do you mean that BECAUSE Lizzie belonged to the upper class in a stratified society and was a woman she could not have committed the crime - that is what YOU think and are trying to support, or are you saying because that is what the JURY believed, that is why she was not convicted.

Regardless, I'll go with the second. People of any status are capable of gruesome things, althought it seems to shock people more if the upper classes are involved, perhaps they are supposed to literally "be above" that sort of thing. The alternate theories to the murder did make an attempt to devolve to the lower classes - a "tramp", the maid, etc.( My personal theory says that anyone served three day old sour mutton stew on a hot day in the summer is capable of ax murder.)

I do believe that she did in fact do it, but as you suggest, it was so shocking to the social mores and conventions, people rejected it as being "impossible". There were famous female murderers in the Victorian age, but most used dainty techniques like arsenic.

[historian]

9. the jury

No i am saying that the jury would find it hard to believe. They knew their places in real life and didnt want to upset the apple cart. If she had been proclaimed guilty and executed, that would turned the whole country on its hard.

[seabeyond]

7. i stopped at her house this summer. it had just closed, we didnt get the tour

bummer.