Charles Becker

Biography

Charles Becker served as a police officer in New York City during a time of rapid transformation, rising to the rank of detective and earning both recognition and scrutiny for his intensity as a lawman. Colleagues remember the early years of his service as marked by hard work, as he pursued cases in the gritty neighborhoods of the metropolis.

In 1915 his life ended amid the sensational trial following the murder of a night club owner, a verdict that remains one of the city's most talked about cases and a cautionary example of the consequences of entanglement with corrupt interests. He was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery, where his story continues to evoke debate about justice and accountability.