Hello and welcome to this day in esoteric political history from radiotopia.

My name is Jody Avergan.

This day, February 28, 1859, actually February 27th, 1859, New York Congressman Daniel E. Sickles stood

in Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House, pistol in hand, and shot and killed

Philip Barton Key II, who is the district attorney of the District of Columbia and the son of

Francis Scott Key. So Sickles had discovered

that Philip Key was having an affair with his young wife, he shot him dead. A couple months later,

though, Sickles would make history as if that wasn't history enough as the first person

acquitted by reason of temporary insanity and I will just say before we get into

that the phrase Daniel Sickles would make history is seems to be one of these catch-all phrases in American history.

He is a truly weird and original and complicated American character who were very excited about talking about

Daniel Sickles so here to discuss the murder, the acquittal and the life of Daniel E. Sickles is as

always Nicole Hammer of Columbia. Hello Nicky.

Hello Jody. And Kelly Carter Jackson of Wellesley is here. of Thompson, he's a writer for ESPN. He has done this amazing podcast series called

Blood Lines, which I'm a huge fan of, and his latest book is called Papi Land.

And I will just say that Wright is a, among many other things, a chronicler of weird America and so I think you're a

perfect fit for the life of Daniel Sickles here right? Thank you so much I can't wait to get

started like every twist and turn of this is

probably more insane than the one that came before so

uh just let's let's just pick a place and let it go off the rails

exactly and probably insane but but you still Let's just pick a place and let it go off the rails.

Exactly.

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