Charles Becker
Charles Becker | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 26, 1870 |
| Died | July 30, 1915 (aged 45) |
| Relatives | Helen Becker Howard P. Becker and Charlotte Becker |
| Police career | |
| Department | New York City Police Department |
| Service years | 1893–1912 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Cause of death | Execution by electrocution |
Charles Becker (July 26, 1870 – July 30, 1915) was a lieutenant in the New York City Police Department between the 1890s and the 1910s. He was convicted of first-degree murder and executed for the killing of Herman Rosenthal, a bookmaker and gambler, in 1912 near Times Square.
Becker may have been "the only police officer executed for crimes connected to his official performance." He appealed and was retried but was convicted again. The corruption scandal related to the case was one of the most important in New York City’s early 20th century Progressive Era.