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Five real life crime stories that shook us

A look at some of the most intriguing high-profile murders, in the last 100 years, that still have us examining conspiracy theories (Guilty? Not guilty?) in our heads even today

What is it about the recent Indrani Mukerjea-Sheena Bora sensational saga that has the discerning public in such a clutch of horror? Is it the mind-boggling never-ending revelations of who was sleeping with who, and who was married to who? (Because we're seriously struggling to keep up too.) The semi-celebrity status of the folks involved? (Because somehow that's far more outrageous than when the average Joe commits the same barbarity.) Or the unfathomable idea that a mother could kill her own child? (Because, for most folks, that's akin to murdering [apologies] the very ideal of everything motherhood entails?)
Whatever it is, when it comes to highly publicised murders, even the most well-meaning among us are perfectly happy to play judge and jury, and condemn suspects in the courtrooms of our minds. Here's a look at some of the biggest trials of the century that shocked and intrigued society when they happened - and continue to capture our imaginations today. (Of that last bit, especially, one has to admit: we're guilty as charged.)
NO LOVE LOST: The sensational murder of Sheena Bora (left) by her mother Indrani (right) has whipped the Indian media into a mad frenzy since the latter's arrest last month
REEVA STEENKAMP (2013)
The case: On Valentine's Day, 2013, South African paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius went from being known as the well-loved, awe-inspiring Blade Runner to the 'Blade Gunner', when he fatally shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp (pictured together above), through the bathroom door of his home - after he supposedly mistook her for an intruder in the middle of the night. A highly publicised trial followed, broadcast live, with a very emotional Pistorius often seen sobbing or vomiting during the sessions.
The verdict: Not guilty. and guilty. The prosecution pushed hard for a charge of premeditated murder, but Judge Thokozile Masipa and her two assessors dismissed it unanimously after the state produced mostly circumstantial evidence that failed to prove the athlete guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Pistorius was instead found guilty of the lesser charge of culpable homicide and sentenced to five years in jail.
The status: Pistorius was to be released from jail into house arrest on August 21 this year, after serving almost a sixth of his term, but the parole got revoked at the last minute and is set to be reviewed later this month.
DISGRACED: Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius aka Blade Runner made his name as the 'fastest man on no legs' Pistorius was highly emotional and sobbed through most of his trial Several books have been published since the trial, including one by June Steenkamp, Reeva's mother
AARUSHI TALWAR (2008)
The verdict: In November 2013, Rajesh and Nupur Talwar were pronounced guilty of the double murder, as well as of obstruction of justice. Both received life imprisonment terms.
The status: The couple is currently challenging the decision in the Allahabad High Court. The Bollywood movie Rahasya, inspired by the Aarushi murder case, was released in January this year to fairly positive reviews.
JUSTICE SERVED?: Rajesh and Nupur Talwar taken away by police, after the court found them guilty A still from Rahasya Avirook Sen's book on the case
NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON (1994)
The case: On June 17, 1994, former professional American football player OJ Simpson was asked to turn himself in, to face charges of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown (pictured right with Simpson and their kids) and her friend Ron Goldman outside her house in Los Angeles on June 12. After a police chase during which Simpson tried to flee, he was arrested and held without bail. Simpson put together what reporters called a 'Dream Team' of defence attorneys for what would become known as the 'Trial of the Century'.
The verdict: Defence lawyer Johnnie Cochran's simple rhyme "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit" referred to a bloody glove 'found' at the scene of the crime that didn't seem to fit Simpson's hand - and seemed to stick in the jurors' minds. They acquitted him of all charges - for even though they believed Simpson did commit the murders, they felt the prosecution failed to prove their case. Such was the outrage at the verdict that then President Bill Clinton was briefed on security measures in case nationwide rioting occurred. It is famously noted that "so much work stopped [as people paused to tune in for the verdict] that it cost an estimated $480 million in lost productivity".
The status: Simpson got off on murder charges but was sentenced to jail in 2008 on numerous felony charges, including armed robbery. He currently has at least four more years to serve before he can hope for release. Meanwhile, shooting for an anthology series, American Crime Story: The People V. OJ Simpson, featuring Cuba Gooding Jr as Simpson and John Travolta and David Schwimmer as the key defence attorneys, is already underway.
GETTING AWAY WITH...: OJ Simpson trying on the glove found at the scene of the crime Celebrating the 'not guilty' verdict Time magazine had to apologise and release a second cover (right) after their first (using a darkened picture of Simpson) came under fire 
'CONFESSION': The book If I Did It (with the 'If' strategically placed in tiny font inside the 'I') was actually ghostwritten. Simpson was paid $600,000 not to dispute it, which fired up a huge controversy that alleged he was trying to profit from the murders, as a cheap shot at notoriety 
SHARON TATE (1969)
The case: On August 9, 1969, 'family members' of the notorious lunatic Charles Manson killed actress Sharon Tate, wife of renowned director Roman Polanski, and three of her friends at her residence in LA, on Manson's orders, in a bid to initiate what he believed to be an impending "apocalyptic race war". Tate was eight-and-a-half weeks pregnant at the time. Manson, who believed himself to be the devil, had instructed the group to "totally destroy everyone in the most gruesome way possible" (which they did); they would later go on to mindlessly murder three more people, before being arrested by the LAPD.
The verdict: In 1971, two years after the murders, Manson and three other defendants received the death penalty for their crimes. The sentence was automatically commuted to life imprisonment, when California temporarily abolished the death penalty in 1972.
The status: Manson is currently incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison in California, having been denied parole for the 12^th time in 2012. His next parole hearing is in 2027, at which point he will be 92.
MINDLESS MASSACRE: Tate and Polanski on their wedding day in 1968 Charles Manson The Beatles, whose song Helter Skelter was the inspiration for the killing spree, according to Manson Jeremy Davies (in red) plays Manson in the 2004 TV film Helter Skelter
CHARLES LINDBERGH JR (1932)
The case: In March 1932, the eldest son of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh was abducted from his home in New Jersey, leading to one of the most publicised crimes of the 20^th century. The 20-month-old toddler (pictured right with his family) was found two months later with a crushed skull, and investigators charged German carpenter Bruno Hauptmann with the crime, after tracing part of the ransom money back to him. The case led to the institution of the 'Lindbergh Law' or the Federal Kidnapping Act, which made transporting a kidnapping victim across state lines a federal crime in the United States.
The verdict: Hauptmann was sentenced to death by electric chair and was executed in 1936. He maintained his innocence till the end, even refusing offers of money or a commuted sentence in ?return for a confession.
The controversy: Following Hauptmann's death, many have questioned the way the investigation was run and whether justice truly was served. For one, Charles Lindbergh - using his influence at the time - took over complete control of the investigation; his insistence on cremating the body "immediately" has raised questions about whether the kidnapping was actually engineered to cover up the accidental death of the child at home. Several books have also been written, pointing to witness tampering and planting of evidence in the case. Did Hauptmann do it? Did he not? We may never know. karen@khaleejtimes.com
WHODUNIT: Lindbergh testifying in court Anthony Hopkins (left) plays Hauptmann in a 1976 TV film about the case
The 'Wanted' poster for the child A newspaper report depicts the ladder the kidnapper used to access the nursery