Julius and Ethel Rosenberg faced capital punishment for espionage in 1951. They went to Old Sparky in Sing Sing Prison after a much-publicized trial that triggered protests worldwide. The question of Ethel's guilt remains contentious. Ultimately, her brother admitted selling her out because he wanted to protect his own wife. There's no doubt that Julius gave atomic secrets to the Soviet Union but it's unlikely that Ethel committed the crimes she was convicted for. | History Collection