Carl Panzram: The Spirit of Hatred and Vengeance

The film recounts the real-life story of Carl Panzram, a notorious criminal and serial killer, who penned his autobiography for a prison guard in 1928. Throughout his life, Panzram was repeatedly incarcerated and harbored intense hatred, leading him to commit over 20 murders and numerous violent assaults across various U.S. state prisons in the early 20th century. Despite his violent past, a single compassionate gesture from guard Henry Lesser led to an unexpected friendship, inspiring Panzram to document his life story. In 1930, Panzram was executed by hanging for the murder of a laundry foreman at Leavenworth prison.