Pierre and Marie Martin: France’s Most Notorious 19th-Century Scandal

The "Red Inn affair" of 19th-century France shocked the public with allegations of gruesome crimes—murder, rape, and cannibalism—committed by innkeepers Pierre and Marie Martin and their employee, Jean Rochette. Despite their conviction and execution for a single murder, historians question the trial's fairness, arguing that the evidence was dubious and biased against the Martins.