Charles Julius Guiteau

Name: Charles Julius Guiteau
Played by: Torrey Jenkins
Lived: September 8, 1841 – June 30, 1882
Known for: Assassinated President James Garfield on July 2, 1881

What Happened: On July 2, 1881, Charles Guiteau shot President James Garfield. Reportedly, he shot Garfield because he was not appointed to a diplomatic post that he strongly believed he deserved. There is much debate as to Guiteau's mental health at the time of the assassination, and he was eventually told by the Secretary of State to stop coming back. Garfield died 11 weeks after being shot, mostly due to infection brought on by the medical care of the time.

Also: Guiteau's trial was one of the first highly publicized trials, as he was known for very erratic and bizarre behavior. When he was found guilty, Guiteau stepped forward and yelled at the jury a stream of obscenities before he was escorted away. Guiteau was said to have a smile on his face while being lead to his execution, happy to be the center of attention. He was executed by hanging.