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What was meant by "the" trial of the twentieth century?

This expression was used to describe several sensational trials that seemed to be more important or dramatic than any court cases that had previously taken place. By the year 2000, many trials had earned the distinction of being the trial of the twentieth century.

In 1921 the case of Nicola Sacco (1891–1927) and Bartolomeo Vanzetti (1888–1927) caused an uproar. These two Italian-born anarchists (persons who believe that all forms of government unjustly hinder the individual and should be replace by voluntary associations of people) had refused to fight in World War I (1914–18) and gone to live in Mexico. They settled in Massachusetts after the war, despite the anti-immigrant sentiment. On April 15, 1920, two employees of a shoe company in South Braintree, Massachusetts, were shot and killed by two men who escaped with $15,000....

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