body by the fish pond in their backyard in an attempt to make it look like an accident. Hope left, having refused James's order to burn down the house. Mary's death was ruled a drowning until a drunken Hope bragged at a bar about his involvement in her murder. The bartender reported this to police and Hope was arrested. Under intense questioning, Hope explained the plot thoroughly and James was arrested in 1936. A snake bite on Mary's toe overlooked during the autopsy confirmed this. Both were found guilty of their crimes, with James receiving the death penalty and Hope life in prison. On May 1, 1942, Rattlesnake James was executed by hanging at San Quentin State Prison in California. The rope was the wrong length and it took over ten minutes for Rattlesnake James to die. See also Capital punishment in California Capital punishment in the United States Lisenba v. People of State of California References External links People v. Lisenba (1939) 14 Cal 2d 403 Lisenba v. People of State of California (1941) Prairie Public Television biography Brenner, Anita La Cañada's First U.S. Supreme Court Case Brenner, Anita Warden Hears James' Death Rattle Duffy, Clinton Eighty Eight Men and Two Women (1988) Nash, Jay Bloodletters and Badmen(1995) 1894 births 1942 deaths 20th-century executions by California 20th-century executions of American people American people convicted of murder Murderers for life insurance money People convicted of murder by California People executed by California by hanging People executed for murder People from Hale County, Alabama People from La Cañada Flintridge, California Suspected serial killers Uxoricides