Following the historic Lindbergh kidnapping (the abduction and murder of Charles Lindbergh's toddler son), the United States Congress adopted a federal kidnapping statute—popularly known as the Federal Kidnapping Act 18 USC § 1201(a)(1) (also known as The Lindbergh Law) — which was intended to let federal authorities step in and pursue kidnappers once they had crossed a state border with their victim. The theory behind the Lindbergh Law was that federal law enforcement intervention was needed because state and local law enforcement officers could not effectively pursue kidnappers across state borders; since federal law enforcement officers, such as FBI agents, have national enforcement authority, Congress believed they could do a much more effective job of dealing with kidnappings than could state and local authorities. Several states implemented their own versions of this law, known as "Little Lindbergh" laws, covering acts of kidnapping that did not cross state lines. In some states, if the victim were physically harmed in any manner, the crime qualified for the death penalty. This was what occurred in the Caryl Chessman case in California. Following the death penalty law revisions by the United States Supreme Court during the 1970's, kidnapping alone no longer constitutes a capital offense. A provision of the law provides exception for parents who abduct their minor children. (Although, see United States v. Sheek).
