 In the heated political rhetoric of the day, these defendants were referred to as the "New Haven Nine", a deliberate allusion to other "cause-celebre" defendants like the "Chicago Seven".The first trial was that of Lonnie McLucas, the only person who physically took part in the killing who refused to plead guilty.In fact, McLucas had confessed to shooting Rackley, but since some of the charges brought against him made him eligible for the death penalty, a not-guilty plea was the only logical trial strategy.