The True Story Behind Netflix’s ‘Death by Lightning’ and the Assassination of James A. Garfield
Charles Guiteau’s bullet did not directly kill the 20th U.S. president. It was medical ignorance, professional pride, and the very instruments meant to heal him that led to his tragic death.
President James A. Garfield was only a few months into his term when a disgruntled supporter, Charles Guiteau, shot him. The political and medical consequences of that act still resonate more than a century later.
Netflix’s Exploration of the Tragedy
The new Netflix limited series Death By Lightning, which premiered on November 6, investigates Garfield’s assassination and its lasting impact on American history. The four-part series stars Michael Shannon as President Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as his assassin, Guiteau.
Through dramatized storytelling, the series reconstructs the events leading to the attack and the flawed medical attempts that followed. Rather than focusing solely on the violence, it underscores the systemic failures that ultimately cost Garfield his life.
The Man Behind the Assassination
Charles Julius Guiteau was born in Freeport, Illinois, in 1841. His early life was marked by instability and hardship. His mother, Jane, suffered from psychosis and died when he was about seven, leaving him in the care of his strict and abusive father, Luther.
“Garfield was less than four months into his presidential term when tragedy struck in the form of an assassin’s bullet.”
Guiteau became increasingly unstable over the years, believing he was divinely inspired to act. His delusions culminated in the fateful attack that not only ended a presidency but also exposed the dangerous gaps in 19th-century medicine.
Legacy and Reflection
The assassination of President Garfield remains a case study in missed opportunities, both political and medical. It marked a turning point in how the nation viewed presidential security and scientific integrity in healthcare.
Author’s Summary: The tragic story of Garfield’s assassination reveals how one man’s delusion and a nation’s medical missteps intertwined to shape the course of American history.