State Vs Mann

State vs Mann was a case where Lydia the slave was shot in the back by John Mann. Mann was loaning the slave from Elizabeth Jones when she tried to run away in fear of Mann. That's when Mann shot her in the back and, the court found Mann guilty of harming the slave and charged him ten dollars. Mann then sued the state for his money back which he won but, I don't believe he should've due to the fact he was not the master at the time and just a loaner and injured "property." State v Hale 1823 says A battery committed on a slave, no justification, or circumstances attending it, being shown, is an indictable offense. 

I believe that the; court should've stuck with their decision to set a tone not to abuse slaves or mistreat them. Most people during this time believed; that black people at this time were not people and were inferior to white people. However, now we see that this is not the true way and it was very unethical. The opposing side says that the loaner had custody of the slave for a year and being she didn't die she wasn't hurt. But if we consider her to be property, the shot in the back affected her working habits and, the owner no longer could have a one hundred percent worker.

A verse that could've helped the state win the case due to this time being very religious would have been Luke 6:31 saying "And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." The case presided over the indictment, or prosecution, of a man who had committed cruel and heavy-handed punishment on his slave. Hale was fined and found guilty due to being too aggressive to his slave. The State V. Hale's case set an example for State V. Mann's case that the harm of a slave is indictable or punishable by law. If the assault of a slave has been punishable and found guilty previously, it should still be found punishable in this case. The problem at the time was everybody who was in favor of slavery was the jury was all white and usually also had a bias to slavery. This is one of the reasons in big cases we have a diverse jury. Another problem, in this case, was there were already laws defending the owner so the judge had to side with Mann for him to be doing the right job. “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word”. – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In conclusion, this period was very unfair and unjust. I'm glad to see how people have learned from their mistakes and most of everyone sees slavery now as a huge mistake.