The Laws Behind State V. Mann

The North Carolina court case of State V. Mann is an interesting one. John Mann, a slave owner, was charged with battery and assault on a slave named Lydia who was being loaned to Mann by Elizabeth Jones. The state fined Mann five dollars. Mann appealed the fine under the grounds that he had done nothing wrong. 

Legally considered property, slaves were not allowed to own property of their own. They were not allowed to assemble without the presence of a white person. Slaves that lived off the plantation were subject to special curfews. In the courts, a slave accused of any crime against a white person was doomed. In October 1705, Virginia passed a law stating that if a master happened to kill a slave who was undergoing “correction,” it was not a crime. Furthermore, the legislation said, when slaves were declared runaways, it was “lawful for any person to kill and destroy by such ways and means as he shall think fit.” When it comes down to it, slaves were considered property at this time and you can not be charged for assault on a piece of property.

The court ruled in favor of Mann and he was payed back the five dollar fine. While this decision is obviously morally wrong, the court has to make decisions based on laws and facts and the facts were that Mann hadn't broken any precedented laws. The ruling stated that slave owners had absolute authority over their slaves and could not be found guilty of committing violence against them.