Celia

Celia

- 14 years old and a slave (mainly sex slave) - utterly helpless to defend against Robert's sexual aggression - she is Robert's property and has no legal right to refuse him

Robert Newson

- Farmer who migrates west to seek fertile, cheap land - Missouri farmer - buys Celia because his wife dies and he wants a sexual partner - same night he buys Celia, he rapes her (this pattern continues for years)

Celia's Trial

- Jameson manages to use cross-examination of prosecution of witnessed to prove Celia was being sexually assaulted by Newson (an unpleasant fact that most witnesses tried to hide) - However, prosecution successfully objects to many of Jameson's points and witnesses

John Jameson

- appointed by Judge William Augustus Hall to defend Celia -

George

- early 1850's begins romantic relationship with Celia - becomes furious when he finds out that Celia and Newson are having an "affair"

Celia's Position after George's Ultimatum

- frightening position - she has no power to stop Newson from raping her, but she doesn't want to lose George - she 1st tries to appeal to Mary and Virginia by telling them she's too sick from her pregnancy, and can't stand Newson's advances right now - she also hints that if Newson tries to have sex with her again, she will have no choice but to defend herself with force

George's Ultimatum

- furious and too frightened to confront Newson directly, George give Celia an ultimatum -either break it off with Newson or he will never speak to her again

Celia becomes pregnant

- in 1855, situation becomes critical when Celia finds out she is pregnant - doesn't know if it's George's or Newson's

Most important part of Celia's Trial

- is jury instruction - the defense and prosecution must convince Judge Hall to guide jurors in a way that will help their side win - Jameson tries to convince Hall to instruct jurors to interpret Missouri law to allow a slave to defend herself from rape - Hall refuses to do so - as a result, Celia is found guilty and sentenced to death

Newson family

- large family with many sons and daughters - 2 daughters live with Robert Newson (Virginia and Mary) - wife dies

Mary and Virginia

- likely know about their father's relationship with Celia - regard Celia as a sexual predator - blame Celia for "seducing" their father

Search for a missing Robert

- morning after his murder, his family and neighbors begin searching for him - William Powell (Newson's Neighbor) questions Celia and learns the truth - Celia is placed in custody and trial is set for October

Robert Newson's Murder

- night pf June 23, 1855 - Robert sneaks out of his bedroom and enter Celia's - she warns him to stay away from her, but he ignores her - she strikes him with a fire poking stick, when he staggers back, she strikes him again killing him - Celia is scared and knows she will be hung from killing her owner - decided to hide the body - burns it in her fireplace successfully by dawn

Celia and Jameson's Defense Case

- plans to argue Celia has the legal right to defend herself against rape from her master - he sites a stature in Missouri; a law that give women that right to use deadly force to defend their "honor" - however when making this argument, he will have to convince a judge that the law applies to slaves (who are considered property, not people) - brilliant defense, based on the fact Celia has legal right to defend herself from rape

Importance of Celia's Death

- she is hung at the end of December - a testament to the tragedies of slavery, particularly for female slaves, who had to endure sexual assault from their male owners - a few years after Celia's death, Civil War breaks out in the country, proving that the evils of slavery cannot be remedied with peaceful means