About State vs. Mann
State vs. Mann is a case that took place in North Carolina. In the state of North Carolina, slavery was legal, but it was not legal to shoot, kill, and injure. This case was within the Supreme Court that ruled slave owner had authority over their slaves. If they committed a crime including violence against them, they would not be charged guilty. John Mann rented and shot a slave that was not under his ownership. This case started the protection order. The protection order is a restraining order. During class, we had a discussion on those who were for and against John Mann and if they found him guilty or innocent.
About John Mann
John Mann was a North Carolina citizen who has been a slave owner and renter for years. In 1829, he rented a slave named Lydia from a woman named Elizabeth Jones. Therefore, only ELizabeth was allowed to punish Lydia in any shape or form. Lydia began disobeying him and ran away. He pulled a pistol and shot her in the back. The state of North Carolina found him guilty and charged him with $10. John Mann abused Lydia on multiple occasions such as whipping her and beating her.
Pro John Mann
John Mann supporters believed that slaves were only property and not human. The economic side of this case states that slaves had no benefit to the world besides making money for white people. Because of this, if slaves rebelled against their masters, economy will be destroyed. Mann and the people defending his case felt that when Lydia ran away, he was justified to shot her as any slave owner would have done that. The people constantly argued slaves are not people, they are strictly only property.
Against John Mann
In the eyes of religion, slavery is frowned upon by the bible and the eyes of God. The land that John Mann was blessed with from God, he took for granted and put it into others hands. "God has blessed you with land for you to take care of it, nobody else.” John Mann destroyed others property when he had no reason to do so. Him doing this impacted the protection order being formed. John Mann was charged with assault. To get out of this, he claimed that Lydia was his property and he can do whatever he wants with her and if this had happened in a northern state, this would not be up for debate.
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