What was the final verdict in the Amistad case?

Answer 1

It is complicated, as there were at least three trials, one criminal trial in Connecticut, a civil trial, also in Connecticut, and a case before the United States Supreme Court.

The first court ruled that they had no jurisdiction because the "Armistad's" were Spanish subjects. They also ruled that the case rested on whether the Armistad's were property or free. The Civil court ruled that they were free men who had been kidnapped illegally and thus were free. The United States Executive Branch brought suit to the Supreme Court to overturn this verdict. They did this because Spain was demanding return of the Armistads and President Van Buren did not want to anger them. The case of the Armistads was argued before the court by Lewis Tapan and John Quincy Adams. The court upheld the opinion that the Armistad's were free men and should be returned to Africa. The ruling was made in a narrow way to avoid having the case be used as a precedent against slavery. 35 of the Armistads were eventually returned to Sierra Leone. who also took responsibility for the verdict in all the world