In re Sheazle
U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Massachusetts
This was a petition for a habeas corpus on account of what was averred to be an unlawful imprisonment of the petitioners [Thomas Sheazle and others] in Leverett Street Jail, by means of an illegal warrant from James Buchanan, secretary of state, executed by the marshal of the district of Maine.
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This was a petition for a habeas corpus on account of what was averred to be an unlawful imprisonment of the petitioners [Thomas Sheazle and others] in Leverett Street Jail, by means of an illegal warrant from James Buchanan, secretary of state, executed by the marshal of the district of Maine. The writ was issued and the. prisoners brought into court .the same day, being October 16th, 1845, and tbe keeper of the prison returned, as the cause of the detention, a warrant against the prisoners in the hands of Virgil D. Parris, marshal of Maine, for the purpose of taking and delivering them to…
1Opinion of the Court
WOODBURY, Circuit Justice.
This case is important, as involving the liberty of individuals on the one hand, and the duties of the government in fulfilling solemn stipulations of treaties on the other. In the first place, it is uneontroverted, that the prisoners were a part of the crew of a British vessel, — were British subjects, — were charged with the commission of a crime under British jurisdiction and against British laws. It was a piracy, created by acts of parliament, and not one under the laws of nations; They are not, then, amenable top our tribunals and laws for final trial or…
2Cases cited7 opinions
- United States v. LathropNew York Supreme Court · 1819
- In re WashburnNew York Court of Chancery · 1819
- Ely v. PeckSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1828
- Brown v. CumingNew York Supreme Court · 1804
- Haney v. SharpCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1833
2 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by1 opinion
- Ex Parte DavisCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · 1931