The Slave Trade Felony Act 1811 (51 Geo. III, c. 23) was a piece of British legislation that made engagement in the
slave trade a
felony
A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resul ...
. The earlier
Slave Trade Act 1807 merely imposed fines that were insufficient to deter
entrepreneurs from engaging in such a profitable business. The contexts in which it could be applied and how these sat within international criminal law gave rise to controversy.
was the principal proponent of the act.
The first case brought under the act was that of
Samuel Samo
Samuel Samo was a Dutch slave trader who was the first person to be prosecuted under the British Slave Trade Felony Act 1811.
Samuel Samo was the uncle of John Samo, a Dutch shopkeeper who served as King's Advocate and Member of His Majesty's ...
, who was tried by Chief Justice
Robert Thorpe at the
Vice-Admiralty Court in
Freetown,
Sierra Leone. The case was heard from 8 April to 11 April 1812.
See also
*
Slave Trade Act
Slave Trade Act is a stock short title used for legislation in the United Kingdom and the United States that relates to the slave trade.
The "See also" section lists other Slave Acts, laws, and international conventions which developed the c ...
s
References
United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1811
Slave trade legislation
Abolitionism in the United Kingdom
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