Comments on: Early American Criminals: Bathsheba Spooner, Accessory to the Murder of Joshua Spooner; and James Buchanan, William Brooks, and Ezra Ross for Said Murder http://www.earlyamericancrime.com/criminals/bathsheba-spooner An exploration of crime, criminals, and punishments from America’s past Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:11:46 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anthony Vaverhttp://www.earlyamericancrime.com/criminals/bathsheba-spooner/comment-page-1#comment-443 Anthony Vaver Thu, 28 May 2009 16:37:08 +0000 http://www.earlyamericancrime.com/?p=906#comment-443 You raise an interesting question, Theodore. I don't know about the intricacies of the law regarding pregnancy at the time, but I do know that in England women regularly "pleaded their bellies" in order to receive a pardon from execution. After 1718, many of them were transported to America instead. The practice carried over to America, as we can see from Spooner's case. I don't think the law would have had any interest in carrying out an execution if it could be shown that a woman was pregnant at any stage.The sources I consulted for this case only indicated that there was a question around whether or not Bathsheba was indeed pregnant, and there appears to be some dispute among the jury of matrons after she appealed their decision. You can read more about this episode starting on page 48 in <em>American Criminal Trials</em>: <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/americancriminal02chaniala" rel="nofollow">http://www.archive.org/details/americancriminal02chaniala</a>. Some of the documents relating to her pregnancy can be found in the Appendix as well, starting on p. 381. You raise an interesting question, Theodore. I don’t know about the intricacies of the law regarding pregnancy at the time, but I do know that in England women regularly “pleaded their bellies” in order to receive a pardon from execution. After 1718, many of them were transported to America instead. The practice carried over to America, as we can see from Spooner’s case. I don’t think the law would have had any interest in carrying out an execution if it could be shown that a woman was pregnant at any stage.

The sources I consulted for this case only indicated that there was a question around whether or not Bathsheba was indeed pregnant, and there appears to be some dispute among the jury of matrons after she appealed their decision. You can read more about this episode starting on page 48 in American Criminal Trials: http://www.archive.org/details/americancriminal02chaniala. Some of the documents relating to her pregnancy can be found in the Appendix as well, starting on p. 381.

]]> By: Theodore Scotthttp://www.earlyamericancrime.com/criminals/bathsheba-spooner/comment-page-1#comment-441 Theodore Scott Wed, 27 May 2009 20:25:02 +0000 http://www.earlyamericancrime.com/?p=906#comment-441 From what I understand, in this period of history, the law viewed pregnancy as an issue if the child had passed the point where movement can be felt. At five months, that might not have happened.So, I wonder what really happened with the examination. Was it that her pregnancy was not far enough along for the law to consider it? Or did they not believe that she was pregnant? From what I understand, in this period of history, the law viewed pregnancy as an issue if the child had passed the point where movement can be felt. At five months, that might not have happened.

So, I wonder what really happened with the examination. Was it that her pregnancy was not far enough along for the law to consider it? Or did they not believe that she was pregnant?

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