A Sierra Leone Courtroom: The Trial of Pei for Murder and Alleged Cannibalism, 1819. An article printed in 1825, written by an Unnamed Trial Reporter : 3 pages.
London: Knight and Lacey, 1825. Booklet - Unbound Pages. Very Good Condition. Item #362497
3 pages. The report outlines a disturbing case heard in Sierra Leone, summarising the accusations, the cultural context and the testimony brought before the court. The article presents the proceedings with stark brevity, reflecting both the gravity and the complexity of the charges. The trial of Pei, held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 1819, centred on the brutal killing of Zongobia, allegedly with a sharpened iron hoop, followed by acts of cannibalism. Conducted under British colonial jurisdiction, the proceedings marked an attempt to apply metropolitan legal frameworks to a frontier context. Peis defence, if any, is sparsely recorded, and the cases sensational tone reflects both the racialized prejudices and lurid fascination typical of early 19th-century criminal reporting. Published in Celebrated Trials (1825), the account served more as moral spectacle than forensic analysis, revealing how colonial violence and cultural othering were woven into legal narratives. An authentic standalone article, extracted from the annual volume. Not a reprint or reproduction, but an original work in its own right. Supplied without title page or cover. Now preserved in a modern card cover for practicality - an unassuming but serviceable rebinding that favours function over finery. Size: 11.5 x 19 cms.. Category: Celebrated Trials; Special Interest.
Keywords: BZDB395 Celebrated Trials; Special Interest. A SIERRA LEONE COURTROOM: TRIAL OF PEI FOR MURDER 1819 A Sierra Leone Courtroom: The Trial of Pei for Murder and Alleged Cannibalism, 1819. An article printed in 1825, written by an Unnamed Trial Reporter
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