Spectacular Justice

• What crime was analysed in the article, "spectacular justice?"

  The crime that was analysed in the article, spectacular justice, was the capital murder of Black circus labourer Edward "Yellow" Johnston. The suspect was black circus labourer, Edward Clarke. He was also known as "Side Show Shorty." There was overwhelming evidence of guilt. – "R. v. Clarke"
• How did the author point out about the Pan-American Circus (1903)?

  The author point out the Pan-American Circus as:

  • Racial hierarchy: Star performers were mostly white and had the good paying jobs. Labourers were mostly Black and had the lowest paying jobs.
  • Non-white performers viewed as freaks and oddities. These differences transformed into entertainment.
  • Reproduced the racial hierarchy in society.
• What did Canada's Black Population look like in the Early 20th Century?

  Canada's Black Population in the Early 20th Century looked like:

  • Black Loyalists promised land and immigrated to Canada in late 1700s.
  • 1901 Census of Population: 17,400 Black people – less than 0.3% of the population
• Describe the town of Picton, Ontario in 1903?

  The Town of Picton, Ontario in 1903 looked like:

  • A settlement proud of its Loyalist past. Supported British cause during the American Revolution.
  • A conservative community. Prided themselves on their law-abiding reputation.
  • Townspeople eager to construct town identity as a tourist destination.
• Where did the proceedings, of the trial in Picton, move from and to and what was the reason for this?

  Proceedings moved from the Council Chambers to the Opera House to accommodate crowds of curious spectators.
• During the trial who made up the jury? What was the percentage that claimed a particular ancestry?

  All-white jury reflected the town's demographics: 86% claimed British ancestry.
• Who was the defense lawyer? What was the issue with the so-called lawyer's ethos?

  The defense lawyer was E.M. Young. He was neither a criminal law specialist nor a trial lawyer.
• Who was the Crown lawyer in the Picton – R. v. Clarke – case?

  The Crown lawyer was Roger C. Clute was the most recent attorney to render a guilty verdict for capital murder from a Picton Jury in 1884. One of those men were thought to be innocent.
• What was the verdict of the Picton – R. v. Clarke – case?

  The verdict of the case was not guilty.

  • Defence lawyer Young argued mistaken identity. He introduced reasonable doubt.
  • Onlookers greeted the verdict with "a good deal of excitement."
  • Crown counsel, judge, and detective were not amused. Convinced a guilty man was set free because the jury was overanxious to acquit.
• What led to Shorty's acquittal?

  The factors that led to Shorty's acquittal were attributed to a variety of extralegal factors:

  • Pictonians' attitudes toward capital punishment.
  • Picton's emerging identity as a tourist haven. An execution would undo years of promotional work.
  • The status of victim and offenders as outsiders. Thus, they were deemed as not as relevant.
  • Affirmed the myth of equality before the law.
• What were the implications of R. v. Clarke?

  The implicatins of R. v. Clarke were:

  • The triumph of local justice over state law.
  • Defined the moral and economic bonds the community.
  • The murder was startling, but, both victim and offenders were "others." More of a curiosity than cause for concern.
  • Despite appearances, the verdict reaffirmed the status quo: (1) Optics – "Canadians were free of racist prejudice unlike the Americans." (2) Reality – "Verdict cloaked prejudice in a flag of British justice."