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Captain's dinner : a shipwreck, an act of cannibalism, and a murder trial that changed legal history Cover Image Book

Captain's dinner : a shipwreck, an act of cannibalism, and a murder trial that changed legal history

Cohen, Adam (Adam Seth) (author.).

Summary: "On May 19, 1884, the yacht Mignonette set sail from England on what should have been an uneventful voyage. When their vessel sank in the Atlantic, Captain Thomas Dudley and his crew found themselves adrift in a tiny lifeboat. As days turned to weeks, they faced an unthinkable choice: starve to death or resort to cannibalism. Their decision to sacrifice the youngest, 17-year-old cabin boy Richard Parker, ignited a firestorm of controversy upon their rescue. Instead of being hailed as heroes and survivors, Dudley and his crew found themselves at the center of Regina v. Dudley and Stephens, a landmark murder trial that would establish the legal precedent that necessity cannot justify murder, a principle that continues to shape Anglo-American law today"--

Record details

  • ISBN: 9798893310597
  • Physical Description: print
    xviii, 357 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map ; 25 cm
  • Edition: First edition.
  • Publisher: New York : Authors Equity, [2025]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references (page 253-334) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:
The voyage begins -- The wreck of the Mignonette -- The Captain's proposal -- The cannibalism taboo -- A difficult homecoming -- A bad time to be a cannibal -- From sailors to criminal defendants -- The grand jury weighs in -- A special verdict -- The Lord Chief Justice rules -- Fading away.

Search for related items by subject

Subject:
Dudley, Tom 1853-1900 Trials, litigation, etc
Stephens, E. (Edwin) Trials, litigation, etc
Mignonette (Boat) History
Trials (Murder) England London
Murder Law and legislation Great Britain History 19th century
Necessity (Law) Great Britain History 19th century
Shipwrecks
Cannibalism
Survival
Murder
Trials (Murder)
Genre:
Informational works.
True crime stories.

Available copies

  • 26 of 28 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
  • 1 of 1 copy available at Onslow County Public Library.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 28 total copies.
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Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Jacksonville Main Library 364.1523 COH (Text) 36015000755807 Adult Nonfiction Available -
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