who was levi weeks' lawyer

Who represented Levi Weeks?

Levi Weeks was the brother of Ezra Weeks, a prominent citizen, and through his brother's wealth and connections Weeks retained three of New York's most prominent attorneys, Henry Brockholst Livingston, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton to represent him at the trial.

Was Levi Weeks found guilty?

presided on the bench, and future Mayor of New York Cadwallader David Colden was the prosecutor. Although Elma was seen leaving with Weeks and a witness claimed to have seen Weeks making measurements at the well the Sunday before the murder, Weeks was acquitted after only 5 minutes of jury deliberation.

Who murdered Elma Sands?

Some believed Levi Weeks impregnated Gulielma Elmore Sands before killing her, others believed they'd heard splashes in the well on the night of the murder, and the public rallied against Levi Weeks in the first 3 months of 1800. On March 31, 1800, Levi Weeks was tried for murder.Apr 22, 2019

What was Levi Weeks accused of?

Levi Weeks was the accused in the infamous Manhattan Well Murder Trial of 1800, the first murder trial in the United States for which there is a recorded transcript. At the time of the murder, Weeks was a young carpenter in New York City.

When was the first murder recorded in history?

430,000 years agoWorld's Oldest Murder Mystery Was 430,000 Years in the Making. Scientists point to the two holes in this skull as evidence of the earliest known murder, 430,000 years ago.May 28, 2015

Who was Hamilton's allies?

After the war Hamilton became a highly respected lawyer in New York and was asked to join the Constitutional Convention, helping to draft the new U.S. Constitution. He along with John Jay and James Madison wrote a series of essays called The Federalist Papers that defended the proposed Constitution.

Who killed Alexander Ham?

President Aaron BurrIn one of the most famous duels in American history, Vice President Aaron Burr fatally shoots his long-time political antagonist Alexander Hamilton.

Who is the first serial killer?

H.H. Holmes, byname of Herman Mudgett, (born May 16, 1861?, Gilmanton, New Hampshire, U.S.—died May 7, 1896, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), American swindler and confidence trickster who is widely considered the country's first known serial killer.

Who was Levi Weeks' brother?

Shortly afterward, a Grand Jury indicted Levi Weeks for the murder of Elma Sands. Levi Weeks was the brother of Ezra Weeks, a prominent citizen, and through his brother’s wealth and connections Weeks retained three of New York’s most prominent attorneys, Henry Brockholst Livingston, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton to represent him at the trial.

How long did the jury deliberate on Levi Weeks?

The jury, deliberating for only five minutes, acquitted Weeks of the crime.

What happened to Elma Sands?

A few days after Elma Sands vanished, a young boy found the muff she had been wearing in the Manhattan Well. On January 2, 1800, Sands’ body was recovered from that well and, while there was speculation at the time that she may have been pregnant, this was later disproved by medical evidence. Shortly afterward, a Grand Jury indicted Levi Weeks ...

When was the first murder trial in the United States?

The trial, the first recorded murder trial in the United States, took place on March 31 and April 1, 1800. The State’s case was entirely circumstantial and the defense produced witnesses who testified that Levi was in the company of his brother Ezra and other friends during the evening in question. Chief Justice Lansing instructed the jury ...

Where did Levi Weeks settle?

Levi Weeks eventually settled in Natchez, Mississippi where he became a well-respected architect and builder.

When did Elma Sands disappear?

Gulielma “Elma” Sands disappeared on the evening of December 22, 1799. Before leaving her boarding house that evening, Elma told her cousin Catherine Sands that she was to be secretly married that night to the man who had been courting her, Levi Weeks. A few days after Elma Sands vanished, a young boy found the muff she had been wearing in ...

How long was the Sands trial?

The trial took two days, lasting until late at night, an unusual length and schedule for the time. During the proceedings, an angry mob could be heard outside the courthouse chanting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" The prosecutor, future New York mayor and congressman Cadwallader Colden, had to rely on circumstantial evidence to try to prove that Weeks had had means, motive, and opportunity to murder Sands. He put on witnesses to show that Weeks and Sands had had a sexual relationship; that he had promised to marry her; that he had left the boarding house with her the night she was killed; and that his brother's sleigh had been identified at the crime scene. But he could not produce any direct evidence in support of any of these things.

Who was Elma Sands?

Gulielma Sands — Elma to her family and friends — was a vivacious 22-year-old who lived with her cousin Catherine Ring on Greenwich Street. Catherine and her husband, Elias Ring, were Quakers who ran a boarding house, and in July 1799, a young carpenter named Levi Weeks moved in. His arrival was unfortunate, for the Rings and their other boarders soon noticed that Weeks was paying excessive attention to Sands. The two spent a great amount of time together, a lot of it in Sands's bedroom, the door of which they sometimes locked. The hours at which Weeks came and went, the piles of clothes that Sands left in odd places, and even the sounds from her bedroom told the story that the two were sexually involved. Because this was inappropriate behavior for an unmarried couple, everyone suspected that Sands and Weeks must be planning on getting married: only that step could make their behavior somewhat less scandalous.

Who was the prosecutor in People vs Levi Weeks?

Levi Weeks was spoken about constantly in the papers. It was the major point of gossip throughout New York City. When the trial began, the prosecution was driven by Cadwallader David Colden and overseen by Chief Justice John Lansing.

How old was Levi Weeks?

Murder was the word on everyone’s mind and it quickly made news throughout the city. A suspect was chosen almost immediately...Levi Weeks. Levi was a 24-year-old carpenter who worked for his successful brother, Ezra, on some of the finest mansions in New York City.

Where did Levi Weeks move to?

Levi Weeks was convicted in the court of public opinion. The judgement became so bad that Weeks decided to leave town. He moved to Natchez, Mississippi where he established himself as one of the most important architects of the Southwest.

Who was the first person to be convicted of the murder of Elma Sands?

Yesterday we spoke about several of the court cases which made Henry Brockholst Livingston’s career. Today, let’s dive deeper into one of these suits: the murder of Elma Sands. Levi Weeks, the accused, was defended by some of the biggest names in the American Founding and the trial is the first in US history to be officially recorded.

Who was Elma Sands?

Elma Sands. Gulielma Sands was a pretty young woman in New York City at the turn of the 19th century. Better known as Elma (probably because her name is extremely difficult to pronounce), she had long been courted by a young suitor named Levi Weeks.

When did Elma leave the house?

On the night of December 22, 1799 she told her cousin she was to be wed in secret and left the house cheerfully. She never returned. Two weeks later, some of Elma’s belongings were found. Authorities discovered the worst...her lifeless body was soon removed from a nearby well.

Was Elma Sands ever solved?

Lansing informed the jury that all of the evidence was circumstantial before they deliberated. After just five minutes, the verdict came back...not guilty. The murder of Elma Sands was never solved. The general public, however, had made their decision. Levi Weeks was convicted in the court of public opinion.

Who was Levi Weeks' co-counsel?

One of his co-counsel was Aaron Burr. (“I practiced law, Burr worked next door.” [25]) The Historical Society of the New York Courts credits the Levi Weeks case as the first murder trial in the country for which there is a formal record. [26] .

What is Levi Weeks case?

The Levi Weeks case reads like an episode of Dateline NBC. It is easy to imagine Keith Morrison, in that creepy — but can’t-get-enough-of — voice describing the facts. On a snowy evening in late 1799, 22 year-old Gulielma Sands left her boarding house. It was the last time that she would be seen alive.

What was the significance of Rutgers v Waddington?

Waddington is a highly complicated case that involved the 1783 Trespass Act, “which allowed patriots who had left properties behind enemy lines to sue anyone who had occupied, damaged or destroyed them.” [35] In general, Elizabeth Rutgers, relying on the Trespass Act, sought rent from Joshua Waddington for occupation of her brewery during the war. [36]

What was Hamilton's most important contribution to the world?

One of Hamilton’s most important contributions as a lawyer — and one still felt today by the press — was his representation of Harry Croswell. Croswell was a journalist indicted in New York for libel against President Thomas Jefferson. He was tried in 1803.

What was Alexander Hamilton's role in the war?

Little has changed in 230 years. Legislatures are still in the folly business and lawyers of reaping the harvest. Alexander Hamilton was also a founding father of government law work.

When was Croswell tried?

He was tried in 1803. All that was required to convict was proving that the published statements were defamatory. Truth of the statements was not a consideration. Croswell was found guilty. Croswell appealed to New York’s highest court — where he was now represented by Hamilton.

When did Hamilton become a lawyer?

Hamilton was admitted to the bar in 1782 — after just six months of self-study, [3] an exercise that he described in a letter to Marquis de Lafayette as “studying the art of fleecing my neighbors.”. [4] Hamilton had an extensive law practice until his death in 1804. [5] .

Who was Levi Weeks?

Levi Weeks was a carpenter who was well connected . His brother, Ezra, was one the city’s most successful architects and builders, responsible for the construction of Gracie Mansion (now home to New York’s mayors) and much of the growing city’s infrastructure.

Why was Croucher released from the trial?

Just months after the Weeks’ trial, Croucher was convicted for raping his teenage step-daughter but was later pardoned and released due to his unstable mental health.

How old was Gulielma Sands when she moved to New York?

Gulielma Sands was a pretty new arrival to New York City. The 22-year-old , known as Elma, had moved to the city to work in a millinery business owned and operated by her cousin Catherine and Catherine’s husband, Elias Ring.

What did Hamilton do in 1800?

Hamilton had served as the nation’s first treasury secretary, creating America’s financial system. But by 1800 his political career was on the decline.

Why did Hamilton join the defense team?

Hamilton was convinced of Weeks’ innocence and furious at the rush to judgment, so it’s perhaps no surprise that he joined the defense team for what was sure to be a high-profile case — a decision likely also influenced by his growing debt to Ezra for construction of the Grange.

How long did it take for Hamilton to reach a verdict?

In his instructions to the jury, the presiding judge seemed to fall solidly on the side of the defense. It took the jury just five minutes to reach a verdict: not guilty.

Where did Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr meet?

In 1800, four years before they fatefully met on a dueling ground in Weehawken, New Jersey, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr temporarily put aside their fierce rivalry to join forces in a high-profile murder trial in New York City. READ MORE: Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr's Deadly Rivalry.

Overview

Murder trial

Early life

Post-trial life

In popular culture

External links

A Less Than Discreet Affair

• Gulielma Sands—Elma to her family and friends—was a vivacious 22-year-old who lived with her cousin Catherine Ring on Greenwich Street. Catherine and her husband, Elias Ring, were Quakers who ran a boarding house, and in July 1799, a young carpenter named Levi Weeks moved in. His arrival was unfortunate, for the Rings and their other boarders soon noticed that Weeks was payi…

See more on encyclopedia.com

Weeks Indicted For Murder

A Two-Day Trial

Suggestions For Further Reading