Dominic Daley facts for kids
Dominic Daly (born around 1770 – died June 5, 1806) was an Irishman who moved to America about 1800. He was put to death for a crime, but many people believe he was wrongly accused and treated unfairly.
We don't know the exact date Dominic Daly was born or when he arrived in the United States. We do know that he lived and worked in Boston, Massachusetts.
Contents
An Unfair Arrest
In November 1805, a young farmer named Marcus Lyon was found dead near the town of Wilbraham, Massachusetts. Dominic Daly and another Irishman, James Halligan, were traveling in the area. They were on their way to New Haven, Connecticut.
On November 12, 1805, they were arrested in Northampton, Massachusetts. They were accused of a serious crime related to Marcus Lyon. The person who caught them was paid $500.
The Trial and Conviction
Dominic and James said they were innocent. However, they were kept in prison for almost five months. They were accused of a crime called highway robbery, which meant stealing from someone on the road.
Even though they were held for a long time, they only got lawyers to help them two days before their trial. When their trial, called Commonwealth v. Dominic Daley and James Halligan, started, they were found guilty very quickly. The evidence against them was very weak. One of their lawyers even said that the decision was based on unfair prejudice against Irish people.
A Special Visit
Before their execution, the Rev. Jean-Louis Lefebvre de Cheverus, who was a Catholic bishop from Boston, visited them. He took a big risk to be there for them in their final moments.
Bishop Cheverus held a Catholic Mass for them in their prison cell. Many people believe this was the first time a Catholic church service had ever taken place in that town.
The Execution and Later Exoneration
The next day, on June 5, 1806, about 15,000 people came to watch the execution. Dominic Daly and James Halligan publicly forgave the people who accused them and the lawyers who prosecuted their case. Then, they were hanged.
Many years later, on St. Patrick's Day in 1984, Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts made an official statement. He cleared the names of Dominic Daly and James Halligan, saying they were innocent.
See also
- List of wrongful convictions in the United States
