| Summary |
"Reverend 'Henry John Hatch was wrongly convicted of indecently assaulting two children who he and his wife had taken into their home as boarders in December 1859 for several days. He was convicted based on the testimony of the two girls and their mother. The trial judge did not allow Hatch or his wife to testify and his lawyer did not present the exculpatory testimony by other people living in the house. After Hatch's conviction by a jury Hatch was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment. After Hatch began serving his sentence his supporters contacted the 12 jurors and showed them Hatch's exculpatory evidence that hadn't been presented in court. Eleven of the 12 jurors signed a declaration to the effect that if they had known Hatch's evidence they would not have convicted him. British Home Secretary Sir George Cornewall Lewis did not think the juror declarations were sufficient for a pardon, but said that if his primary accuser -- Mary Eugenia Plummer was convicted of perjury he would reconsider. Charges were brought against Mary and she was 12 when convicted of Wilful and Corrupt Perjury in May 1860. She was sentenced to three weeks in prison to be followed by two years in a reform school. A week after Mary's conviction Hatch was granted a Royal Pardon and released from prison in May 1860 after 191 days in custody. He then filed a number of legal actions against his solicitors, Lewis and Lewis, for their negligent representation of him." |