The Fire That Forged Precedent: The 1852 Arson Case of Simon

In 1852, Pensacola was burning. The prestigious Collins Hotel lay in ruins, and the city wanted blood. Dive into the controversial case of Simon, an enslaved man whose forced confession led to a landmark Florida Supreme Court ruling. Discover how a night of arson in the Panhandle created a legal pillar that still protects the rights of the accused today. This is the story of how mob rule was defeated by the rule of law.