John D. Lee was a leader in the
militia that attacked the Baker–Fancher party and because of that he was put on
trial for his part in the massacre. John
D. Lee would be the only person who participated in the massacre to be
convicted. He was then sentenced to execution.
John D. Lee was killed by firing squad on March 23, 1877 at the site of
the Mountain Meadows Massacre. But the trial was not as simple as it sounds.
Certain aspects lead to conclusions of John D. Lee being unfairly tried and in
turn becoming the scape goat for the Mormon Church trying to cover up the
Mountain Meadows Massacre.
On July 15, 1875, the formation of
the trial for both W. H. Dame, who was commander of the militia, and John D
Lee, was established as well as laying out the process of the case. John D. Lee
agreed to give his testimony of the events according to him but he believed
that he was to be sacrificed to appease the wrath of the Government and shield
more guilty parties by perjury if necessary. This aspect was proven when no
witnesses in favor of John D. Lee showed up to give their testimony while there
were several positive testimonies for W.H. Dame. Also nine out of the twelve jurors were
Mormons and some of them which had actually participated in the massacre
themselves. One of the jurors was the son in law to the man that ordered the
militia to fire upon the Baker-Fancher party. The Mormons that were chosen for
the trial swore to have lived in the region for at least 10 to 18 years and
claimed to have never heard the massacre talked about ever. They also claimed
to not have any opinions on the massacre. This extreme amount of perjury by the jury
itself tells the story of how the trial really took place. This can only lead
to one conclusion, the church was trying to cover up the massacre and use John
D. Lee as its scapegoat.
The trial then moved to a series of
travelers that witnessed the bodies of the massacred dead. They all cited the
piles of bodies and that many of them had their throat slashed among other
gruesome methods of killing. The testimony of a bishop named Phillip Klingen
Smith was different than that of travelers that simply witnessed the aftermath.
Phillip Klingen Smith was part of the formation of a plan to massacre the
travelers and participated in it. Ironically he was never charged with a crime
even with his participation be told before a court. His testimony was the nail
in the coffin for John D. Lee. The public believed what Phillip Klingen Smith
had to say and unrest grew for a conviction to be had.
On July 29th, 1875 the
defense was allowed to make their case. His lawyer, Mr. Spicer, attempted to
paint a picture that the Baker-Fancher party angered the Indians by poisoning a
creek. He also went on to say that John
D. Lee had no affiliation with the church leadership or the militia. He said
that Lee was simply a farmer that traded with the Indians in the area. He also went on to argue that it was not him
who went to the encircled Baker Fancher party with a white flag seeking a
truce. He said that he was home in his corral. Basically the defense put out a
bunch of lies in order to confuse the jurors as a last ditch effort. But with
no one truly believing anything that John D. Lee had to say and the testimony
by Phillip Klingensmith being so thorough, John D. Lee was convicted though not
without strong deliberation by the jury who were initially mostly in favor of
acquittal. Lee was convicted of murder in the 1st degree and
sentenced to death. His last words were "I do not believe everything that
is now being taught and practiced by Brigham Young. I do not care who hears it.
It is my last word... I have been sacrificed in a cowardly, dastardly
manner." The evidence is overwhelming that something was not right about
the trial. Having no witnesses coming on behalf of Lee, no one believing his
testimony and a jury that was already committing perjury, John D. Lee never
stood a chance in defending himself. He was certainly the scapegoat whether by
cover up or extreme coincidence.
References
1.
Brooks, Juanita. John Doyle Lee: Zealot,
Pioneer, Builder, Scapegoat. Glendale, CA: A. H. Clark Company, 1962.
2.
"The Mountain Meadow Massacre Trial."
New York Times (1857-1922), Jul 15, 1875.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/93417091?accountid=4117.
3.
"The Mountain Meadow Massacre." New
York Times (1857-1922), Jul 23, 1875.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/93453493?accountid=4117.
4.
"Mountain Meadows." New York Times
(1857-1922), Jul 24, 1875.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/93450765?accountid=4117.
5.
"The Mountain Meadow Massacre." New
York Times (1857-1922), Jul 29, 1875.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/93445965?accountid=4117.
6.
"The Mountain Meadow Massacre." New
York Times (1857-1922), Jul 30, 1875.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/93465024?accountid=4117.
7.
"The Mormon Trial." New York Times
(1857-1922), Aug 09, 1875.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/93455476?accountid=4117.
8.
"The Mountain Meadow Massacre." New
York Times (1857-1922), Sep 17, 1876. http://search.proquest.com/docview/93569856?accountid=4117
9.
"John Doyle Lee." Digital image. PBS.
2001. Accessed April 22, 2013. http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/i_r/lee.htm.
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