, ▁a ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Afr icans , ▁leads ▁a ▁mut iny ▁and ▁takes ▁over ▁the ▁ship . ▁The ▁mut ine ers ▁spare ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁two ▁Spanish ▁navig ators ▁to ▁help ▁them ▁sail ▁the ▁ship ▁back ▁to ▁Africa . ▁Instead , ▁the ▁navig ators ▁mis direct ▁the ▁Afr icans ▁and ▁sail ▁directly ▁north ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁where ▁the ▁ship ▁is ▁stopped ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁Navy , ▁and ▁the ▁surv iving ▁Afr icans ▁imprison ed ▁as ▁run away ▁slaves . ▁ ▁In ▁an ▁un famil iar ▁country ▁and ▁not ▁speaking ▁a ▁single ▁word ▁of ▁English , ▁the ▁Afr icans ▁find ▁themselves ▁in ▁a ▁legal ▁battle . ▁United ▁States ▁Att orney ▁William ▁S . ▁Hol ab ird ▁brings ▁charges ▁of ▁pi racy ▁and ▁murder . ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁John ▁F ors yth , ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁President ▁Martin ▁Van ▁Bur en ▁( who ▁is ▁campaign ing ▁for ▁re - e lection ), ▁represents ▁the ▁claim ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁government ▁that ▁the ▁Afr icans ▁are ▁property ▁of ▁Spain ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁treat y . ▁Two ▁Naval ▁officers , ▁Thomas ▁R . ▁Ged ney , ▁and ▁Richard ▁W . ▁Me ade , ▁claim ▁them ▁as ▁salv age ▁while ▁the ▁two ▁Spanish ▁navig ators , ▁Pedro ▁Monte z ▁and ▁Jose ▁Ru iz , ▁produce ▁proof ▁of ▁purchase . ▁A ▁lawyer ▁named ▁Roger ▁Sh erman ▁Bald win , ▁h ired ▁by ▁the ▁abol ition ist ▁Lewis ▁T app an ▁and ▁his ▁black ▁associate ▁The odore ▁Jo ad son , ▁dec ides