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Instead of the Dred Scott case hitting the Supreme Court, what about the following...

Steve Southron beats Nick Negro to death in Montpelier, Vermont in front of witnesses. Steve is arrested for Murder. Steve maintains that Nick was his slave that he bought in Maryland, but has no proof. Steve is convicted of Murder and sentenced to be Hung. This case makes it all the way to the Supreme Court. Does the court (assume this case gets there in 1857) throw out the conviction and tell Vermont to let Steve go free?

What about if Steve can locate the man who sold him Nick in Maryland?
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