Newsom was down towards the floor and attempted to grab her. Afraid that he might harm her, she raised the stick with both hands and crushed it down deep into his skull. Fearing that the body would be discovered, she placed it in her fireplace and burned it. The next day, Newsom's family and friends questioned George for his disappearance, but George fearing for his life said Celia knew. Alarmed by the information they proceeded immediately to Celia for interrogation. When they approached Celia for questioning, Celia denied she knew anything. Celia's denial for their continual accusations made them even more stubborn and desperate insisting her to tell them where Robert was. Celia frustrated and tired of hearing their questioning methods, gave in and explained them what she did of him and why she did. When they verified what had happened, they informed the authorities and held Celia prison until she had a trial to evaluate the case. It is in this trial where slavery and sexual exploitation will be analyzed, questioned, and debated from two different perspectives. Trial Jury, William Hall, pressured by society and its radical ideas over slavery, gives Celia a guilty verdict. Her three attorneys appeared in court on her behalf and moved the court to set aside the verdict of the jury and grant a new trial. Judge Hall did not rule immediately on the defense's request for a new trial, nor did he sentence Celia. He waited until October 13 to pronounce upon Celia, sentencing her to "be hanged by the neck until dead on the sixteenth say November 1855". Until then, Celia remained in prison pregnant and waited the day of her execution. The defense immediately countered by requesting an appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court. Later Celia would escape prison and be recaptured again after execution date. The Supreme Court granted the attorneys request by allowing them to have another trial.
