Was John Surratt caught? Was he found guilty of conspiracy? Why or why not?

• A. He was caught but found not guilty because the court could not decide on a verdict
• B. He was never caught
• C. He was caught and found guilty
• D. He fled and was never tried

Answer: (A)

John Surratt was indeed caught and brought to trial, but the outcome was a deadlock rather than a guilty verdict. After Lincoln’s assassination, he fled the country, was later captured, and faced charges of conspiring in the plot. The trial in federal court ended with the jury unable to reach a verdict on the conspiracy charges, which produced a mistrial. Since there was no verdict of guilty and no retrial pursued, he was not found guilty. The other options don’t fit because he was not never caught, he wasn’t convicted, and he did not flee and avoid trial entirely.