Slaves who rebelled were killed
Slaves were usually punished for not working fast enough, for disrespecting authority, for being late to work, and for destroying materials. The punishment was in many forms, including whippings, mutilation, and even imprisonment. But the worst was reserved for those who rejected slavery and tried to start a rebellion. Such people were tortured and murdered by vigilance committees formed by white masters to enforce the slave codes. Per the laws, the killing of a slave was almost never regarded as murder. Slaves could not visit the homes of freed blacks. Freed blacks who decide to take in runaway slaves were also beaten or fined by slave owners.
