This is the approach that led to nineteen innocent persons being carted off to Gallows Hill during the summer of 1692. If you plead innocent, you'll have to face trial without a lawyer and without the ability to call witnesses on your own behalf, answer unanwerable questions ("If you're not a witch, how do explain the fact that these afflicted girls fall into fits the minute you enter the room?")--all before a court that unanimously believes in witchcraft and believes that you're guilty. (Even in the one case that the jury came back with an acquittal, the trial of Rebecca Nurse, the court sent the jury back to reconsider the verdict. The second time around, the jury found Nurse guilty.) You'll face spectral evidence--and how do you propose to convince the court that your apparition was not doing all this work on the part of the Devil? Just exactly what was your apparition doing on the night of April 23 anyway?

This approach looks hopeless. You better try another option.

Try Another Option


Donate to Famous-Trials.com: With your help, Famous-Trials.com can expand and update its library of landmark cases and, at the same time, support the next generation of legal minds from UMKC School of Law.

Donate Now