Connecticut acquits 12 people convicted centuries ago of witchcraft

The Senate of the U.S. state of Connecticut has acquitted 12 peopleincluding nine women, accused and convicted centuries ago. for witchcraft practicesof which eleven were executed.

The vote was resolved by 33 votes in favor to one vote against and for the descendants of the victims it has been a case of historical justice, although the approved resolution dilutes the forcefulness of an initial draft by replacing “exoneration” -that is, the demonstration of innocence- with “acquittal“-lack of evidence to establish guilt- of the victims.

The vote has practically coincided with the 376th anniversary of the first execution for witchcraft in the original 13 U.S. colonies: the 1647 hanging of Alice Youngthe beginning of decades of executions and relentless persecution of women.

“It is the right thing to do. To move forward it must be said that we were wrong and we have to do penance for what happened in our state,” Democratic Senator Matt Lesser has said in comments picked up by the Connecticut Mirror.

His bench colleague, Saud Anwar, has reminded descendants that they have been experimenting for decades now “a generational traumaand they want to put it behind them”.

The only senator to vote against the resolution last Thursday night, Republican Rob Sampson, has argued that he opposed it because he doesn’t see the legislature’s job as being to re-litigating cases that have been centuries past. “What do we do next year, deal with the case of Attila the Hun?” he has lamented.