Massachusetts Senate Exonerates 'Last Witch' Of US Sentenced To Death In 1693 - Senator

Massachusetts Senate Exonerates 'Last Witch' of US Sentenced to Death in 1693 - Senator

Massachusetts lawmakers have cleared the name of the "last witch" of the United States, Elizabeth Johnson Jr., who was sentenced to death during a witch trial back in 1693, State Senator Dian DiZoglio said on Thursday

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th May, 2022) Massachusetts lawmakers have cleared the name of the "last witch" of the United States, Elizabeth Johnson Jr., who was sentenced to death during a witch trial back in 1693, State Senator Dian DiZoglio said on Thursday.

"The @MA_Senate (Massachusetts Senate) has PASSED legislation to clear the name of 'Last Witch' Elizabeth Johnson Jr. This wouldn't have been possible without @NAMiddle (North Andover middle School) teacher Carrie LaPierre and her amazing civics class, whose hard work was essential to its filing," DiZoglio said in a tweet.

It took 329 years to exonerate the woman who was accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death but never executed or pardoned. She was the only person who was convicted during the infamous Salem Witch Trials and who has never been exonerated even after those convicted started petitioning to have their name cleared starting in 1702, DiZoglio said during her speech on the state Senate floor.

"By the end of 1711, all of them (convicted of witchcraft) had been exonerated, except for one, Elizabeth Johnson, Jr. Why she was not exonerated is unclear, but no action was ever taken on her behalf by the General Assembly or the courts and it was said that this was possibly the case because she was neither a wife nor a mother, and therefore not considered worthy of having her name cleared," DiZoglio said.

The legislation has been passed as an amendment to the Senate budget filed by DiZoglio after a civics-class at North Andover Middle school decided to stand up for the woman.