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From: mab@daedalus.ARPA (Matt Bishop)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Misogyny (Morley Safer on Burning Brides)
Message-ID: <120@daedalus.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 20-Nov-84 13:05:04 EST
Article-I.D.: daedalus.120
Posted: Tue Nov 20 13:05:04 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 25-Nov-84 09:17:33 EST
References: <37@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: RIACS, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 23

Sunny  ==  >>
Lisa == >
>> ... I don't recall hearing of them burning Warlocks in Salem, only Witches.  
>Actually, there were men accused of witchcraft back then.  Some were imprisoned,
>and one was pressed to death while he refused to speak in his own defense (I've
>forgotten his name and the details of his case that made both confessing and
>denying unchoosable options). 

The man was Giles Corey.  He was probably pressed to death because he refused
to plead guilty or not guilty.

In those days, the law required the accused to plead guilty or not guilty.
The trial could not proceed unless he pled.  If the accused stood mute, he
would be pressed to death.  The reason people in general stood mute was simple:
if you pled guilty, or were convicted, of a felony (and witchcraft WAS a
felony), your property was forfeit and your family was left destitute.  A
lot of people chose not to plead because they figured they'd be convicted
and sentenced to death anyway, and decided to try to protect their families.

-- 
Peace,				+---------------------------------------------+
	Matt Bishop		| Don't look back -- they might be gaining!!! |
	[mab@riacs.ARPA]	+---------------------------------------------+