The last remaining Massachusetts Salem " witch " has been formally exonerated by the state of matter after 329 years and a drawn-out military campaign champion by an 8th - grade instructor . Elizabeth Johnson was mark a witch during the earned run average of witch - hunting in 1693 along with 29 others , though these have since been acquit . Johnson was then the last official " witch " in the state despite dying many centuries ago , before a late bill legally exonerated her too .
The campaign was led by instructor Carrie LaPierre for over three years , and last year Democrat State Senator Diana DiZoglio introduced legislation to unclutter Johnson ’s name after being inspired by a radical of 13 and 14 - year - olds . Now , Republican Governor Charlie Baker included her vindication in a unexampled budget bill after LaPierre and her bookman put the sound basis for what would be need to fully pardon Johnson ’s name .
Many of the executed mass were assoil in 1957 and others in 2001 . Johnson , who was not execute , was not admit . She is believed to have buy the farm in the mid-1700s and bury an unnoted grave .
The Salem Witch Trials were an infamous series of accusation and execution , mostly of women wrongly accuse of idolize Satan and practicing witchcraft . In just over a class of witch hysteria , over 200 people were incriminate and 30 people were find guilty , with 19 put to death by hanging ; another five die in jail ; and one man refused to plead and go bad by break down in an attempt to take out a confession .
Many of the arrests happened around Salem and Salem Village , and Salem was the county derriere in which the condemnation and executions were made , making Massachusetts home to one of the most notable witch tryout in account .
Of the around 200 people accused , 78 percent of them were adult female . This was due to an inherent belief at the metre that women were extraordinary and more prostrate to Satanist ideologies due to the belief that their bodies were " frail " . The hag trial run were a means to oppress society ’s most powerless , with women bear petty to no power in the religious Puritan residential area .
DiZoglio now believes it is important that such an exoneration is made , as the issue is so closely tie to women ’s rights both historical and present .
“ woman ’s rights are under fire , ” DiZoglio enjoin , reportsCourthouse News . " procreative rights are under attack . ”
