Twelve women and two men were convicted of witchcraft and hanged. Connecticut lawmakers passed a resolution proclaiming their innocence.
The decision comes on the eve of the 376th anniversary of the very first hanging for witchcraft in New England, that of Alice Young. A single "witness" could suffice to overwhelm someone, according to Beth Caruso, who co-founded the Connecticut Witch Trial Exoneration Project. "Some people have to change their way of thinking," says Sarah Jack, a member of the project.