Man who protested "Bewitched" statue demands trial

[struggle4progress]

SALEM, Mass. - A man arrested in this city while protesting a new statue that pays tribute to the 1960s TV show "Bewitched" turned down a deal to dismiss the charges and demanded a trial. <snip>

Sorrel and others said it crass and inappropriate to put a statue that honors a sitcom near the site of the courthouse where 20 people were wrongly condemned to die during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.

On Friday, Salem District Court Judge Robert Cornetta denied a motion by Sorrel's attorney, Astrid afKlinteberg, to dismiss the charges against Sorrel, The Salem News reported. After the hearing, Cornetta offered Sorrel a five-month general continuance, which would end the case with a dismissal if Sorrel stayed out of trouble for five months.

Sorrel refused. <snip>

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/07312005/south_of/55551.htm

[Taxloss]

1. Good for him.

It's sickening that the site of a religious atrocitity should be turned into a folksy marketing tool for a TV programme.

[ovidsen]

2. Free Speech.

Mr. Sorrel may have a case, if all he was doing was exercising his right to protest.

[polmaven]

7. Sorrel is a local nut.

I'm not usually ready to jump to the defense of the police. but in this case, I have to believe he was causing a disturbance. He apparently knocked a 72 year old woman down as he was elbowing his way up to the front of the crowd to disrupt the proceedings.

This statue, though I think it is silly, is not really the first thing to take advantage of the Witch Trials. Salem has used the Witch City nickname, has a witch, sitting on a broom, dressed in black and wearing a large brimmed, pointed hat as it's logo, for as long as I remember. It is a tourist attraction, and it is what Salem has long been known for.

This statue was debated heatedly before it was placed. Standing and holding a sign, even being vocal is one thing. He didn't do that. He caused harm to an innocent woman standing in the crowd. He has not right to do that.

He has done this type of thing before, though no one got hurt then.

[ovidsen]

16. Why wasn't he charged with assault?

It does appear that Mr. Sorrel isn't playing with a full deck. If he did indeed push someone, why was he just charged with disorderly conduct? I'm not second guessing you; I'm just curious.

I have never been to Salem, but I have read about how people in the town have tried to capitalize on it's history. It seems a little silly to do that, and could be seen as insensitive. After all, people did die in the witch trials.

As long as Mr. Sorrel wasn't pushing anyone around, he (like the town) should have the right to make an idiot out of himself.

[polmaven]

17. Most likely because the woman wasn't really injured,

and the police are trying to keep hot tempers from flaring. he has already been before a judge, who was not impressed with his excuses, and offered him what amounted to a slap on the wrist. He refused it and demanded a trial. I doubt he will fare any better.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. I hope he is acquitted

My 9-great grandmother was one of the victims of the Salem witch trials. I've read the transcript of her trial; I know she was tortured; I know how she died. To celebrate a sit-com is stomping on her memory and belittles her suffering.

[jilln]

4. Those trials had transcripts?

Are they online anywhere?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Yes,

there are reports as to the testimony and what happened. It's been a while since I've checked for them, but I can give you a link that can help you find them:

www.cyndislist.com

This is a compilation of links for genealogists, grouped by subject. Salem witch trials are there.

My ancestor agreed with whatever the prosecutor told her to say, except on one matter-she refused to say her daughter and granddaughter were witches. She was condemned to death but died in the Salem Jail before she could be hanged. The details about flying to the witch's coven and all would sound ludicrous and funny if you didn't realize the context.

[Solo_in_MD]

11. I gather this would be a bad time and place

to admit my wife's lineage includes Cotton Mather?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

13. no

Another ancestor, from another line, was foreman of the jury that convicted Rebecca Nurse of witchcraft. He later recanted and said the jury was swayed by the judges who basically said that Nurse was guilty.

[sandnsea]

8. Here

http://www.17thc.us/index.php?id=12

Bunch of links, and one to the "Salem Witchcraft Papers".

http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/texts/

I didn't know they were online either, followed the Cyndi's List links.

[1monster]

9. Which one of the accused was your grandmother (9 times removed)?

Did you know that John Hathorn, a judge in the Witch Trials was the grandfather of Nathanial Hawthorne? Nthanial changed the spelling of his last name in order to distance himself from his grandfather and his actions.

(A great miniseries starring Vanessa Redgrave was made about the trials. It was called THREE SOVERIGNS FOR SARA. If you haven't seen it, you might want to check it out.)

[arwalden]

5. "Police said Sorrel was elbowing through a crowd and creating..."

<<Police said Sorrel was elbowing through a crowd and creating a violent situation at the protest.>>

Perhaps there's more to this than meets the eye.

I'm all in favor of his "right" to protest, but not to be violent about it. And on a personal note... what a silly thing to be offended at. :eyes:

[mike_c]

10. well, I don't know any more about this than you do, really...

...but I do know that the police usually overstate the case in matters such as these.

[arwalden]

12. ...And The Perpetrators Understate Them.

Even kooks deserve their day in court... it will be interesting to see how this all turns out.

But I wonder...

Did the fellow NEVER watch an episode of Bewitched? Did he NOT understand the message of the show? Sometimes the message was subtle, other times they practically spelled it out ("bigotry, no matther what kind is WRONG").

[roguevalley]

14. go for it. These two are mine:

April 22
Nehemiah Abbott, William and Deliverance Hobbs, Edward and Sarah Bishop, Mary Easty, Mary Black, Sarah Wildes, and Mary English were examined before Hathorne and Corwin. Only Nehemiah Abbott was cleared of charges.

The Bishops. Apparently, they hanged Sarah in deference to her age but pressed Edward because he wouldn't confess. if you confessed, they would take your property. if you didn't, they couldn't.

This one is supposed to be also. I am not completely sure:

June 10
Bridget Bishop was hanged in Salem, the first official execution of the Salem witch trials.

Bridget Bishop
"I am no witch. I am innocent. I know nothing of it."

Following her death, accusations of witchcraft escalated, but the trials were not unopposed. Several townspeople signed petitions on behalf of accused people they believed to be innocent.

[arwalden]

15. What? I Don't Understand. "Go For It"?

:shrug:

[Deja Q]

18. Talk about a witchhunt!

:rofl:

[Ian David]

19. It's cursed. Within 70 years, nearly everyone involved in it will be dead.

Just like King Tut's Tomb.

Seriously though, this is stupid.

Hey, I have an idea...

Let's build a Hogan's Heroes statue near Auschwitz!