Quiz Wednesday

The Examination of Sarah Good Salem Court Documents, 1692

Characteristics of “Witch” Trials Pressure of Social Forces/Climate of Fear Stigmatization of the Accused Resemblance to a Fair Trial Simulated Expert Testimony (Does anyone actually know?) Use of Hearsay or Spectral Evidence as Proof Non-Openness of the Court (Guilty until proven innocent) Reversal of Polarity (Plaintiffs in charge) Use of Loaded Questions and Words (1) pressure of social forces: think climate, Indians, disease, personal insecurities, (2) stigmatization of the accused: outsiders are demonized, considered ethically unequal, once accused statements must be self-serving, evasive, dishonest or otherwise unworthy of belief, (3) climate of fear: fear of the outsider, fear of being accused (4) resemblance to a fair trial: certain elements of procedural due process are maintained but those who carry them out bend them to favor the whim and fancy of the moment, (5) simulated evidence: in the absence of material evidence, ‘spectral evidence’ is used, (6) simulated expert testimony: A common participant is the ‘expert witness,’ who claims special knowledge of the crime, (7) nonfalsifiability characteristic of evidence: No matter what the evidence, the tribunal may not recognize even the possibility that the evidence against the accused might be erroneous, (8) reversal of polarity: shifting of the burden of proof from the accuser to the accused - guilty until proven innocent, (9) non-openness: The tribunal is not open to the possibility that the accused could be blameless for the ‘crime’, (10) use of the loaded question technique: A loaded question is a question that entails a presupposition to which the accused has not committed, i.e. “Why do you torment these girls?”

Focus Lesson Transcript Bias Loaded questions Connotation v. Denotation

Transcript A written record of information originally communicated orally such as a: Speech Interview Legal testimony

Terms Bias--A prejudice or mental leaning toward or against some topic, issue or person. Objectivity—a lack of bias, judgment, or prejudice Writers reveal their biases by using connotations and loaded language. Connotation-an idea or feeling that a word invokes Denotation–a word’s literal or primary meaning Interrogators can reveal their biases by asking loaded questions Questions that make unwarranted presumptions or that force a certain answer.

Example of Loaded Questioning Do you think the government should be allowed to steal your money to fund useless programs? Vs. Do you think the people should help fund government programs through taxes?

Other Examples Should concerned dog owners vaccinate their pets? Most Americans prefer to purchase products manufactured in the United States. Do you prefer to purchase products manufactured in the United States?

The Examination of Sarah Good Sarah was accused by a group of adolescent girls of bewitching them to suffer symptoms of convulsive fits, hallucinations, loss of appetite, and temporary loss of hearing. This is the court record from Sarah’s hearing on March 1, 1692. Good was then jailed, tried in court, found guilty and hanged on July 19th.

Sarah Good

The Accusations of Witchery Confess to witchcraft= confirmed witch Deny witchcraft= confirmed witch Confess to witchcraft and accuse someone else of bewitching you= confirmed witch but showing signs of breaking Satan’s hold

Reading Questions for Discussion: Are the questions Sarah Good is asked loaded? Identify the unfair questions. Do the court officials have a fair-minded attitude toward Sarah Good? Why would Sarah Good accuse Sarah Osborne? Why does Sarah Good lie? What does she lie about? How does her lie hurt her case? Why might her husband have testified against her? Why did the officials think the girls were going into convulsions in the courtroom? Why did they really do this?