Buzz
Legal history is filled with strange occurrences, from animal trials to wrongful convictions and executions. Lesser-known are these five instances where individuals were tried after their deaths. Here, we explore the most shocking cases of the justice system taking extreme measures.
5. John Wycliffe
Wycliffe, a 15th-century dissident within the Catholic Church, challenged Papal authority in secular matters. During his lifetime, he spearheaded the translation of the Latin Vulgate Bible into English. Despite his controversial teachings, he was never excommunicated. He passed away during Mass in December 1384. In 1415, the Council of Constance labeled Wycliffe a heretic and banned his works, ordering them burned and his remains exhumed. This order was carried out twelve years later under Pope Martin V, when his body was dug up, burned, and his ashes scattered in the River Swift near Lutterworth.
4. Martin Bormann
Martin Bormann, a high-ranking Nazi official, was with Hitler during the war's final days. Wikipedia notes conflicting reports about his location as the war ended. For instance, Jakob Glas, Bormann’s chauffeur, claimed to have seen him in Munich weeks after May 1, 1945. With no bodies found, a worldwide search ensued, including in South America. In October 1946, the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg tried Bormann in absentia and sentenced him to death. His lawyer argued unsuccessfully that Bormann couldn’t be convicted as he was already dead. [Source] DNA evidence later confirmed Bormann had died before the trial.
3. Pope Formosus
Pope Stephen VI, who was appointed Bishop (possibly unwillingly) by Pope Formosus, faced a tumultuous reign. Formosus had been excommunicated for abandoning the Papal seat and allegedly conspiring to dismantle the Vatican. After being pardoned, he returned to Rome. When Stephen VI ascended to the Papal Throne, he exhumed Formosus' body and subjected it to a trial, known as the infamous Cadaver Synod of 897 AD. Formosus was charged with violating church laws, deceit, and falsely claiming the title of Bishop. Stephen stripped Formosus of his papal vestments, severed two fingers from his right hand, and discarded his body into the Tiber River. Public outrage followed the trial, leading to Stephen's overthrow and eventual strangulation.
This article is licensed under the GFDL because it contains quotations from Wikipedia.
2. St Thomas Becket
St Thomas Becket served as Archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century. He opposed King Henry II's reforms aimed at weakening the clergy's connection to Rome. This resistance led to his assassination in the Cathedral under Henry II's orders. Later, Henry II expressed remorse for his actions. Centuries later, King Henry VIII, who had severed ties with the Catholic Church to establish the Anglican Church, put Becket's bones on trial. Becket was posthumously convicted of treason, his remains burned, and his burial site defiled. Ironically, the Anglican Church now reveres him as a saint.
1. St Joan of Arc
Two decades after St Joan of Arc was executed by rogue Bishops, Pope Callixtus III reopened her case, prompted by her mother Isabelle Romée and Jean Brehal, the Inquisitor General. A nullification trial was conducted by three appointed Bishops, who concluded that a grave injustice had taken place, exonerating Joan. The final verdict in June 1456 declared her a martyr and accused Pierre Cauchon of heresy for convicting an innocent woman due to personal vendettas. Centuries later, Pope Benedict XV canonized her as a saint.
