A direct descendant of Mary Sanford, hanged 1662 in Connecticut for crimes of “witchcraft” is working for her (and 10 other Connecticut “witches”) exoneration. The twist in the story is that Debra Avery (granddaughter 8 generations removed) is a modern Pagan.

“Avery considers herself pagan, and that also adds to her interest in the case. She has fun with the popular image of witches – a sign outside the side door of her Washington, Conn., house reads “The Witch Is In” – but is concerned about how people perceive paganism – loosely a less organized relation to Wicca. ‘There are people out there who consider themselves witches, but it has nothing to do with what they thought was going on back then,’ she says. ‘And it certainly doesn’t have anything to do with familiarity with Satan.’”

Unlike Massachusetts and Virginia who have pardoned the men and women accused and executed for witchcraft Connecticut officials don’t see the need for pardons, and have avoided the subject as the state readies itself for a gubernatorial election.

“Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s spokesman Judd Everhart, though, says the matter of pardoning accused witches just isn’t within the governor’s purview. That would be the state’s Board of Pardons and Paroles, he says. Gregory R. Everett, chairman of that board, says he would have to get a legal opinion, but is skeptical that his board has the power to posthumously pardon anyone – let alone those executed so long ago.”

A spokesman for Rell’s challenger John DeStefano, fishing for votes, hints that he might be more open to the issue than Rell but since he’s trailing badly in the polls I wouldn’t hold my breath for that outcome.

Since Avery began her quest she has been covered by the Wall Street Journal and the BBC. The publicity has helped her form a larger group working towards the quest of exoneration. But it remains to be seen if the Pagan descendant* of a falsely accused Christian woman can set the record straight.

* Speaking of ancestors and descendents, there is a new Pagan blog by a descendent of the Salem witch-craze called “Stars For Eyes”. It should be interesting to hear her opinion on this story.

Tags: Paganism