The Canton Witch Trials
A village of people crucified. Again. (Opinion Piece)
“History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” - Mark Twain
In other words…
While historical events may have their own unique DNA, similarities and patterns tend to emerge in modern times when we least expect it.
The Salem Witch Trials left a vague historical silhouette of haunting human atrocities on Massachusetts.
It was a time in history SO long ago…
That the story actually feels more like a dark fiction novel collecting dust on a bookshelf with other classics like, Frankenstein and A Tale of Two Cities.
BUT it was real.
And despite our desire to believe we are better humans now —
We clearly are not.
The mass hysteria and mob mentality that put the town of Salem in our history books, has recently reared those similar, reckless patterns in a town called Canton…
Just an hour shy of Salem, Massachusetts.
A short scroll through social media gossip posts and sensationalized news headlines regarding the Karen Read case feels like I’m walking through a crowd of emotionally-charged people holding pitch forks and preaching about the corrupt evil powers surrounding them.
Wild accusations and hatred for a collection of people within the community are thrown around as if feelings and speculations are actual facts.
They’ve labeled LE officers, medics, forensic experts, teenagers, and parents as killers, friends of killers, and bold-faced liars.
There are timestamps and alibis proving these witnesses had nothing to do with the death of well-loved, Boston Police Officer, John O’Keefe…
BUT—
The angry mob has remained steadfast at crucifying them online.
They want them punished, and removed from society. Prison for all.
Meanwhile…
Karen Read, the woman who is actually charged with killing the victim while driving under the influence, has been crowned as some sort of celebrity.
Karen Read’s supporters show up with pink pom-poms to cheer her on, and have tailgate parties while the trial is in session.
While the defendant walks around with a crowd praising her every move…
The mob has treated the state witnesses by lashing out and shaming them.
Including the victim’s family and friends.
A few of the witnesses who’ve taken the largest verbal beatings include:
Colin Albert who was still a minor at the time of John’s death. His alibi is cleared through location timestamps of the victim and himself. As well as multiple witness statements. A photo taken almost two weeks after John’s death shows no injuries on his knuckles that would indicate he pummeled a man to near death.
Jen McCabe is the victim’s friend who was there to help the defendant the morning John was found. Three experts testified that her 2:27 google search in question is actually a “last tab open” timestamp. The extraction report parsed the data, but it needed to be interpreted properly for full understanding. The confirmation was made multiple times: Jen’s google searches were made AFTER John was found. An EMT even testified that Karen asked him how long can someone survive in the cold without a jacket. This is a similar question to what Jen says Karen screamed at her to google at the crime scene.
BUT it doesn’t matter what the experts say…
The conspiracy YouTubers and mass hysteria folks refuse to acknowledge that Karen might actually be guilty.
Officer Higgins who the defendant was cheating on the victim with, offered up all his conversation threads between him and the victim, as well as him and Karen. He did this without even being asked. The investigators had access to John and Karen’s phones as well, so those conversations could easily be checked for accuracy. Although the federal investigation report is not public, we do know Higgins was not fired, nor put on leave due to any concerning findings. The defense team decided NOT to file their motion for “Egregious Government Misconduct” after reading that report. This has not stopped them from alluding to Higgins’ being involved in John’s death.
A realtor recently posted about wanting to put a bullet in witness, Jen McCabe’s head.
Another witness, Caitlin Albert, received a very disturbing YouTube video threat from a man who was recently given a seat in the courtroom with Karen Read’s family.
He threatened Caitlin that her future children need to be watched out for.
Not only are vile comments and hatred continuously spewed at the witnesses…
Sensationalized news headlines and storyline angles have dominated the media without an ounce of care about the impacts this has on the victim’s family and friends.
Let alone the witnesses who are already villainized on a daily basis.
Here are a list of some current similarities that reflect the historical Witch Trial.
I thought we were better than this as a society. I really did.
People have reached out to me sharing their shock and sadness over what’s happening.
But the truth is —
Many are afraid to speak up, and I don’t blame them. The mob is unrelenting, and has proven to go low to silence people. They go for your jobs. They doxx people’s kids. They will find anything to smear your name.
The worst part is they feel justified in doing all of it.
First photo (black & white image) is from the silent movie, Blue Beard (1901).
The two videos towards the top of the article are from unknown sources. If you do know who filmed them, please let me know so I can properly credit them. :)