10 People Who Survived Their Execution

The concept of time holds great significance in human life, often appearing to have a mind of its own. Occasionally, individuals find themselves condemned to death by their fellow humans, only to have time intervene and say, "Your time is not up yet!" Here is a list of 10 remarkable cases in which people survived their scheduled executions, defying all human expectations.

10. Elizabeth Proctor (1652-Unknown)

During the Salem Witch Trials in 1692-93, Elizabeth Proctor and her husband faced accusations of practicing witchcraft. After a trial, Elizabeth was sentenced to death, but her execution was postponed due to her pregnancy. Her husband was executed, but later, the Governor intervened and ordered the release of 153 wrongly convicted individuals, including Elizabeth.

9. John Henry George Lee (1864 – Circa 1945)

Convicted of murdering his employer, John Lee was sentenced to death by hanging. However, when the day of execution arrived and he stood on the trap door, the mechanism malfunctioned. Multiple attempts were made to hang him, but they all failed. Eventually, the Home Secretary commuted Lee's sentence to life imprisonment.

8. Zoleykhah Kadkhoda (1977)

Zoleykhah Kadkhoda, a young woman in Iran, was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery. During the stoning, there was disapproval from the villagers, but the act continued. Afterward, when her presumed lifeless body was taken to the morgue, it was discovered that she was still breathing. Kadkhoda was rushed to the hospital and survived the ordeal.

7. William Duell (Circa 1724)

At the age of 17, William Duell was convicted of raping and murdering Sarah Griffin in London, leading to his death sentence. After being hanged for approximately 20 minutes, his supposedly lifeless body was taken to Surgeons' Hall for anatomical study. However, a servant noticed he was faintly breathing, and with proper treatment, Duell recovered. Authorities decided to commute his sentence, granting him freedom.

6. John Smith (Circa 1661 To After 1727)

John Smith, charged with housebreaking, was sentenced to death by hanging at the Tyburn gallows in England. As he was being hanged, his family and friends pulled at his legs to shorten his suffering, while others held his feet up to prevent his death. Their efforts proved successful, and the crowd demanded his reprieve. Smith was taken down and later granted freedom. Interestingly, he returned to his life of crime and was convicted three more times before being exiled to Virginia.

5. Anne Green (1628 – 1665)

Anne Green, a domestic servant, was convicted of infanticide in 1650. After giving birth to a stillborn child fathered by the grandson of her employer, she attempted to hide the body but was caught. Sentenced to death by hanging, she was hanged and pronounced dead. However, when her body was handed over to medical students, they discovered faint signs of life. Green received medical treatment and made a full recovery. Her survival was seen as divine intervention, leading to her pardon.

4. Maggie Dickson (Circa 1700)

Similar to Anne Green, Maggie Dickson was accused of infanticide after secretly giving birth to a child conceived through an affair. The premature baby died shortly after birth, and Maggie left the body on a riverbank. She was arrested, publicly executed by hanging, and placed in a coffin. However, on the way to the graveyard, she awoke and began banging from inside the coffin. This unexpected turn of events was considered a sign from God, resulting in her release. Maggie Dickson gained legendary status and even has a pub named after her.

3. Joseph Samuel (1780-1806)

Joseph Samuel and his gang were charged with robbery and the murder of a policeman. During his execution, the rope around Samuel's neck snapped, causing him to fall to the ground instead of being hanged. Several subsequent attempts were made, but each time, the rope failed. The crowd interpreted this as a divine sign and demanded his release. The governor investigated the matter and, responding to public sentiment, commuted Samuel's sentence to life imprisonment.

2. Wenseslao Moguel (Circa 1880)

Wenseslao Moguel, a participant in the Mexican revolution, was captured without trial in 1915 and sentenced to death. Despite being shot nine times by a firing squad, including a close-range shot through his head, Moguel miraculously survived. He even managed to escape from prison and later appeared on the Ripley's Believe It Or Not radio show, displaying the scar left by the bullet wound.

1. Willie Francis (1929 – 1947)

At the age of 16, Willie Francis became the subject of a failed execution by electrocution in the United States. After being convicted of killing his employer, he was sentenced to death by the electric chair. However, during the execution, witnesses reported hearing him scream and protest, indicating that the execution was not successful. It was later revealed that the electric chair had been improperly set up by a drunken prison guard. Willie was given another chance to live, but only for a year. Afterward, he was executed on a different electric chair that was properly prepared.

These stories highlight the astonishing instances in which individuals managed to survive their intended executions, defying the expectations of their time. Time, it seems, had different plans for them, granting them a second chance at life.