[Ads-l] Investigate quote? "better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent person be convicted"

[Joel Berson]

What is known about "it is better that ten guilty persons be found innocent than one innocent person be convicted"?


The following is from 1693:


"It were better that ten suspected witches should escape, than that one innocent person should be condemned."


Allegedly from Increase Mather, Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits (Boston: Benjamin Harris, 1693), p. 66.  I have not checked.


Joel

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