10

This question discusses whether one may attempt to escape the death penalty imposed by a Beis Din for a capital offense. The answer to this question seemed to be that the person should not try to escape.

My question is what the person should do if he is falsely convicted of the crime. Suppose that he knows that he certainly did not commit the crime for which he is about to be executed. Should he attempt to flee?

Community
  • 1
Daniel
  • 24,888
  • 3
  • 48
  • 148
  • See the Minchas Chinuch he brings this exact case if I remember correctly. – sam Mar 13 '13 at 18:37
  • 1
    @sam, for the purposes of not leaving the question unanswered online, would you care to post an answer to the question? – Daniel Mar 21 '13 at 03:55
  • 1
    @sam ...Or at least an exact citation for the Minchas Chinuch. – Fred May 07 '13 at 04:25

1 Answers1

2

See Sanhedrin, ch 6 Mishnah 4, and the following article, 'witch hunt and son's death'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimon_ben_Shetach

Shimon be shetach's sone was convicted of a capital offense falsely, the witnesses recanted their testimony, and against Shimon Ben shetach's wishes for a reevaluation, his son told him that a witness is not believed to recant accepted testimony, and was executed.

The answer to your question, based on this source, is no.