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Times dead people were put on trial

History’s courts didn’t always let death stand in the way of punishment

Times dead people were put on trial
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StarsInsider
16/10/2025 11:00 ‧ 10 hours ago | StarsInsider

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History

Throughout history, justice hasn’t always ended with the grave. Across centuries, corpses and reputations have been dragged into courtrooms for crimes real, imagined, or politically convenient. These macabre posthumous trials reveal as much about the living as they do about the dead: showcasing power struggles, religious zeal, and shifting ideas of justice.

From popes on trial to mummified traitors hanging from gibbets, these are the most astonishing cases where death was no defense. Click on to uncover their stories.

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