Today in History: A Ghost in the Courtroom

On this day (January 23) in 1897, Elva Zona Heaster was found dead at the foot of her stairs. This was originally ruled an accident but her mother, who had opposed her marriage, found her son-in-law's behavior at the wake and funeral to be suspicious. After praying for four weeks on the matter, she claimed to be visited by her daughter's ghost who told her she was the victim of abuse. The body was exhumed and a new autopsy showed that Heaster's neck had been broken, her windpipe crushed and there was bruising that suggested fingers had been wrapped around her throat. A trial was held in which the defense tried unsuccessfully to damage the mother-in-law's credibility by questioning her regarding the ghostly sighting. The husband was found guilty and died in prison three years later. This is the only known case of a ghost's testimony being brought into a U.S. courtroom.