but i just think someone should have noted that angelique was the one who benefited the most here and perhaps questioned that.
Well, doesn't Vicki draw that conclusion - albeit after Ben has already testified that Angelique was the witch. And shortly thereafter Peter gets Natalie to admit to the same. Though, of course, both realizations come way too late to change Vicki's fate...
However, the writers took a stab at explaining it, because even Desmond brought up the Consitution. They said some nonsense about the law being outside the Constitution because it was enacted prior to the Revolution, or some such idiocy. It didn't ring true, but it moved the storyline along, or so they thought.
Well, I don't know how nonsensical it might be, but, as I've made note of in the December 8th's slideshow:
1970: Ep #1162 - Quentin is charged with witchcraft under law 119,
dated the 23rd of April, 1696, which the articles of Maine's statehood
specify the state keep even though it was a part of Massachusetts
at the time so, it *might* have been quite true.
in law, it's whatever law as enacted most recently that counts.
Actually, that's not always true as far too many people have learned that they can be charged with crimes under antiquated laws. So long as the laws are still on the books because no one has had the foresight to actually move to repeal them and have them removed, they're still enforceable no matter how ridiculous it may be to do so. Sadly, throughout history it's generally the minorities that fall victim to them, as, for example, gay people and blacks have been particularly subjected to this practice. And not in any way to make light of that situation, but just imagine what might have happened to Vicki if she had been a black lesbian accused of witchcraft...