On the 59th anniversary of her execution, Nora
Parham was posthumously pardoned.

by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 9, 2022
On Wednesday, June 5, 1963, at 8:00
a.m., Nora Parham was executed at the
old Belize Central Prison on Gaol Lane,
and on the 59th anniversary of that
wrongful execution by the state, she was
posthumously pardoned.
Parham was the only woman to be
hanged in Belize’s history after she
pleaded not guilty to the charges of
setting her abusive common-law
husband, Ketchell Trapp, on fire in their
family latrine—an incident which Trapp
himself had admitted was not Nora’s
fault before passing away.
And 59 years later, she was
posthumously pardoned in Belize City
in a ceremony attended by several
government officials, along with her eight
sons.
“Today, the family looks at this event,
having sad and painful memories, but with
great joy. It speaks volumes in favour of
concern and needed action for relief and
protection of abused women and victims
of domestic violence. Every major town
in Belize should have some place, man,
with personnel that take these issues
seriously and take it compassionately.
Where each case is recorded and
appropriate action is taken. We have
heard the government’s sentiment and
desire to make these issues a priority;
we are proud to be associated with this,”
stated Harold Parham, son of Nora
Parham.
During the ceremony, Prime Minister
of Belize, Hon. John Briceño, gifted
Harold Parham the Belizean National
Flag in honor of his mother.
To make the pardoning official,
Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie read the
legal instrument which put into effect the
pardon in the absence of Governor-
General Froyla Tzalam.