individuals convicted of crimes who were heroes

 Here are several notable examples of individuals who were initially convicted of crimes but later came to be regarded as heroes:

Joan of Arc

• Joan of Arc was a French peasant woman who led French forces against the English during the Hundred Years' War in the 15th century.
• She was captured by the Burgundians, allies of the English, put on trial by pro-English clergy, and convicted of heresy in 1431. She was burned at the stake at the age of 19.
• However, Joan of Arc later became a celebrated French folk heroine and was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint in 1920, over 500 years after her execution.

Sacco and Vanzetti

• Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian-American anarchists who were convicted of murdering two men during an armed robbery in Massachusetts in 1920.
• Their trial was controversial, with allegations of bias against their anarchist political views and Italian immigrant status.
• Despite worldwide protests over their convictions, Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in 1927. They later became celebrated icons of the labor and anti-establishment movements.

Nelson Mandela

• Nelson Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa who was convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the state in 1962 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
• He served 27 years in prison before being released in 1990 amid growing domestic and international pressure on South Africa's apartheid government.
• Mandela went on to become South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994 and is widely revered for his leadership in ending apartheid and promoting racial reconciliation.

Mahatma Gandhi

• Mohandas Gandhi, known as Mahatma Gandhi, was a key leader in India's independence movement against British colonial rule in the early 20th century.
• He was arrested and convicted multiple times by British authorities for acts of civil disobedience and sedition.
• Despite his criminal convictions, Gandhi pioneered the philosophy of non-violent resistance and is celebrated globally as one of history's most influential political and spiritual leaders.

So while initially convicted as criminals, these figures were later vindicated and their principled struggles against injustice and oppression earned them heroic status over time.