This so-called scientist was mostly guilty of arguing with “settle science”. He just had to be destroyed in some manner.
There was once an idiotic sailor who claimed that the planet was ROUND and offered to prove it. His claim went against long “settled science” and actually went again church teachings.
He conned a rich old lady out of enough money to sail three tiny ships on a voyage he claimed would be around the world.
The “powers-that-be” of the day knew he had to be eliminated, but hesitated to have him killed. Instead, they gathered at the dock, to cheer and wave the “nut” off on his voyage “around the world”, knowing that the ships would sail over the edge of the world and vanish form history.
A perfect illustration of the sanctity of “Settled Science”