Letter: Derek Bentley's guilt remains
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: There will no doubt be many voices raised against the Home Secretary's decision not to pardon Derek Bentley posthumously ('Bentley's sister to fight on after Clarke denies pardon', 2 October). But we should not confuse the offence, of murder (which is still against the law), with the sentence of death, which thankfully has been abolished for that crime.
Here was a man who was himself armed with a flick knife and knuckle-dusters, committing a burglary in the company of another who habitually went armed with a gun. At the time, on the facts before it, the jury convicted him. The only new evidence is that one of the policemen cannot remember hearing the words 'Let him have it, Craig', which were central to the case. This was no innocent man; the case is not parallel to the Birmingham Six or other genuine miscarriages of justice.
The Home Secretary has said that while there can be no pardon for Bentley, had he been Home Secretary at the time the sentence would have been commuted. This is as far as he should go. Derek Bentley's guilt remains. For if he were to be pardoned, why not William Joyce ('Lord Haw-Haw'), Edith Thompson and many others who were evidently guilty but in today's liberal climate would not have been hanged?
Yours faithfully,
LAURENCE MANN
Twickenham, Middlesex
2 October
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments