Sir D Watson
FS Mr Royle
CONFIDENTIAL
DEATH SENTENCES: HONG KONG
1.
•
We have received the papers in the case of Lam Po, the
double murderer. I have shown them to our legal advisers,
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whose comments are attached, and I have also, with Mr Rushford's
agreement, sent them to the Home Office (my letter to Mr Brennan
of 22 October).
2. The Home Office comments are interesting. I have therefore
copied them to the Governor, and have sent him a warning telegram
telling him they are coming, in case he may be on the point of
taking his own decision.
3. In doing so there is some risk of appearing to interfere
thexaniae of
in his discretion; but the Home Office comments are more relevant
to the Governor's original decision on the use of the prerogative
of mercy, than they would be to subsequent consideration by
Ministers in the UK, when constitutional questions would be of the
major importance. Moreover the Governor told me at the time of
the Tsoi case that he expected to be briefed on everything which
happened in the UK which could bear upon his decision.
4. It is too early to consider how the Home Office comments
could affect our own thinking if the Governor nevertheless
decides that the law should take its course.
Among the other
advantages of sending the comments to him now is that he will
/presumably
CONFIDENTIAL