واتو
CONFIDENTIAL
Minister
242
Secretary of State.
299
Flag A
Flag
240)
(202)
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Mr Youde
Sir D Wayson
PS/Mr Rate:
71/12.
PS
This could be yet
another
bas one.
I kamile la dept
Under Sec's advice
night. H.R.
HONG KONG
Miss Kelfs
t see
A
13/12
Ithili
Jh.
in fendy
The AB-H.
Telegan to seputed. Mar
સં
The Governor has now informed us (Hong Kong telegram no408)
DEATH SENTENCES:
1.
But
that the double murderer Lam Po will be reprieved. But at the
same time he makes it clear in Hong Kong telegram no. 1409 that
he expects to have to reject the petition of Leung Ping-fat.
2. This is another case of murder in the course of a gang
robbery. The petitioner and the other accused confessed.
the confessions of the others were rejected, leaving only the
accused, who had agreed that he had done the killing. At his
trial he tried to deny his confession. There was also a question
of a possible defence of provocation or self-defence which the
Judge did not leave to the Jury. On appeal Leung Ping-fat, or
his advisers, concentrated on this technical question. The
Court agreed that it was a borderline case but were influenced
by the fact that he had not pleaded either of these defences
at his trial.
3. After I had discussed this with the Governor when he was
here during the summer he agreed (Hong Kong telegram no. 1123)
that although this was a difficult case he would commute, partly
on this technical ground and partly because of a doubt about
the reliability of the confession.
the
CONFIDENTIAL
14.