To His Excellency,
Centre
7 JAN 1974
日期
THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG 香港總督閣下
&c.
19
&c.
&c.
The Petition of...LAM Kwok-wah,. Condemned..Prisoner..No....13202,.
呈請人
now
現為香港
a prisoner in Hong Kong Prison humbly showeth that on the 28th November, 1973, the 監獄囚犯 謹陳
appeal of your humble Petitioner was dismissed and he is now a condemned prisoner waiting to be executed for the offence of murder
That your humble Petitioner is seeking for mercy from His Excellency the Governor to save him from this punishment.
That your humble Petitioner is aged 19 years, he is the eldest child in his family which consists of 4 children, ranging in age down to 15 years. Your humble Petitioner's family have always been in poor financial circumstances and in consequence thereof, your humble Petitioner has during his entire life resided in substanded overcrowded conditions in low class areas and because of his environment, vour humble Petitioner became associated with persons of a criminal nature. Your humble Petitioner received education to primary 6 level but because of his family's poor financial circumstances, he was obliged at the age of 14 years to terminate his education and commence work to assist in the support of his family. On leaving school your humble Petitioner gained employment in a menial capacity in a restaurant and was so employed for approximately 2 years. On terminating his employment in the restaurant, your humble Petitioner was unemployed and unable to find work until the time of the commission of the offence for which he now stands condemned.
In the year 1971, your humble Petitioner was introduced to the drug of addiction opium by his friends who were also his neighbours residing in similar conditions to himself and as a result, your humble Petitioner became addicted to the drug opium. The effects of the taking of opium caused your humble Petitioner to become further affiliated with persons of a criminal nature, and during this time he committed a number of relatively minor criminal offences.
In the year 1972, your humble Petitioner was treated at a drug addiction treatment centre and cured of his addiction. However because of his criminal record, he was unable to meet new associates and find any proper employment and consequently continued his affiliation with his previous associates.
Į -
On the evening of this fatal incident, your humble Petitioner went with the other perpetrators of the crime for which he now stands condemned because he was of the opinion that they were only going to have discussions with the deceased and his associates. Before entering the room your humble Petitioner was handed a weapon by one of his associates and he brought this weapon into the room as a precaution against being attacked by the deceased or any of his asso- ciates. Your humble Petitioner did not have the intention of inflicting harm on anybody and did not think that any of his associates had such an intention.
P.D. 21 (7/72)
P.T.O.