Flag A
Flag B
Secretary of State
Rupert Ezra Nairn
82
Problem
To arrange the removal from the Bahamas to a prison in
the United Kingdom of the above named prisoner, whose sentence
of death has now been commuted.
Recommendation
I recommend that the Secretary of State should sign both
copies of the Order of Removal (Flag A) under the provisions of Section 2(d) of the Colonial Prisoners Removal Act, 1884 (Flag B)
Background
Rupert Ezra Nairn was convicted and sentenced to death by
the Supreme Court of the Bahamas in October 1968 for the murder
of a prison officer. He petitioned the Queen for a reprieve;
and you decided that you could not recommend to the Queen that
the law be allowed to take its course. The Government of the
Bahamas were unhappy at this decision, but as a result of the visit to Nassau by Sir Arthur Galsworthy and Sir James McPetrie,
the Bahamas Advisory Committee have now recommended to the
Governor that Nairn should be reprieved on compassionate
grounds; we have now heard that the Governor has granted the
reprieve.
2. The Home Secretary has agreed that Nairn can be received
in a prison in the United Kingdom, and, because of feeling
in the Bahamas, it is important that he should be removed as
/quickly
{