For Executive Council
ANNA
で
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Condemned Prisoners :
George William Puttock Donald David Bassett
Enquiries have been made by the staff of City District Office
in Central and Western where the nearest relative of the victim live,
the condemned prisoners having no relatives in Hong Kong.
2.
Mr. NG Chi-hei, the victim's brother and only relative in
Hong Kong is a police officer serving in the Traffic Branch. He did not
seem to have strong feelings against the prisoners nor did he insist on
the carrying out of the death sentence imposed on them, as he realized
that it has already become a common practice for such sentence to be
commuted to one of imprisonment. His view is shared by his family
members and friends as well.
30
There is no significant public interest in this case but the
sentiments of the kaifongs and C.D.C. contacts are still strong on the
question of death penalty. The consensus remains that the capital
punishment should be carried out as an effective deterrent to crimes of
violence.
Home Affairs Department
25th March, 1977.
JHLH/1kd
famerke
(James H. L. Ho)
for Director of Home Affairs