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CONFIDENTIAL
MEMORANDUM
Secretary of State
CABINET
MINISTERIAL GROUP ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
IN THE DEPENDENT OVERSEAS TERRITORIES
MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
References:
GEN 103(77) 1st Meeting. GEN 99(77) Note by Officials.
13 October 1977
7 October 77
1. In GEN 103 on 13 October we decided that a general change in policy concerning capital punishment in the dependent overseas territories while a particular case was outstanding might be disadvantageous. We agreed on the desirability of a change in the present policy but wished to give further consideration to how and when such a change might most appropriately be made.
2. In view of that decision, and since there were no grounds to believe that a miscarriage of justice might take place in the Bermuda cases if the sentences were carried out, I had no alternative but to advise The Queen not to intervene in the executions of Messrs Tacklyn and
Burrows.
3.
Ministers will be aware that the executions duly took place on 2 December 1977 and that they were followed by public disturbances in Bermuda. These led the Governor to impose a curfew and, as a precautionary measure, to call for troop reinforcements from Britain. I outlined the events leading to this situation in my statement to
Parliament of 5 December.
4. In Britain the executions aroused considerable
CONFIDENTIAL