ef.: HAD 210/63 V
Report of the Regional Secretary (H.K. & K.)
on Condemned Prisoner
Staff of the CDO (Central & Western) and DO(Shatin) have consulted the prisoner's and victim's nearest relatives, neighbours and a number of community leaders in their respective districts. The respondents' views and attitudes towards the case in particular, and the general question of capital punishment, are summarised below :
(a)
(b)
They are very sympathetic towards the prisoner and describe him as a very well-behaved person. They strongly contend that the offence was only committed on the spur of a moment of .. emotional distress' and that the prisoner should therefore deserve à lighter sentence. Probably out of sympathy for the prisoner, they all suggest that the death penalty should be abolished in Hong Kong.
Two neighbours of the prisoner and five members of the Sai Ying Pun Area Committee, comprising a Teacher, 2 Merchants, 2 Clerks, a factory worker and a retired hawker.
The respondents generally feel that the death sentence would be too harsh a punishment for the prisoner who is believed to have acted on impulse in the heat of an argument.
All except one of the neighbours consider that the death penalty should more appropriately be substituted by a term of imprisonment within a range of 15 to 20 years, the fact that the prisoner would have to spend the best part of his life behind bars being a suitable punishment. The odd man out argues that there should be no excuse in any circumstances for a murder where the life
of an innocent youth was taken. However, the respondents unanimously agree that the death sentence is the only deterrent against violent crimes and hence should be carried out in deserving cases.
the father of the deceased
(c) Mr.
and a former police constable
and his family strongly hold the view that the sentence imposed on the prisoner should be carried out in order to compensate for the life of the victim. From his experience in the police force over the past 20 years, the father thinks that only the death penalty would have a real deterrent effect on violent crimes.
/(a)
D