DSR 11 (Revised Sept 85)
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CAVEAT.
In Confidence
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE BILL
TYPE: Draft/Final 1 +
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JUNABI
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LORD PRESIDENT OF
THE COUNCIL
1.
I have as you would expect followed with interest the
progress of your White Paper, which is to be translated
into legislation during the next session. I am aware
that your Bill will contain points which will provoke
searching debate in the House, and I would not lightly
add to the essential core of the Bill or
core of the Bill or to your work if
it were not for pressing reasons.
Enclosures flag(s)
2. The retention of the death penalty in six of our
remaining Dependent Territories has become an
increasingly embarrassing anomaly for us when set against
practice in capital cases in the UK. In these small
colonies there are several murder trials in hand which
will place our Governors in difficulty when they come to
exercise the Prerogative of Mercy. Although the last
execution took place in Bermuda in 1977, it is quite
possible that local circumstances and his own deliberate
judgement will oblige one of our Governors to decide to