·SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST 16 MAY 1473
The Queen
commutes
Tsoi's sentence
The Queen has commuted the death sentence on condemned murderer. Tsoi Kwok-cheong, to one of life imprisonment.
The conditional pardon was announced at 6 pm yesterday 3 month after Tsoi made his petition to the Queen for mercy.
Last night a barrister-at-law. Mr Francis Eddis, who defended Tsei during the trial and helped him draft the petition, disclosed the outline of the petition which had saved the convicted murderer from the callows5.
In the petition.Tso told the entire truth of the killing for which he was convicted by the trial court. explained why he had denied during the trial that he was not present at the scene of the crime. admitted as a result he had committed perjury and said "he was som for raving done so. Mr Eddis said'
Members of the legal profession, religious, community and civic leaders, workers, housewives and students reacted with mixed feelings to the Queen's mardon,
A leading barrister. Mr Miles Jackson-Lipkin, said: “I am very relieved because it had saved the Hongkong Government from an act of folly which endangered its authority and reputation.
"However, any murders committed after last month can "expect properly to be dealt with by enforcement of the death penalty, which I heartily support - unless, of course, there are any special circumstances to justify any exercise of mercy."
Mr Jackson-Lipkin said “in fairness to the Governor. I think 1 should point out that in Tsoï's petition to the Queen, he told the truth, whereas he had told the trial court, the Appeals Court and the Governor a pack of lies.
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"The only people who knew the truth were the police, his counsel and the Queen."
Mr Jackson-Lipkin was among 71 leading Hongkong lawyers. university dons, journalists, businessmen and church leaders. including Bishop Gilbert Baker and Bishop Francis Hsu. who
peitioned to the British Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Alec Douglas-Home to save Tsoi.
Asked to comment on the pardon. Bishop Baker said he was gad and his views were the same as of the petition to Sir Alec.
In the petition. among the points stated was: "The coincidence
of the Governor's decision not to commute this particular death sentence with the much beraided anti-crime campaign and the proposals of the Government to withdraw a very large category of cases from the benefit of the trial by jury is, to say the least. very disturbing.
However much that some may consider Mr Tsoi should bang, we cannot believe it is right that it should appear that he is to die as an introductory step to the measures we have mentioned."
(Cont'd on Back Page. Col. 4)
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Death penalty
in Ireland abolished
London, May 15.
The House of Commons today voted to abolish the death penalty in Northern Ireland where murder daily stalks the streets. Britain's Administrator in the bloodied province insisted execution was not an effective deterrent. -*-
The anti-hanging vote of 253- 94 was produced on a free vote. with members voting according to conscience and not on party lines. The maximum penalty will now be life imprisonment.
to
Only one of the 12 Northern Ireland members of the Commons. Mr Robin Chichester-Clark, voted retain the death penalty. Ministers said privately that the small pro-hanging vote had apparently removed
capital punishment as an issue in British politics for at least a generation.
Hanging was abolished in Britain seven years ago but retained in Northern Ireland for murders of police. prison officers and soldiers on security duty. The last execution there
Killer saved from gallows
(Cont'd from Page 1) From the students who had said "Tsoi's case was publicity for the anti-crime campaign." the President of the Hongkong University's Students' Union. Mr Chan Yuk-cheung, said Government should review the judiciary system and not aim at individual cases.
The President of the Chinese University Students' Union. Mr Lao King chuen, said the issue was noted a man who had been convicted of murder and that he should be hanged. The issue I was one of total responsibility
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which should be borne by the society itself.
Two Urban Courors. Mr Charles Sin and Mr Edmund Chow, said it was unfortunate that the pardon had come at the time of the and-crime campaign but they believed the Queen had acted on the merits of the case.
Mr Sin stressed that the death sentence cold be the greatest deterrent to rising crime in Hongyong Cling an example he said a mould-be killer who knew he would hang if he kills might be deterred
from striving the fatal blow and fe fe of an innocent man might be saved.
The President of the Hongkong Joint Kaifong Research Council M: Yan Chi- xit criticised Britain for interdaning with the Hongkong administration in its decision refaming to the Govemer's reflask to cor mute Tsoï's death
He said the pardon from the Queen would psychologically affect the publ1 reaction to the
time campaign.
for killing a police officer was in 1944.
The British Administrator in the Province. Mr William Whitelaw. two months ago commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence оп 3 Protestant convicted of killing a policeman.
Several suspected members of the Irish Republican Army await trial on capital charges but any death sentence is now completely ruled out.
The abolitionist victory was widely expected. It reflected, a similar vote last month which defeated a bid to bring back capital punishment in Britain. AP.
Mechanic executed
Taipei. May 15.
A mechanic was executed in Taipei penitentiary today for killing his boss. who sacked him last February.
A lone executioner shot the condemned man. Yung Pao-yu.
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