an indurdul
Miss Stoddant. W..A.D.. I undiusland that at an Stanley's meciing on 25 Afuil it
your aqued thyl Geographical Defte would ligh bensgature of Mency cases. Thembing Ear Farzing this tok Cory to ul.L.A.D fa action.
RESTRICTED
QUOTALA VERUNT
1.1 yout
DGO 1/1
2. A sulmissan may held, & refer to the last hanging in a D.r. Dan Wing confirm hava b. If not me she telegrafh Bui Deputy Governor's Office
De detailing It to Me Bichland fummalin.
3. I
Tigger fo submission?
HSH Stanley Esq CMG
hs29/4
Foreign & Commonwealth Office W. Willen,
w.brillen
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 74
du.
J. Juster
HRAD K270
April, 1977 3/5/>). JARST ADELYS 553/5 1. speak.
Diy
ap
Advisens
We shall have to wait for
anowar from į
an anower 7A
Drear Harry,
- 3 MAY 1977
нка 3801
Leyal
P/A (we avont Legal Adusen jakes
comments).
J.J.3/5
You will by now have seen, principally from my telegrams no. 60 and Personal 10 of 25 Aphanindy
I proposed telling the Prerogative of Mercy Committee today that I should be accepting its advice that the law take its course in both Burrows' and Tacklyn's cases. I duly did so this morning, agreeing with members that a short announcement shall be made next Monday afternoon (the two prisoners having themselves been informed immediately beforehand), and that editors shall be given an off-the-record background briefing both about the legal position and about the reasons for the decision taken.
2.
You will also have seen from my telegram no. 61 of 26 April that Tacklyn's lawyer has given notice of his intention to apply for special leave to appeal. There will in consequence naturally be a stay of execution in both cases, until the application has been considered
unless his Tawyer fails to take the necessary action to proceed with it.
3.
I need hardly say that I took my decision only after a great deal of anxious thought and that I was unhappy to take it. But the more I thought about the matter, the more conclusive I found the arguments
that :
4.
(a)
a decision to reprieve in these two particular cases would amount to the De Facto abolition of capital punishment in Bermuda; and
1
(b) having as Acting Governor sworn an oath to "do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of Bermuda
I cannot properly seek in effect to
•
"
set aside a recent decision of the local legislature.
You may wish to know that I have today received a telegram from Amnesty International, urging commutation. A copy of it is attached. In the circumstances outlined above I have not sent any reply.
1
14
RESTRICTED AND PERSONAL
Cont'd
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.