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HKG 38671
RAZIVED "TRISTRY NO. 51 27 OCT 1977
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
OFFICES
No
REGISTRY CONFIDENTIAL
PA
Action Taken
SL
Private Secretary
Priyet
cc:
PS/PUS
Mr Cortazzi
Mr Rushford
Wh.
(67)
Jurgen for 15/eme ридет
Secretary of State
عتدلها تخين
Gove
Halt
tobe his deaf
What to any
Mr Duff (WIAD) (Strictly personal)
Mr Quantrill (HKGD) (strictly personal)
19/*
هشته
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
1. At the last meeting of GEN 103 on 13 October, the
Secretary of State was invited to consider further the
Bermuda case in the light of points made during the meeting.
As requested by the Private Secretary I submit papers.
2. So far as the constitutional position in Bermuda is
concerned, after the two men were tried and convicted, the
decision was for the Governor, acting after consulting with
Bermuda's Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
A Note on the composition of this Committee is attached.
By a majority of five to one, the Committee advised against
reprieves (Hamilton tel No 60) and the Acting Governor told
the Committee on 27 April that he would be accepting its
advice that the law should take its course.
Thereafter,
one of the condemned men applied for special leave to appeal
to the Privy Council, which meant a stay of execution for
both men. The application was rejected on 6 October and
under the Creech Jones doctrine the Secretary of State now
has no choice, as he said at GEN 103, but to advise The
Queen to let the law take its course unless he can conclude
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CONFIDENTIAL
/that
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.