TNAG-0601-FCO40-749-Capital-punishment-in-Dependent-Territories-1977 — Page 64

Mr Murray

CONFIDENTIAL

Seperate submission

RECE

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SY 90. 51

27 OCT 1977

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

REGIS TRY

Acton Taken

N.

Capital Punishment in the Dependent Territories

At today's meeting of Gen 103 it was decided that there would be some dangers in changing the position on capital punishment in Dependent Territories by abrogating the Creech Jones formula. The record of the meeting will no doubt describe

what happened in greater detail.

It was apparently decided that the Secretary of State should look carefully at the current case in Bermuda to see what action might be taken, with due regard to the merits of the case. The Secretary of State would like to see the papers on the Bermuda case. But he would like this issue to be handled with discretion and on a restricted basis within the Office.

The Secretary of State would also like to see Hansard references to earlier discussion in the House of Commons of the abolition of the death penalty in Britain, particularly those which Sir Richard Sharples might have taken part in as a MP. In other words, the Secretary of State would like to see what attitude Richard Sharples himself took to the abolition of capital punishment.

The Secretary of State has also asked why, if the Governor of Hong Kong has agreed, to commute the death penalty in every case, the same principle cannot apply to Bermuda.

I should be grateful if you could let me have the papers on the Bermuda case for the Secretary of State to consider.

13 October 1977

J. Shall

J S Wall

c.c.

PS/PUS

Mr Freeland

CONFIDENTIAL

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