TNAG-0602-FCO40-750-Capital-punishment-in-Dependent-Territories-1977 — Page 119

Flag A

Flag B

Secretary of State

Rupert Ezra Nairn

82

Problem

To arrange the removal from the Bahamas to a prison in

the United Kingdom of the above named prisoner, whose sentence

of death has now been commuted.

Recommendation

I recommend that the Secretary of State should sign both

copies of the Order of Removal (Flag A) under the provisions of Section 2(d) of the Colonial Prisoners Removal Act, 1884 (Flag B)

Background

Rupert Ezra Nairn was convicted and sentenced to death by

the Supreme Court of the Bahamas in October 1968 for the murder

of a prison officer. He petitioned the Queen for a reprieve;

and you decided that you could not recommend to the Queen that

the law be allowed to take its course. The Government of the

Bahamas were unhappy at this decision, but as a result of the visit to Nassau by Sir Arthur Galsworthy and Sir James McPetrie,

the Bahamas Advisory Committee have now recommended to the

Governor that Nairn should be reprieved on compassionate

grounds; we have now heard that the Governor has granted the

reprieve.

2. The Home Secretary has agreed that Nairn can be received

in a prison in the United Kingdom, and, because of feeling

in the Bahamas, it is important that he should be removed as

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