TNAG-0604-FCO40-752-Capital-punishment-in-Dependent-Territories-1977 — Page 33

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

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a BV Islander (as in the present case) but the victim was (as in the present case) and if the decision to abolish were to come at a time when the local populace had reason to believe that there would be no commutation. And if there are demonstrations, there is always a risk of violence, though I have no present reason to believe that it could not be contained by local forces.

Provided the Gaston case runs its course, there should be no risk of trouble arising under b) above at the present time. But there is always a risk, albeit a lesser one, of trouble arising in the event of the Governor deciding to commute. However, in the last 10 years or so there has been commutation in three out of four cases and in only one case was there a demonstration (which did not lead to violence). reason at all to suppose that any trouble arising from a local decision to commute could not be contained by local forces.

5. The above assessments relate, of course, to the worst possible situations that might arise; and it is quite on the cards that none of them will arise. A decision by the Court of Appeal in favour of Gaston would, I am sure, be accepted quietly even if few local people would agree with it; a decision to commute, if supported by a majority of the Advisory Committee, would probably also be accepted relatively quietly;

and a decision to commute, not supported by the Committee, might well prove to be little more than a storm in a teacup, especially if it is handled with some consideration for local opinion.

6. I am sending a copy of this letter (but not the enclosures) to Patrick Duff.

cc:

PC Duff Esq (without encs)

WIAD FCO

что

4.4. Lontinu

W W Wallace

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL