TNAG-0722-FCO40-920-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 115

HKG 380/1

C Bagnall Esq

10 Lennox Gardens

RALE

CROYDON

Surrey

INDEX

thas

MKG 38671

- 3 MAY 1978

3.51

ALGISTRY

.c.ion Taken

2 May 1978

No

451 Se

6220

Thank you for your letter of 19 April about the after- math of the executions in Bermuda.

It is certainly true that in reaching a decision in this case our Ministers had to balance conflicting moral and political arguments, and indeed legal and constitutional ones as well. I am sure they would accept that the answer was not clear-cut and that other people might well have reached a different conclusion. I can only ask you to believe that the decision was not taken lightly, and that the course that was adopted was the one which Ministers, after weighing up all the factors, believed was in the best interest of the majority of the population of Bermuda.

I really am sorry to have to repeat that I am not free to give you details of the steps that are being taken following discussions of the events of last December and their consequences. These are confidential ministerial discussions and Ministers have decided that it would not be appropriate for them to be made public at this time.

Xhenne

сорту

this, and

previous letters to in Sullivan, WIAD

See (234)

JA B Stewart

(227)

Then

pu

23/5