3
The two men, almost certainly joint killers, were freed. At
once there were unusual pressures. I had to restrain the BVI
Chief Minister and his colleagues from seeking to petition the
unseating of a High Court Judge. The community too were angry.
That night, to avoid provocation, a deliberate decision was made
to under-police rather than over-police. Luckily it came off,
and tension faded.
5. Perhaps one day some historian may look at it all. The
last hanging in the BVI was less than a decade ago and long
after the end of capital punishment in Britain:
indeed 36 years
after the last execution in the BVI. Moreover, on the 1972
occasion, there may well have been some miscarriage of justice.
Strangely, the 1969 FCO memorandum, with its comprehensive
guidance on capital punishment issues, was not then held here.
The man hanged was a Virgin Islander. Recent capital cases have
involved outside West Indians, known locally as "down-islanders".
Within the British Virgin Islands there is much latent hostility
towards these people and, in this latest case, feeling certainly
ran very high against the two Vincentians involved. Lavity
Stoutt, the Chief Minister, who had nailed his colours to their
execution, passionately asked "why only Tortolians get the rope?".
Our hypothetical historian may wonder about Parliament and
Ministries in London permitting the continuation of a death
penalty in miniscule Dependencies so long after the practice ended
in Britain. In fairness, I see the minefields surrounding the
issue. And more than recognise that none are blessed with
monopoly in moral or indeed any other judgement. However, after
a longish period of close contact with the problem, my own
views crystallised. Within my term, I would have done whatever
was required. But, to end this longish story of coming and
going (and of crime and punishment), I could hardly have
reservation on hanging and extend as Governor.
/LAW AND ORDER
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