Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

The hangman and the electric chair - Part 2

By Bernie Matthews - posted Friday, 29 July 2005


The wrongful imprisonment of an innocent person is a grave miscarriage of justice. But the execution of an innocent person is an irrevocable miscarriage of justice. There is no reprieve from the grave.

In February 1955, British Home Secretary Chuter Ede revealed the weight of that responsibility when he addressed the House of Commons on the death penalty in the Timothy Evans case:

I was the Home Secretary who wrote on Evans' papers "the law must take its course".

Advertisement

I think that the Evans case shows, in spite of all that has been done since, that a mistake was possible and in the form of which a verdict was given in a particular case, a mistake was made.

I hope no future Home Secretary, in office or after he has left office, will ever have to feel that - although he did his best, although none would wish to accuse him of being either careless or inefficient - in fact he sent a man who was not guilty, as charged, to the gallows.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. Page 3
  5. All

Article edited by Virginia Tressider.
If you'd like to be a volunteer editor too, click here.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

2 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Bernie Matthews is a convicted bank robber and prison escapee who has served time for armed robbery and prison escapes in NSW (1969-1980) and Queensland (1996-2000). He is now a journalist. He is the author of Intractable published by Pan Macmillan in November 2006.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Bernie Matthews
Related Links
On Line Opinion - The hangman and the electric chair - Part 1

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Bernie Matthews
Article Tools
Comment 2 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy