Letter: Innocence, justice, compassion and judicial killing
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: You were right to describe the execution of Derek Bentley as 'one of the most deplorable judicial killings of the post-war period' (leading article, 2 October).
It is equally deplorable that, in 1992, the words of Francis Bacon are still unheeded by a legal system that purports to embrace the principle of impartiality in arriving at its judgments.
'Revenge,' wrote Bacon, 'is a kind of wild justice which, the more Man's nature runs to, the more ought Law to weed it out. For the first offence doth but offend the Law; the second offence putteth the Law out of office.'
Yours sincerely,
ROY SMITH
Bourne End, Buckinghamshire
3 October
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments