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Daily Prophet- Wednesday, 13th July, 1955
This morning at nine am, muggle, Ruth Ellis, 28, is to be hanged for the murder of her wizarding lover, David Drummond Moffat Blakely,25.
This verdict has brought much debate to both the muggle and wizarding world as to whether the death penalty should be retired. It has also sparked much debate as to where the woman should have been tried. The Ministry is facing much criticism for not stepping in to intervene. Currently wizarding law does not allow for intervention in cases involving muggle defendants.
Ms. Ellis, mother of two, emptied her gun (a muggle weapon) into Mr. Blakely on the evening of 10th April, 1955, killing him, and injuring one witness.
Her trial opened on 20th June 1955 in the Old Bailey’s No. 1 court, preceded by Mr. Justice Havers. The prosecution was led by Mr. Christmas Humphries, and the Defense by Mr. Melford Stevenson. Ms. Ellis was eerily calm through the whole of the trial, and while she plead not guilty when questioned as to what she intended to do when she fired the gun at close range she replied, “It was obvious that when I shot him I intended to kill him.”
Ruth was declared guilty after the jury deliberating for only 23 minutes. No other verdict could have been reached with her admission of pre meditation, and under current law a person found guilty of murder and not manslaughter must be put to death.
She has been quoted as saying, “I am now completely composed. I know that I am going to die, and I’m ready to do so. You won’t hear anything from me that says I didn’t kill David. I did kill him. And whatever the circumstances you as a lawyer will appreciate that it’s a life for a life. Isn't that just?”
Governor at Holloway was forced to call for police reinforcements because of a crowd of more than 500 who had gathered outside the prison's gates singing and chanting for Ruth for several hours. Some of them broke through the police cordon to bang on the prison gates, calling for Ruth to pray with them
There is call for the laws to be changed, either abolishing the death penalty all together or giving greater lenience for case by case judging, which would allow a person to be convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison instead of the now mandatory death.
This has brought much attention to our own penal system over the past few months. As of now our law mirrors the muggle, with a sentence of the kiss delivered to all convicted of murder. Many activist groups are now calling for this to be abolished, with a rally outside the Ministry of magic planned for this morning in support of changing these long held laws. Similar rallies have been held over the past few weeks from opposing groups, who would see Ms. Ellis tried (and set to death) here. The Ministry had not yet issued a comment, but seems hesitant to re-evaluate our current system.
This verdict has brought much debate to both the muggle and wizarding world as to whether the death penalty should be retired. It has also sparked much debate as to where the woman should have been tried. The Ministry is facing much criticism for not stepping in to intervene. Currently wizarding law does not allow for intervention in cases involving muggle defendants.
Ms. Ellis, mother of two, emptied her gun (a muggle weapon) into Mr. Blakely on the evening of 10th April, 1955, killing him, and injuring one witness.
Her trial opened on 20th June 1955 in the Old Bailey’s No. 1 court, preceded by Mr. Justice Havers. The prosecution was led by Mr. Christmas Humphries, and the Defense by Mr. Melford Stevenson. Ms. Ellis was eerily calm through the whole of the trial, and while she plead not guilty when questioned as to what she intended to do when she fired the gun at close range she replied, “It was obvious that when I shot him I intended to kill him.”
Ruth was declared guilty after the jury deliberating for only 23 minutes. No other verdict could have been reached with her admission of pre meditation, and under current law a person found guilty of murder and not manslaughter must be put to death.
She has been quoted as saying, “I am now completely composed. I know that I am going to die, and I’m ready to do so. You won’t hear anything from me that says I didn’t kill David. I did kill him. And whatever the circumstances you as a lawyer will appreciate that it’s a life for a life. Isn't that just?”
Governor at Holloway was forced to call for police reinforcements because of a crowd of more than 500 who had gathered outside the prison's gates singing and chanting for Ruth for several hours. Some of them broke through the police cordon to bang on the prison gates, calling for Ruth to pray with them
There is call for the laws to be changed, either abolishing the death penalty all together or giving greater lenience for case by case judging, which would allow a person to be convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison instead of the now mandatory death.
This has brought much attention to our own penal system over the past few months. As of now our law mirrors the muggle, with a sentence of the kiss delivered to all convicted of murder. Many activist groups are now calling for this to be abolished, with a rally outside the Ministry of magic planned for this morning in support of changing these long held laws. Similar rallies have been held over the past few weeks from opposing groups, who would see Ms. Ellis tried (and set to death) here. The Ministry had not yet issued a comment, but seems hesitant to re-evaluate our current system.