Rick Halperin
Fri, 2 Jan 2009 10:07:51 -0600
Jan. 2 ENGLAND: Policeman whose murder led to end of the death penalty----50 years on, 'stark reminder' of dangers faced by cops ISLINGTON's senior police officers have paid tribute to the cop whose murder 50 years ago pushed forward the campaign to end the death penalty. Ronnie Marwood was hanged for killing PC Raymond Henry Summers in Seven Sisters Road, Holloway, in 1958. A further 20 people met the same fate before hanging was finally abolished under a Private Members Bill brought by Sidney Silverman MP in 1965. PC Summers was just 23 and still serving his probation as a new officer when he was stabbed to death by Marwood. Prior to working for the Met, he had served 3 years in the RAF. On the night of Sunday, December 14, PC Summers was patrolling by himself when he came across a gang fighting in the street with axes and knives. The officer, who was 6ft 4ins and considered well able to look after himself, bravely intervened. As he tried to arrest one of the ringleaders, he was stabbed in the back and collapsed. PC Summers was taken to hospital, but was dead on arrival. It was first thought he had died from a heart attack. It was only when his body was being prepared for a post-mortem examination 12 hours later that a single stab wound was discovered. The knife had penetrated 5 layers of clothing and the wound was 4 inches deep. Before long the officers investigating his murder found the knife and identified the suspects. Ronald Marwood, 25, became the prime suspect. He had left his wife and disappeared the day after the murder. 6 weeks later, with his name and picture in the papers, Marwood gave himself up and confessed. On March 19 1959, Marwood was found guilty of the murder of PC Summers at the Old Bailey and, despite a public outcry, was hanged on May 8. Within a year of PC Summers' death, his fiance, Sheila McKenzie, collapsed and died. She was aged just 21, and was buried alongside him. Speaking this week, Detective Superintendent David Miveld, of Islington Police, said: "This is a stark reminder of the dangers officers face when fighting crime and protecting the public, though things have moved on significantly since 1958. "Today, all officers wear stab-proof vests and always carry radios. The nature of PC Summers' death is particularly poignant in light of the current concern about knife crime." Information courtesy of former Metropolitan Police officer Anthony Rae who served at Holloway in the 1980s and is founder and chairman of the Police Roll of Honour Trust charity. (source: Camden New Journal) INDIA: Death penalty for 24 in Bihar in 2008 Altogether 24 suspects were slapped with capital punishment, while 2,141 sentenced to life imprisonment and 574 given by lower courts in Bihar in during 2008. Through speedy trial, till November 2008, 10,409 people were held guilty in various cases. This fact is in comparison to the year 2006 and 2007, when 6,839 and 9,853 suspects were convicted respectively. Besides murder, kidnapping and rape cases, the conviction of the accused in cases relating to the Arms Act also remained satisfactory in 2008. A total of 932 persons were convicted in 650 such cases. Deputy Police Superintendent (prosecution) C P Vidyarthy said in Patna district itself, charges were proved against 1,302 suspects in 638 cases, in which 4 got capital punishment, while 156 were slapped with life imprisonment. Public Prosecutor J P Singh said the result of speedy trial in the year 2008 was satisfactory in Patna district, where 638 cases were disposed of. Only 408 cases were settled in 2007. In 2008, some important cases, involving political leaders having criminal antecedents, were also disposed off. RJD MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav and former MLA Rajan Tiwary were given life imprisonment in the much-hyped CPM leader Ajit Sarkar murder case. On the other hand, JD(U) MLA (suspended) Sunil Pandey was sentenced to life in connection with kidnapping of a leading neurosurgeon Dr Ramesh Chandra. In another much-hyped case, professor Papiya Ghosh murder case was disposed of, in which one accused was awarded capital punishment, while three others were slapped with life. A lawyer was also given two years of imprisonment. An infamous massacre Lahsoona carnage case also ended, in which three people were awarded death sentence. Several kidnapping cases were also finished off through speedy trial, including Rahul, Uttam, Swetangi, Vikrant and Ravi kidnapping cases. (source: Sakaal Times) NIGERIA: 27 death row prisoners drag Lagos, FG, to court 27 Nigerians on death row at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, Lagos have dragged the Federal and Lagos State governments before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, challenging the constitutionality of keeping them on death row for periods ranging from 10 to 24 years. Counsel to the death row inmates, Femi Falana in separate suits filed before the Federal High Court, is challenging the constitutionality of their prolonged stay on death row. The plaintiffs, are meanwhile, asking the court to convert their death sentences to terms of imprisonment as the government has lost the power to execute them having subjected them to mental and psychological trauma for several years while waiting in vain for the hangman. Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suits. Plaintiffs in the suit are Mohammed Jinjiri; Lukman Ajibola; Olatunji Olaide; Taofiki Ojewale; Morufu Yusuff; Moshood Oladipupo; Olusola Adepetu; Sikiru Oyinlola; SGT. Pal Fatoriji; and Lolade Babalola Akingbola. Others are Ishmael Azubuike; Ibrahim Aliyu; Abiodun Odediran; James Ajulo; Mathew Johnson; Boluwaji Ogundare; Semiu Afolabi; Funsho Olanipekun; Musiliu Sulaiman; Wasiu Abass; Adeniyi Ayinla; Asimiyu Babatunde; Olabisi Ogunlowo; Michael Omosumofia; Zuberu Adburama; Julius Awe and Alfa Mukaila Salawu. It would be recalled that civil society groups in the country, have over the years pressured the Federal Government to abolish the death penalty from our statute book, and even the National Study Group on the Abolition of Death Penalty in Nigeria, had also recommended placing moratorium on executions, while the death penalty issue is properly debated. Even the Federal Government had not okayed any execution for some while now, while most of the civilian governors have also been reluctant to sign the warrant for the execution of death row inmates, as a result of pressure from non-governmental organisations and civil society groups. (source: Tha Vanguard)