Derek Bentley: Miscarriage of Justice

<p>The tale of Christopher Craig (aged 16) who shot a policeman in 1952 in the course of burgling a warehouse, and Derek Bentley (aged 19) who suffered the death penalty for the act his friend committed.</p> <p>In this case the Lord Chief Justice misdirected the jury about the law and appeared to act as prosecutor rather than impartial judge. &nbsp;A public outcry and a petition from members of parliament was not enough to make the Home Secretary commute the sentence. &nbsp;But this case paved the way for the abolition of the death penalty in 1965. &nbsp;It was not until, rather too late, in 1998 Bentley's conviction was quashed.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>