LET HIM HAVE IT PART 9

"Let him have it." These words, uttered during a shootout by 19-year-old Derek Bentley, sealed his fate. But what did they mean? Was Derek telling Chris Craig, his psychotic partner, to shoot an approaching cop... or, as the defense contended, did he just want Chris to give the policeman the gun? This film, based on a true story, follows the controversial trial that ended with Bentley's execution -- despite the fact that he was epileptic and severely retarded. (Craig, at 16 years of age, was too young to be killed under British law.) The ensuing public outcry eventually led to the abolition of England's death penalty.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• film

[blade0954]

derek was a bit of a naughty lad,did he deserve to hang?no,may god bless the soul of pc miles,but the wrong man was hanged .anyone interested in this case read"scapegoat" by john parris

[BadgerinSC]

The Houses of Parliament scenes (where the MPs give Mr. Bentley the bad news) were filmed in the same location as the trial scenes: St. George's Hall, Liverpool. The actual trial took place at the Old Bailey, London.

[ephabouyed]

I think the protesters called the wrong person a murderer. It was wrong what happened to Derek but remember Pierrepoint didn't put him there, Goddard and Fyfe did, the blame lays with those two.

[Noodles37UK]

@sohy3010 Pierrepoint or any good hangman would weigh up the condemned, not just officially but often on the sly. It was to ensure death was instantaneous and without unecessary suffering.

[sohy3010]

whats he doing 10:44?

[bobman10100]

it will remain the most controversial case in British legal history.

but to admit a miscarriage of justice nearly 50yrs later shows how corrupt

the system is through and through

[MUFCrich59]

inane rantings about racism, what you all on about, bently was innocent of murder, the government killed him as an example, a mental age of 10, like a witch trial from1400ad

[Beckaaa237]

ARWWWWWWWWWWWW! Him mum didn't know what to do because his mental age of 7 is making him think he'll be fine when he doesn't realise he won't D': xxxxx<3

[anteater181]

@urbanliving3 REALLY?? You are, ACTUALLY, making a 'game' out of which country is the 'most racist'? You have to be THE most pathetic person, I have ever come across.

[StaticJolts]

Yes Derek.....it will hurt, but only for a split second.