Quote ="Mintball"I think that this is a really crucial point.
Because you'd still have to rely on complete honestly in the system simply to ensure that any DNA evidence was correct. And we have enough evidence that the police cannot always be relied on to be completely impartial and honest to know that this could not be guaranteed to be the case – let alone other elements of the judicial system.
'"
In the Derek Bentley case DNA would be irrelevant because the murder was witnessed by police officers who had Bentley already in their custody - its an interesting argument that you can then go on to murder someone when you are already under arrest even before you bring his mental age into it.
The death sentence really was used as retribution back then and had nothing to do with deterrent at all - nor would it be if it were ever to be re-introduced.
