Ruth Ellis's Family Seeks Posthumous Pardon After 70 Years

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Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, was executed on June 20, 1955, for the shooting of her abusive lover David Blakely. Seventy years later, her grandson Stephen Beard is pushing for a posthumous pardon, arguing that her trial was deeply flawed and that she was a victim of a miscarriage of justice. The pardon process has begun, and it is hoped that the application will go before the Justice Secretary, the Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood, this autumn.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ruth Ellis was sentenced to death at the age of 28 for shooting her abusive lover David Blakely.
  • Ellis's trial was deeply flawed, and crucial evidence about her physically abusive and coercive relationship with Blakely was not put forward.
  • Ellis's state of mind should have been considered in light of her relationship with Blakely, who was violent towards her.
  • The gun used in the murder belonged to Desmond Cussen, who taught Ellis how to use it, but the jury remained unaware of this fact.
  • Cussen testified against Ellis in her trial and claimed he would look after her children financially, but he is believed by Ellis's grandson to be an accessory to the murder.
  • Ruth Ellis's family has struggled with the legacy of her execution, with her former husband and son taking their own lives, and her daughter and granddaughter struggling with addiction and shame.
  • The case has had a lasting impact on the law, with the introduction of the defence of diminished responsibility in 1957, which would have been available to Ellis if she had been tried after that date.
  • Mischon de Reya, the law firm that acted for Ellis in her divorce and trial, is now seeking to continue the work of their founder by arguing for her pardon.

Statistics:

  • Ruth Ellis was just 28 years old when she was sentenced to death.
  • The trial took just minutes to convict Ellis, with three weeks later she being executed at Holloway Prison.
  • Ellis's state of mind was not considered in light of her relationship with Blakely, who was violent towards her.
  • The gun used in the murder belonged to Desmond Cussen, who taught Ellis how to use it.
  • Ellis's former husband died by suicide in 1958, and her son took his own life in 1982.
  • The average sentence for murder in 1955 was around 10-15 years in prison.

Sources:

  • The Daily Mirror, "Ruth Ellis's family seeks posthumous pardon after 70 years"
  • A Fine Day for a Hanging by Carol Ann Lee
  • Mischon de Reya, the law firm that acted for Ruth Ellis in her divorce and trial.