Her Majesty's government keeps it classy
February 6, 2012 9:20 PM Subscribe
Still no pardon for Alan Turing. The latest petition to posthumously pardon Alan Turing for his 1954 conviction of "gross indecency" has been quashed, with the official statement by Justice Minister McNally containing the very interesting logic that:
...The law at the time required a prosecution and, as such, long-standing policy has been to accept that such convictions took place and, rather than trying to alter the historical context and to put right what cannot be put right, ensure instead that we never again return to those times.
One might reasonably ask why this was not an issue five years ago, for a blanket pardon of 306 soldiers convicted of cowardice or desertion. Desertion is still a crime (though not a firing-squad offense). Turing was convicted of something which has not been a crime in England since 1967.
...The law at the time required a prosecution and, as such, long-standing policy has been to accept that such convictions took place and, rather than trying to alter the historical context and to put right what cannot be put right, ensure instead that we never again return to those times.
One might reasonably ask why this was not an issue five years ago, for a blanket pardon of 306 soldiers convicted of cowardice or desertion. Desertion is still a crime (though not a firing-squad offense). Turing was convicted of something which has not been a crime in England since 1967.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Interesting and upsetting story, but editorial commenting by the poster is discouraged for news posts. Maybe try again tomorrow with less first-person framing? -- taz
Now, I am a non-lawyer, a Yank, and a civilian. I am therefore highly qualified to be not conversant with the minutiae of every last detail of the British legal system. Likewise, I do not intend to trivialize the plight of people who received the worst possible treatment for PTSD.
But I feel that "long-standing policy" should refer back farther than just the current government, and it feels a bit dirty that this sophistry should be coming out of one of the Lib Dem members of the current coalition.
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 9:28 PM on February 6, 2012
But I feel that "long-standing policy" should refer back farther than just the current government, and it feels a bit dirty that this sophistry should be coming out of one of the Lib Dem members of the current coalition.
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 9:28 PM on February 6, 2012
The logic seems sensible enough to me. A pardon might have made sense if he had been wrongfully convicted of some crime (say, espionage). In this case the repeal of the laws under which he was convicted implicitly pardons him and everyone else in his situation, as well as recognizes the previous law to be morally wrong.
There might also be the concern that pardoning only Turing would be special treatment --- they'd have to find everyone who was convicted under the indeceny laws and pardon them all, which might be logistically difficult.
posted by Idle Curiosity at 9:32 PM on February 6, 2012
There might also be the concern that pardoning only Turing would be special treatment --- they'd have to find everyone who was convicted under the indeceny laws and pardon them all, which might be logistically difficult.
posted by Idle Curiosity at 9:32 PM on February 6, 2012
I actually said "Wowww" aloud as I read this. Class act.
posted by troublesome at 9:34 PM on February 6, 2012
posted by troublesome at 9:34 PM on February 6, 2012
There might also be the concern that pardoning only Turing would be special treatment....
I know, right? What did Alan Turing ever do that might merit special treatment?
I know, right? What did Alan Turing ever do that might merit special treatment?
The high-level intelligence produced at Bletchley Park, codenamed Ultra, provided crucial assistance to the Allied war effort. Sir Harry Hinsley, a Bletchley veteran and the official historian of British Intelligence in World War II, said that Ultra shortened the war by two to four years and that the outcome of the war would have been uncertain without it.[wikipedia]posted by benito.strauss at 9:39 PM on February 6, 2012
To answer the question posed in the FPP, the article about the WWI soldiers says that the soldiers might have been suffering from shell-shock. The pardon therefore reverses the wrongful conviction, or atleast admits that there was doubt.
posted by Idle Curiosity at 9:40 PM on February 6, 2012
posted by Idle Curiosity at 9:40 PM on February 6, 2012
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posted by dumbland at 9:28 PM on February 6, 2012