THE EDITOR, Sir:

There has been and continues to be, this debate about whether hanging persons convicted of murder will eventually decrease our murder rate every time crime gets on our nerves.

Have we, who are recommending such a cure analysed carefully our situations before jumping to conclusions. Have we seen on many occasions the botching that goes on with cases before the court? A member of the force fabricating evidence, a few lawyers building a case full of untruths because they are being paid to protect that client or, put it this way, to make their client go free, as it goes most of the time, instead of making sure their rights are not trampled on.

There is the possibility of a convicted person serving time could be vindicated from the possibility of fresh evidence pointing to someone else. Given that this possibility has emerged in other countries then we should approach seriously this hanging debate.

Can we live with ourselves after knowing that we may have killed the wrong person? And if the authorities should discover that of wrongful hanging, then what would we do with the evidence that points to the right person. Sweep it under the carpet?

I am, etc.,

WINSTON McLEAN

winston_george2@yahoo.com.