The Bentley Tragedy: How One Man's Execution Changed the Law | Murder Casebook | Real Crime

It was actually his accomplice who had shot the PC during a burglary in Wandsworth in 1952, but Derek Bentley hanged for murder. His execution would help to change the law.
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[@jetson10100]

10 years for the murderer??? WTF!

[@honorladone8682]

He was adorable with the pets when he was a little boy it's a shame he got injured.

[@sphinxrising1129]

Does not matter who pulled the trigger, as if you was with them, you are just as guilty in the eyes of the law.

[@nmstranger]

from someone that lives in the states in my country you don't have to be the one that did the murder to be charged with murder. You just have to be involved in the crime. If someone dies in the commission of the crime and that is even if the cops kill someone all people involved in the crime can and usually does get charged with murder

[@berits.2346]

That makes no sense

[@nmstranger]

@@berits.2346 That is the law. I am assuming you not an American. The term is felony murder. The felony murder rule is a rule that allows a defendant to be charged with first-degree murder for a killing that occurs during a dangerous felony, even if the defendant is not the killer. Example you r robbing a store and the store clerk or the cop shoots your buddy and your buddy dies. You are charged with murder. So if this happened in the states he would of been charged with murder regardless if his partner did the killing or not and it wouldn't of been any controversy about it.

[@chloed1924]

This reminds me of the use of "joint enterprise" in England and Wales

[@lynncarter4964]

Let 'em have it?? As in "Let them have the gun??"

[@karidennis6154]

If he even said it

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

The police had lost one of their own, so of course they weren't going to let him get off on. What they viewed as a mere 'technicality'. It's the same today if they loose one of their own, then the want to see someone pay for it. Whether or not they're actually guilty is irrelevant.

[@timrutter5025]

Well as history proves a police officers life is more important than any "lesser mortals".

[@berits.2346]

And rightfully so

[@betornween]

It's not about the officer per say. It's about the profession itself being targeted. The same goes for prosecutors, prison guards and judges.

[@skhdrum]

7ft😮😮😮😅🎉

[@veronicajade20]

@@berits.2346 No, not rightfully so. Troll.

[@coreybrown2063]

in the US you and someone can be committing a crime and if that person is killed by law enforcement or the victim of the crime you can be charged with manslaughter/homicide is it also the same in the UK? because as far as you being held accountable if your buddy shoots someone during a crime and you both can be charged is the same.

[@dfuher968]

As I understood it, thats what theyre saying in the video, that poor Bentley was charged, convicted and executed due to that. But also, that it should never have been allowed, as the partnership, or whatever u wanna call it, ended, when Bentley was arrested, which he was 15 min b4 the murder, when he surrendered without a fight. If they had followed the law, Bentley would never have been charged for anything regarding the actions after his arrest. But neither the police, the judge or even his own assigned defense council gave a damn about that.

[@aishalea7508]

what a terribly sad story....

[@jenniferbailey5914]

I don’t believe in the death penalty except for crimes against children.

[@berits.2346]

No, crimes against men and women should also be punished with a death sentence. Why should torturing and killing a child or a man be any different? These days there are much better forensic possibilities to detect the culprit, so I think capital punishment should be reintroduced.

[@renobrandt1533]

That is what governments do. They will NEVER admit when they are wrong EVER, even if it means "sacrificing" an individual who is innocent. Yet the government and the ones who wrongly convict someone walk away RICHER, WHOLE, and Happy. Absolutely SICK. I would Love to be a mouse in the corner when they come before God, and are JUDGED themselves.

[@Sncedayone]

It's because they don't give a phuck! Because it's not their life or their families. So it's easy if it's someone elses,and they are just puppets doing someone else's dirty work. God knows our hearts and they will have to deal with it when they die.

[@akschmidt2085]

@@Sncedayone Comforting fairy stories for adults

[@akschmidt2085]

"The government" are just people. People behave like this. Not defending it at all, it's horrible, but we as a society WANT it like this. We won't tolerate mistakes, human foibles, weakness, we don't want that, that's why our governments behave this way. Cuz they're us. Just sayin😣

[@brianmorgan5739]

Until like the United States Presidential administration of Richard M. Nixon and the Watergate scandal until they are caught proverbially " Red Handed",. Then it is then they go into full apologetic mode and then beg the public to grant them sympathy and forgiveness when in reality it is they that should be granted an appointment with the late Albert Pierrepoint and a date with the gallows.

[@ayalejakka9288]

Hahaha! No funny but being "a mouse" is.

[@cathyritter8445]

Man, he's practically straddling those people. Creepy.

[@ennds4636]

It's making me so uncomfortable!

[@foo219]

Ah yes. Justice for all. Unless you're disabled of course.

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

Welcome to how the legal system *actually* works. If your mentally challenged, poor, a POC. Or a woman who doesn't fit societies image of how a woman should look/act. Then the scales of 'justice' are often tipped against you.

[@millig8980]

I always found it very fascinating how the law reacts when one of their own is murdered compare to a nobody from the public is murdered. Yes I know hypocrisy and discrimination is a standard procedure in human society. Perhaps that is why both me and my dog growl at humans 🤣.

[@betornween]

It's not about the officer per say. It's about the profession itself being targeted. The same goes for prosecutors, prison guards and judges.

[@JiveDadson]

I am more interested in the dangers of beer shampoo.

[@saiyanbrat5174]

LOL 😂 I read comments first and I was like why is this so random 😂

[@kuldipdhiman]

The series is excellent but I don't understand why enactments have been shot out of focus. It is irritating.

[@md9971]

25:25 "State representation didn't want to anger the judge" 🥴

[@RickyL305]

This case really disturbed me many many years ago.

[@tarstarkusz]

WHY? He deserved to hang. It's an open and shut case of felony murder. This is still the law today even America. Basically every state has a felony murder law. If anyone dies from your felony, it's murder.

[@alysononoahu8702]

And now?

[@MothaLuva]

39:26 Ah yeah, that helps a lot and makes things much better.

[@deedee6460]

Sad story

[@Chipoo88]

My heart breaks for the family

[@MothaLuva]

31:48 Definitely.

[@raphaellavictoria01]

First time I hear of this case. My impression: the statement, if Derrick did say it, was not ambiguous in the context. Whether he indeed said it, is indeed questionable. Overall, however, the actual problem was not taking his mental age into consideration. He never should have been tried as an adult.

[@cosmasmutungi8017]

He was 19

[@shari9721]

@@cosmasmutungi8017 he was mentally disabled and only had the mentality of an 8 yr old. He was not mentally competent to even stand trial. The fact that he was hung is absolutely sickening.

[@raphaellavictoria01]

@@cosmasmutungi8017 ...the actual problem was not taking his mental age into consideration. If i remember correctly, the documentary said his mental age was 8.

[@dfuher968]

Indeed, his mental age was 8, which they completely ignored. Also, I seriously doubt, that statement was ever made, but even if it was, it was very ambiguous. It might as well have meant, that Craig should give the gun to the police. Nobody would EVER hang an 8y old for murder, especially for a murder he didnt physically commit and, as I understand from the video, he never shouldve been charged with in the first place, as he had surrendered (without resisting) and been arrested 15 min b4 the murder, hence he could no longer be considered an accomplice to the actions, Craig took after Bentleys arrest, as they explain the law at the time. This smells to high heaven, that they wanted a pound of flesh for the cop, and since they couldnt get the murderer due to his age, they framed mentally disabled guy, who had neither the intellect nor the maturity to understand, what they were doing to him.

[@privateperson5769]

despicable. how did that judge sleep at night.

[@murraycatto1]

Leaves me with serious reservations about the Justice juggernaut. The people entrusted with the criminal justice industry with their superior knowledge and training should be ashamed of yourselves. How many layers of reviews and meetings are there for every one to get it horribly wrong. Should be relegated to the Ministry for Clipboards , chocolate biscuits, belly button lint and bright ideas well away from anything to do with sentencing a man to death based on zero evidence.

[@betornween]

Around 22:44 - 24:50 answers why.

[@iknitbecuzmurderisfrownedupon]

How do we know when a pig is lying? Their lips are moving.

[@drewainge1059]

The verdict is NOT unjust but the law then were unjust. England then has a law of joint enterprise. Whatever is the outcome of a crime you did with another as "joint enterprise" you will be equally as guilty for whatever bad things that resulted from it. Their initial crime is burglary resulting to murder...example, if an established law is death penalty for crossing the street and you still crossed it, the judge verdict of handing you a death penalty is just because it is the law. So it's really about the law and not the verdict. So unless bentley's defence is proving he is not a participant of the burglary, he will be sentenced to death because a policeman got killed. So it's the law in place that killed bentley and not the judge or jury.

[@commoguru]

So how do you explain the other guy only getting 10 years?

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

@@commoguru Unfortunately the law in the UK at the time stated that people. Under 18 could not be sentenced to death as they were 'children'. They also had the view that children could be rehabilitated so the maximum sentence they could give was only 10 years.

[@jeremybennett2168]

next week

[@biaedwards4025]

Thank you...I do have to say the host is great but the forensic "psychologist" is overly dramatic and says nothing that is not obvious.

[@shpresalika1543]

Always Fredd Dinenage 😇😊

[@waynecarrol3415]

Murder by state ?17 years later Australia Ronald Ryan same ( he was innocent) & the only one who showed any dignity that hot February Day 1967 (8 years later the death penalty was removed)

[@sorina9130]

Audio needs work

[@betornween]

Huh?

[@jamesumoh23]

Class system

[@theresarasche3173]

Well England is still getting it wrong!

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

At least they're no longer executing people. So if evidence does show up at a later date they can be released & compensated.

[@louisliu5638]

There's a very strong argument for ALL in the party that do a large crime, that if you are an accessory you get the same treatment. YOU joined, YOU volunteered to do bad things to honest people. And you ARE judged by the company you keep. Sorry, not much sympathy here. HE CHOSE.

[@berits.2346]

He gave himself up and was in the company of apolice officer, mind you.

[@Davids-cc9sn]

Being an accomplice makes you just as guilty...

[@lindykeddie3119]

People are accountable for what they do, not for other people's actions

[@Davids-cc9sn]

@@lindykeddie3119 Your an idiot... You don't even have to be a willing or knowing accomplice. If you're with someone that commits a crime - you're part of it. Even if you had no idea what they were doing. I once gave a guy a ride to town and back. We separated for a little while during the trip. I had no idea he did a burglary during that time. Later cops came and searched my car for a stolen item he hid in my car. I still had no idea. They found it, arrested me, and I think I got more time for it than he did. Not to mention a permanent record. Pick your friends very carefully.

[@dfuher968]

According to the law at the time, as explained in the video, he was no longer an accomplice, once he had surrendered and was under arrest. The murder didnt happen, until 15 min AFTER he had been arrested.

[@ayalejakka9288]

With all due respect to grieving families, I think when a uniformed man/woman is murdered is taking as an attack on the LAW of the land given law enforcement agents are supposed to be human "protectors" of life and property.

[@MAMA-CAMEL.ASS-HAIRYS]

RIP, Derek good man. You are with The Almighty now🙏

[@brokenbutnotgivingup1520]

Sounds like he was given one excuse after another for his malignant behavior. Parental failure also contributed. And the family idolizes him? Dysfunction of mythic proportions.

[@vivianfoster702]

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. The punishment didn't fit the crime. He was mentally challenged, but do you see other mentally challenged people commit bulgaries all the time? An 8 year old understands it's wrong to steal. Was he really "innocent" and bad luck, wrong place, wrong time. Definitely not.

[@monis9198]

it comes with the territory. Don’t be a criminal , period. His fault

[@md9971]

🙄

[@karidennis6154]

Agreed. Death penalty for all crimes, that would put a stop to all those criminals.

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

What part of he had the mental age of an 8 year old did you not hear? He was mislead & manipulated by someone who saw him as. Brainless muscle & the perfect fall guy & who used him as such.

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

@@karidennis6154 The death penalty doesn't stop crime. Early intervention, better education, improved social welfare & police outreach in the communities however does.

[@tarstarkusz]

WHY are they allowing this woman who has never met him to sing his praises about what a good guy he was. Ever heard of felony murder?

[@shari9721]

He wasn't mentally competent to stand trial. Trying him was wrong but hanging him was absolutely sickening of the court and the justice system.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@shari9721 YES HE WAS. IIRC, they said he had an eye cue (I know) of 80. It's not that low. They are overstating it A LOT. To put in perspective, the African American average is 85. We execute people down to 70 or 71, still, to this day. He knew the guy had a gun. That was the main reason the family said they didn't like him, he was fascinated with guns and always carried one. He was committing a dangerous felony. Even today, felony murder is a thing. Felony murder is any death that occurs in the commission of a felony crime. ALL of the conspirators are equally guilty. Most, if not all US states have felony murder statutes.

[@spinrash6000]

Snoop dog is black American what is his IQ

[@tarstarkusz]

@@spinrash6000 I have no idea. Nothing I wrote should make you believe I know the answer to that question. It is a mean derived from 40 million people. You may find this incredible, but that is your ignorance. The 85 number is not in dispute by anyone.

[@karidennis6154]

He was mentally challenged and was under arrest for 15 minutes before the murder occurred. Should have been enough to get him a reprieve. Did you listen to the last few minutes? His own words helped convict him, which apparently were not actually his words.

[@JohnJames-be4qe]

Woke.

[@ayalejakka9288]

It's lugubrious that such a handsome man was taken from this world even though he's so innocent as innocent can be in human understanding. My heart goes out to his wife/mom/family. I want to blame the police and hold them accountable but these people keep vigils while we slept when they also should have been in their beds with their husbands/wives/family and to have a civilian take them out for any reason is lawlessness. I think that's why the police shoot on slightest impulse of a sense of danger/threat to them

[@Chihayamoon]

If he was a womam he would have get life in prison

[@berits.2346]

Mysogenist

[@daviddevlogger]

First

[@mr.constitution]

So sad.

[@sphinxrising1129]

Had he not been out robbing, no one would have died & he would still be alive. Go feel sorry for the officer that was killed.

[@analogalien651]

This parallels Americas Gang cultures and gun lust and gun nuts. Got the heater gives you courage and power , the great equalizer for anyone down and angry.

[@ajaxslamgoody9736]

What political party rules...LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL And they keep voting them in ala Chicago...Mayor Beetlejuice loves ruining a city.

[@analogalien651]

@@ajaxslamgoody9736 you straight dawg? Seem a little… um.. unstable.

[@ajaxslamgoody9736]

@@analogalien651 I'm not your Dawg dog...spell right the next time or I'll tell your 8th grade teacher.

[@analogalien651]

@@ajaxslamgoody9736thought so. Thick skinned.. Dawg dog . Take your meds and sit down.

[@ajaxslamgoody9736]

@@analogalien651 Lay down somewhere punk or I will tell your mommy that you can't spell and are triggered.

[@iknitbecuzmurderisfrownedupon]

Sorry, the pigs sign up for the job. They know the territory.

[@hassanali9886]

May Allah make the Quran easier for you young sister 👏🏿 in sha Allah..!

[@missymarie2698]

Holy cow, I had no idea hangings were still being done in the 50’s!

[@timrutter5025]

Rith Ellis the last Women to be ( in my opinion wrongly) hanged 1955.

[@nmstranger]

Last hanging execution happened in 1996 in the United States and last one beheaded by guillotine in France was 1977

[@ado2001]

Same, in my opinion i think hanging is worse than electric chair.

[@missymarie2698]

@@ado2001 oooo, idk about that. Probably because I had a nightmare one time that I got shocked, and it went through to my fillings (metal at the time) and fingernails. I have no idea where my mind pulled that from but it was freakin HORRIBLE.

[@missymarie2698]

@@ado2001 speaking of which, have you heard of that guillotine one where they said that whoever was in the line, would want to go first because the blade got dull as time passed?! 🤢

[@azls73]

Sad stories I'm glad i click this stories !! 🥲🥲