Ruth Ellis | Albert Pierrepoint interview | The Last woman to hang | 1977

Some experts from the Thames TV documentary ‘Ruth Ellis - the last woman to hang’
An investigation into the case of Ruth Ellis, who became the last woman to hang in Britain after one of the most sensational murders of the 1950’s
In these extracts we hear from public executioner Albert Pierrepoint, the Judge Mr Justice Havers, and Christmas Humphreys, counsel for the Prosecution and her defence solicitor John Bickford
First shown: 28/06/1977
If you would like to license a clip from this video please e mail:
[e-mail]
Quote: VT17315

[@postscript67]

This is worth a thousand dramas, reconstructions and present-day self-opinionated talking heads. Here is the testimony of those who were there. Thank you for uploading it. The whole programme would be better still.

[@Sameoldfitup]

“Has it ever struck you that life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quick you hardly catch it going?”― Tennessee Williams

[@davidbrimson83]

Brilliant. Thanks.

[@sandersson2813]

Sentimental crap. Sorry

[@UXB-p5u]

Havers was the trial judge who presided over the conviction of Ruth Ellis for murder in 1955. Ellis was the last woman to be sentenced to death and executed in the United Kingdom. In a 2010 television interview his grandson, the actor Nigel Havers, revealed that his grandfather had written to the Home Secretary recommending a reprieve as he regarded it as a crime passionnel, but received a curt refusal. He subsequently sent money annually for the upkeep of Ellis's son.[12]

[@neilcooper9508]

Pity it hadn't of been myra hindley instead of Ruth

[@twinkletoes.9968]

My sentiments exactly.Hanging would be too quick and painless.The Electric Chair or Gas Chamber would probably make her suffer more.

[@macflod]

These interviews are not so old yet these people seem from a world so far removed for our modern world in 2021.

[@ajs41]

I agree. I was born the year after this was broadcast, which makes it interesting for me.

[@petermortimer6303]

It would probably be clear if the whole documentary was shown but John Bickford did not defend Ruth Ellis at her trial. This excerpt gives that impression. He worked to have her reprieved after she was sentenced. Just a minor criticism.

[@TeddyBear-ii4yc]

Bickford was her solicitor, no? The full documentary is online.

[@demon27dan]

Bickford was her solicitor but didn’t represent her in court. Solicitors do not represent their clients at trial, that’s the role of her barrister, who was Aubrey Stevenson.

[@501sqn3]

If we had the death penalty today, This is a classic example of a murder case that would not have resulted in a sentence of death.

[@katharina6865]

your word in american ears....

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

Like hell it wouldn't. You're living in Fairyland.

[@501sqn3]

@@Khayyam-vg9fw ....Explain 🤔......

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

@@501sqn3 I mean that exactly the same kind of miscarriages of justice would occur under any death penalty regime.

[@501sqn3]

@@Khayyam-vg9fw At that time..... Very likely, ? But not today.

[@octavia2]

Ironic fact; the second last woman to be hanged in Britain lived in the same street that the Magdala pub is on, about two hundred yards from the scene of the Blakely/Ellis murder.

[@rogueplanet1142]

Pierrepont was never the same after he executed Ruth Ellis He would write letters to Ellis' sister for years afterwards and even had his photograph taken, smiling, next to Ruth's grave which is pretty fucked up when you stop and think about it. .

[@kevinbrookes4870]

Yes not sure why he did that. Hanging her obviously had a profound effect on him.

[@adelhartreisig9020]

​@@kevinbrookes4870yep, went straight into his wa.. ba.. and now yours, of course.

[@michaeljames8531]

To those who know, the prosecuting QC was also the country’s foremost Buddhist, at the time, and Christmas Humphreys wrote several incredibly informative books on the subject. I understand too from barrister friends that his one question cross-examination of Ellis, after her answer he sat down and rested his case having proved mens rea and thereby guaranteeing she would get the rope, is still taught as a tour de force in law schools to this day. The significance of the prosecutor’s question, is obviously why the interviewer wanted him to repeat his words verbatim, and hearing him do so in the present is therefore a very striking experience. As is listening to old Tosh proving at the start of this clip just how long standing the British gutter press’s tradition of printing utter lies really is.

[@andrewcrocker-harris4830]

What a heartless robot Christmas Humphreys was, and what a poor Buddhist. I'm sorry that law students are still being indoctrinated with his disgusting casuistry.

[@richardmeier3309]

@@andrewcrocker-harris4830 Too right sir,wonder how much they tell the law students about TImothy Evans.

[@TomRogersOnline]

@@andrewcrocker-harris4830 He wasn't a heartless robot. He was a very humane lawyer and judge, however he had a duty to perform as prosecutor: prove the case. His question was put in a very fair way and allowed the defendant an opportunity of mercy, if she'd taken it. That is why I also don't agree with the poster above that his performance was a tour de force. He makes the mistake of asking her an open question, which is bad practice in a cross-examination. Personally, based on what I know of the case, it seems right that she was hanged. Her actions were premeditated and not on the spur of the moment. It was cold-blooded murder.

[@ellencollins974]

8ii88i88

[@christopherdean1326]

@@TomRogersOnlineAs far as I am aware, she never denied it, knew she was going to hang, and never appealed for clemency. Apart from anything else, there were no less than four eyewitnesses to the murder, including an off-duty policeman who made the initial arrest. Any defence would be a stretch of imagination.

[@colinstewart1432]

Capital Punishment doesn't allow for mistakes.

[@WORLD8NSH5KNIGHT1]

The film Pierrepoint appears to have captured it well- just as the man himself described.

[@santodomingo1605]

In his autobiography Albert Pierrepoint remarks on the inconsistency of public reaction to executions. The penultimate woman executed, Styllou Pantopiou Christofi, unlike Ruth Ellis, garnered no reaction from the press or public and her execution is forgotten today.

[@Purlee100]

If I recall correctly, in his summing up, Lord Havers cautioned the Jury not to rely upon one question, possibly a trick question, in reaching their verdict. Plainly this was a reference to Christmas Humphreys' fatal question as to Ruth's intentions. It seems that he did not want to pass the only sentence available to him.

[@UXB-p5u]

How anyone would actually want to do the ' job ' he aways wanted to do ( at school when asked what he wanted to do as a job/career he said "the state executioner") is beyond rational thinking!! The whole family wanted to put people to death weird in the extreme.

[@larrywinning5183]

SOMETHING PERVERTED IN WANTING THAT JOB.

[@chriswinter6672]

The way Humphreys says, " ... what did you intend to do?", is chilling.

[@1960dave1960]

Fascinating, words from the people who were actually there…….thanks for posting

[@RobCLynch]

The sad fact of it is that many people were executed for so-called 'crimes of passion' and there are/were many instances of mitigating circumstances. The Ruth Ellis case was not one of these, but it was an extremely sad case all the same. History shows that 'there is only one sentence that can be passed' and that is one of death. The homicide act of 1957 helped somewhat, but the abolishment of capital punishment in 1969 was the better option - in my opinion. I believe that any single person trawling these comments could stumble into a silly fight and end up on a murder charge.

[@danielculver2209]

Yep, plus the suspect has no reason to be caught alive, could be a dangerous situation for officers and bystanders. Might as well go out fighting

[@gladtobeangry]

@@danielculver2209 This was the reasoning of the court at the time too. "We can't have people shooting off fire-arms in the street". And I tend to agree with that. The death penalty itself is wrong, but the verdict in this particular case was 100% correct, and the law at the time said that the punishment for her crime was execution by hanging. It's only noteworthy because the condemned in this case was a woman, which should make no difference in a court case.

[@charlesciminera5881]

At least in England as well as most of the democratic world has evolved to an understanding that the death penalty is not a positive practice it dose not save lives and is seldom justice as it's usually applied to the poor people of color and intellectually disabled here in America we have yet to reach that state of enlightenment but of course we will someday

[@hollypebbles]

@@charlesciminera5881 In the 24th. Century, perhaps.

[@kinglicks5646]

@@charlesciminera5881 Not to mention the innocent that have been murdered by the state.

[@danielquill]

@ThamesTV Do you have the complete documentary programme? Please could you upload it?

[@headron66]

And yet Hindley got life. Such a sad state of affairs for Ruth Ellis. She was no monster unlike Myra.

[@georgebuller1914]

The time, the place, the current law...

[@weementaldavy5987]

Yes she was .

[@markhaywood600]

Watched Timothy spall play the man,the condemned person eyes would haunt most people,Shame he never dealt with yorkshire ripper,Brady and Huntley,The west and more recently Bellfield,Sorry if I missed any.

[@woowah32]

Brady and Hindley only just missed it by a matter of months. Still, it’s a barbaric part of the UK’s past which I’m glad is left where it is ….in the past!

[@wagaf]

So I thought this channel was made up from some 'random' bloke who happened to have lots of VCR or Betamax tapes with interesting snippets from time gone by. How wrong was I? Fremantle media, please keep releasing all these recordings. These would 'have' (Edited for the grammar nazi below who commented) been lost if it wasn't for you uploading to KZbin! I was born in 83 and the content that you're putting out is eye-opening to say the least. Thank you! Couldn't you upload some full length documentaries too?

[@alastairgreen6783]

Have been, not of been.

[@wagaf]

@@alastairgreen6783 Thanks grammar nazi! Apologies for being dyslexic! Twat!

[@martynnash6904]

CBJ, it was gramatically incorrect of you to start your post with the word 'so'.

[@Henry-vu5sg]

Jesus! Give the guy a break. It's youtube comments not Oxford University. It is noticeable that CBJ Connor is generous of spirit thanking the uploader for taking the time to share quality material for us all to enjoy and praise his contribution. Yet the grammar bullies impulse is to attack and diminish someone with hurtful, unnecessary and cutting comments. Shameful!

[@jasonantigua6825]

Martyn Nash It might well have been,but we all understood what he was saying! You bellend

[@bevanbuckwheatshea5520]

Who calls someone "Christmas "

[@BenNZ-j9n]

Father

[@majorlaff8682]

Actually, his first name was 'Merry' but he preferred his second name.

[@sandersson2813]

Have you not seen The World is not Enough?

[@philsooty61]

Father !

[@AnneRoberts-m3v]

David blakley was a monster he beat Ruth constantly and Desmond cussions is the one who gave Ruth the gun he hated blakley and was guilty as Ruth he never was charged an went to live in Australia without him there would have been no murder

[@katharina6865]

KARMA is waiting for all of us!

[@drharoldshipman9348]

Is such a shame we made such a hash of capital punishment , didn’t Pierrpoint hang both Timothy Evans and John Christy ? Imagine the fate of the Birmingham six and Guildford four !

[@drharoldshipman9348]

I wasn’t the DNA that was a problem, it was in the majority of cases the police either fabricated evidence or the forensic experts were coerced into lying.

[@drharoldshipman9348]

Chris Bliss , I should be awarded the Noble Peace Prize, Think of all the pluses, less bed blocking’s at the N S H hospitals ,less pressure on the pension funds and busy times for the funeral industry, feel free to book an appointment Im always looking for new patients,

[@edwardjones5343]

Legal killing is surely far too final for the fraility of human judgement

[@haroldkane9714]

Dr Harold Shipman , do you know Fred and Rosie west?

[@annenorth8553]

But HE didn't sentance them to death, the state did that. He was just the tool they used to do what they had decreed must happen. Pierrpoint is NOT a murderer, he was an excecutioner. There's a difference.

[@weshardin6609]

She was simply unfortunate to have been born when she was whilst Britain still had the death penalty. Having said that even Judge Havers wrote to the home secretary of the time 'Gwilym Lloyd George, recommending a reprieve on the grounds of it being a crime of passion. Sounds like the vengeful George wanted her dead.

[@woowah32]

@pootle kid Yep, they definitely used him as an example with Craig being too young… and obvs it was a police officer that died.

[@bulldog1066jpd]

There will always be miscarriages of justice....and that is the reason why the death penalty should never be reintroduced.

[@rjsampsonrs]

*Pierrepoint was my great grandfather I have his straps and his diary..I never met him but he was apparently racked with guilt later in his life*

[@jamesgreen8573]

Wow that’s really interesting

[@borleyboo5613]

How come since he and his wife, Annie didn’t have any children.

[@rjsampsonrs]

@@borleyboo5613 he had an affair with my great grandma..its in his book

[@Parmac7]

Hope he’s in hell

[@maureenhallahan9336]

@@Parmac7don’t be so ridiculous. He was an employee of the state.

[@jonathondavies8347]

When Pierrepoint executed Nazi war criminals He insisted their bodies be treated with respect as the men who committed the crimes were no longer.

[@cat_daddy]

Can't help but think these men derived some ghoulish satisfaction in killing the young attractive woman. Her defense was totally inadequate.

[@kevinbrookes4870]

What just because she was a woman? She committed murder for heavens sake. Shot her victim 6 times at point blank range. She was a cold blooded murderer. Young attractive woman, who was mentally or physically abused doesn’t even register with me. Although today’s softly, softly approach she would no doubt have got 3 years for Manslaughter and 3 in 18 months. I know if that was the case today and someone came out of jail for killing my brother after serving less than two years I would want to render my own justice regardless of the consequences.

[@eddielasowsky7777]

And what legal genius would you bring to bear when the defendant said she intended to kill the victim?

[@KerriKittehx]

@@kevinbrookes4870 She was a broken human being. Blakely did atrocious things to that woman which caused her to murder him. He had completely broken her down into pieces and destroyed every bit of her well being

[@kevinbrookes4870]

@@KerriKittehx Yes I take your point, but that didn’t give her the right to kill him in cold blood. It was murder, plain and simple, and the sentence at the time was Capital punishment. Prosecution asked her what did you intend to do? Ellis replied it’s obvious I intended to kill him. She more or less condemned herself to the gallows, and for the prosecution it was an open and shut case. Just a point on the domestic abuse though, Ellis and Blakey had a fractious relationship by all accounts, and was guilty of assaulting him on many occasions. It’s debatable but she would no doubt have been convicted of manslaughter today, even though she admitted to murder. But the biggest travesty of this case is that Cousins wasn’t hanged with her. He gave her the gun for heavens sake, and was more than an accessory to murder. And yet Derek Bentley was wrongly hanged for murder, that was the biggest injustice of that period, and probably went a long way towards the death penalty being abolished. All the furore over Ellis was because she was a woman I think. But she was a murderer.

[@nigelsheppard625]

Christmas Humphreys was the Chair of the Buddhist Society in London.

[@andrewcrocker-harris4830]

Not much of a Buddhist in practice, was he?

[@billt1954]

@@andrewcrocker-harris4830 What makes you say that? Being a Buddhist does preclude you from working in the legal profession.

[@antoniokasto4293]

Christmas Humphreys paid for the funeral of Ruth Ellis sons when he committed suicide .. loosing his mother at at early age been abused in homes and taunted by other children proved to much for him

[@kevinbrookes4870]

Christmas Humphreys also becsme a Judge. But he once handed down a six month suspended sentence to a man convicted of raping two women at knifepoint. Then shortly afterwards sentenced a man to 18 months (not suspended) for fraud. Sounds very much like the sort of mockery of a justice system we have today, not back then.

[@fasthracing]

In those days admitting you intended to kill someone or being found guilt of the same, meant you always swung unless the accused was deemed to be insane. Today she could of claimed diminished responsibility and would prob get 10 years out in 5 - 7 years.

[@geezerp1982]

wrong ; if she was indicted after 1957 she might of got diminished responsibility the homicide act 1957 brought in the diminished responsibility defence and brought two degrees of murder ; capital and non capital murder

[@fasthracing]

@@geezerp1982 Indeed however she was convicted and hung in 1955 so its not relevant..

[@annewren8845]

In France it would have been called ‘a crime of passion’ because her lover abused her, if only that was a valid law in UK, Ruth would have lived.

[@OleLeik]

Not always, and particularly so if you was a female. They usually got a life sentence at the time. Maybe the main reason Ellis case was so controversial was that in recent years there had been four high profile murderesses avoiding a appointment with mr. Pierrepoint that easily could be argued was more deserving of a neck lengthening. At the end the death penalty was so inconsequent and somewhat randomly carried out that people questioned the fairness and justice of it: Either hang them all, or none of them.

[@TheCandiceWang]

​@@OleLeikthank u

[@john.highheels.3244]

We could do with someone like Pierrepoint in operation today. Of course this will never happen because unfortunately it looks as though the death penalty will never be reinstated. It needs to be though.

[@lyndanewman1645]

The Justice system is failing. Too many innocent people behind bars, therefore too many innocent people would die. I’m totally against capital punishment.

[@billybonds4449]

@@lyndanewman1645 I was going to mention Timothy Evans, Derek Bentley, Judith Ward, The Guilford Four, Stefan Kisko, The Birmingham Six, The Broadwater 3, Vincent Hickey & Co, but your response was sufficient.

[@lyndanewman1645]

@@billybonds4449 sadly there are far more people who are innocent than can be named. Omar Benguit to name but one more.

[@lyndanewman1645]

The death penalty should never be brought back as the justice system is not fit for purpose. To many innocents have been hanged.

[@PeterRapley-gv5vt]

Let us not forget, Ruth Ellis's so-called boyfriend treated her with utter contempt, and the poor love endured so much and finally snapped.

[@MrCabimero]

So the judge thinks he can tell is someone is telling the truth by their demeanor.......now that is asinine. What is he, a human lie detector?

[@teacupalice]

Even though pierrepoints job was gruesome he always seemed sympathetic and truthful in whatever you read or hear about him and how he speaks here, he stomps down what the press said and made sure the truth of her last moments were known.

[@matthewspicer1068]

Albert Pierrepoint died on this day 10-Jul-1992 aged 87 - on the very same day the last death sentence was passed in these islands - on the Isle of Man - Anthony Teare who had been found guilty of murder .... Matthew:)

[@peterg463]

Impressive interviewer, not looking to make his name and impressive interviewees speaking without an eye on how they will be remembered.

[@granto6738]

Her QC was shameful ,let her down did not fight for her at all ,, But she didn't help her self,,,, if only she said about how she got the gun ,they would have had to investigate it , and how David beat her up etc, Thing I can't understand about Ruth is how she could leave her 2 kids , don't no if she was a bad mother r had terrible mental health issues RIP Ruth

[@TheCandiceWang]

Her father abused and raped the shite out of his daughters and their mother let it happen. From Well, I Never! Ruth's uncle was killed Then her brother died In his grief, their father started R@PING Muriel? And Ruth Arthur Nielsen even slept with his son's own girlfriend!! Still was physically and sexually abusing Ruth Ruth's eventual husband George Ellis was violent against her too In the future she and David Blakely have tumultuous time together. She got pregnant and he PUNCHED HER IN THE STOMACH so hard that he killed their baby!!!! Later she kills David Ruth is hanged Her ex hubs Ellis suicides Elizabertha her mother tried to gas herself One of Ruth's kids, andy, suicides too It's like a Greek tragedy

[@gennettor8915]

A travesty of justice if ever there was that.

[@kencook7580]

This woman should never have been hung.

[@robertbrown1627]

it’s actually’hanged’

[@memybikeni9931]

Can’t help thinking tHat executioners and judges of the day were serial killers just hiding behind the law.

[@roywhittleton2771]

With capital punishment there is no repeat offenders

[@leeadams4795]

Thats true when they hung the real offender. Not always the case back then.

[@tacobell6826]

ARE no repeat offenders. There is one repeat offender, incidentally. The judiciary.

[@samsum3738]

Nor chance of release if you are later found to be innocent. Unless the case is 100 percent water tight such as hindley and brady , etc.

[@Andrew-df1dr]

She should not have been executed

[@crickcrot]

She got her comeuppance and good she was a cold hearted murdering bitch.

[@derekbert1201]

THATS THE TROUBLE WITH US BRITS WE LIKE TO MAKE A POINT WITH OUR OWN PEOPLE WHILE PEOPLE WITH NO RIGHT TO BE HERE PIDDLE ALL OVER US

[@daveericson8447]

Don't shout Derek lad

[@ianmcfadden5450]

Ruth Ellis was a murderer, she killed her partner. She did not enter any plea of mitigating circumstances. For murder, the sentence in the UK was death. Her partner was unlawfully murdered and if she was a man, the sentence would be the same. Albert Pierrepoint was carrying out the sentence of the state. She was convicted by a jury at a trial. Ruth Ellis was not the only woman executed by the state, she was one of many. Peirrepoint was a professional, and carried out his duty. Had he refused this job, then another executioner would have done it. Would everyone be complaining if this was Myra Hindley ? She was a female also. When Ruth Ellis carried out her crime, she knew the ultimate sentence, but committed a murder anyway, the fact she is female is irrelevant.

[@mnd1955]

Ruth Ellis admitted intent. The judge had no other option but to impose sentence of death under the law as it then was. There was no reason in law for the Home Secretary to commute the sentence and she hanged. As her counsel said, there was a question surrounding the provision of the murder weapon and whether or not she would have sought out the means to kill her lover absent the intervention of Desmond Cussen, but that will never be known. The ripples caused by Ellis's execution spread. Her former spouse hanged himself a few years afterwards and her poor son committed suicide in 1982. The whole affair was a human tragedy encompassing what Raymond Chandler called "the medieval savagery of the law."

[@kevinskipp2762]

There were no mitigating circumstances she could enter. Other than self defence which would have been a lie. It was only after the 1957 homicide act that there was anything she could say in her defence - or at least say truthfully.

[@elrjames7799]

Putting Ellis in the same category as Hindley self contradicts your argument.

[@KerriKittehx]

Ruth Ellis was a broken woman that suffered physical and emotional abuse from her lover which drove her to murder. The things he did to her were atrocious.

[@catwomanh3603]

@@KerriKittehx but she kept going back to him....

[@MirlitronOne]

She deliberately killed a violent and abusive husband knowing full well what the consequences would be for herself. A brave woman and a tragedy.

[@kentcyclist]

RIP poor Ruth

[@katharina6865]

A perfect example for the fact, that the death penalty is stupid and also MURDER!

[@ralphthebulldog5163]

Shame we don't have capital punishment today.

[@tabsntoot]

we would need a lot of recruits then !

[@peteconrad2077]

What so you can kill some more innocent people. Try thinking.

[@ralphthebulldog5163]

@@peteconrad2077 The UK does not have capital punishment.

[@peteconrad2077]

@@ralphthebulldog5163 no, but it used to and you are taking about bringing it back. Can you really not grasp it?

[@ralphthebulldog5163]

I would welcome it back@@peteconrad2077

[@karljones3082]

Please before you about to carry out an act of violence please remember that its not one victim its hundreds,

[@andrewcrocker-harris4830]

That applies to executioners as well.

[@woowah32]

@@andrewcrocker-harris4830 Doing the job for the state. It’s not personal!😅

[@tonykehoe123]

All those men versus one woman ….sad

[@jeffreymorris11]

Other than the defending attorney and Havers who petitioned for a reprieve, these men were stone cold. Thank God for Lord Longford and the many capital punishment abolition advocates across Britain, they paved the way for more enlightening times.

[@johnallen7807]

Would you say the same if it was a member of your family that was murdered?

[@jeffreymorris11]

@@johnallen7807 Yes!

[@davidfelix2594]

Lord Longford, the very same man that campaigned for years to have Myra Hindley released, that's some role model you chose there fella.

[@MC-bu6ez]

Britain from the dark ages, to think that these people lived just a few decades ago, they represent a Britain so different from today, so distant from today, today people in public service can hardly manage to string a sentence together, however, to hang a woman is barbaric and wrong, thank God we live in a different era.

[@martynw9166]

Bring back the death penalty for Terrorism.

[@Shield.148]

Use the PERSHING method. Firing squad, using bullets dipped in pigs blood.

[@garethoneill5676]

@@Shield.148 a long debunked myth. Pig's blood isn't a deterrent either; they can eat pork in order to avoid starvation.

[@monkeydank7842]

We are civilised. They are not. And that’s the way it’s supposed to stay.

[@aaronb2779]

@@monkeydank7842 The death penalty has no place in 21st century Britain.

[@andymurray5041]

@@Shield.148 What has that got to do with IRA, UDA, UDF,REAL IRA,ALR ?

[@geezerp1982]

the executioners name is we the people !

[@steventhomas2445]

Well said..

[@ifn_media]

No way!

[@Al-iv3mb]

So many famous names there. I'm pretty sure Havers went on to become Attorney General and was father of the actor Nigel

[@fl3162]

Who else would like to see hanging brought back - starting with corrupt politicians

[@ifn_media]

It's been back a while now, we just exported the hobby abroad to places like Iraq where all sorts of killing methods are welcomed.

[@normanmunns4743]

Stop talking garbage you idiot

[@AudieHolland]

Well, that's an enticing thought... If they ever bring it back, would you be the first one to show us how it's done? Swinging, I mean.

[@Alistair-e2o]

Who guards the guards who judges the judges?

[@htershane]

Blaming the executioner is probably as clear an example of stupidity as one is likely to see when looking at these things. Whoever performed the execution is irrelevant, they were merely an instrument of the state. One could point the finger at a lot of people responsible for this debacle not excluding Ellis herself who actively hindered her defence efforts and not acting on advice that may have saved her life, it still puzzles me why she didn’t just plead guilty. 90% of women sentenced to death in the uk were actually reprieved, it’d be interesting know why she wasn’t.

[@tabsntoot]

Turning a job down was not an option to a hangman unless of course illness or something understandable, they were under intense scrutiny from prison governors and home office if they started piping up about the crime and thier thoughts. They would be struck off no doubt. That was Albert’s advice to his assistants to never turn down a job

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

You might as well say that a hit man is merely the instrument of whoever hires him.

[@htershane]

@@Khayyam-vg9fw well he is🤔 if no-one hires him no-one gets hit🤷‍♂️. Not sure what the point is there.

[@Khayyam-vg9fw]

@@htershane The point is that he is every bit as much a hired killer as a hit man, whether he is "hired" or not.

[@htershane]

@@Khayyam-vg9fw and he’s performing a duty sanctioned by the state, so if you believe the executioner is to blame then so is anyone complicit in the act; prison staff looking after the condemned, judge for passing the sentence, jury for delivering the verdict, prosecuting counsel, defence counsel (for failing to get acquittal), the government of the day for permitting it, the people that elected that government, anyone pro-capital punishment which was over half the uk population at the time. Unless you believe in special death pixies that would magically do the job? As I said above “stupidity”.

[@MrMegan1962]

I think she was a very cold person, she pumped 5 slugs into that boyfriend, he was a bastard but didn’t deserve that.

[@UXB-p5u]

I think its now fully understood just what Ruth Ellis suffered at the hands of her 'lover' David Blakeley in re to the regular and violent beatings he acted upon her, certainly accusations of misogyny and negative stereotyping within the court room are more than well founded despite Ruth Ellis admitting to her shooting to death of Blakeley. How and WHY her defence team didn't bring this fully to the trial is both bewildering and tragic...though at that time even knowing of what Ruth had suffered wouldn't have helped. To realise that this terrible injustice and those of other's who suffered the same fate was the 'norm' unti changes to the law on Capital Murder arrived in 1957 but even after this date the State still executed a number of convicted prisoners which were both controversial and challenged.

[@tollymonk7127]

Ruth Ellis RIP

[@adamquirke6024]

Daniel Smith does her look make her less of a criminal? She committed murder. Is 15 years (8 in reality) enough? Shouldn’t life imprisonment be life?

[@aaronb2779]

@@adamquirke6024 there's a place for a whole life sentence, but it's not here imo

[@adamquirke6024]

Then punishment does she deserve for murder?

[@AS-by8ee]

C’mon, she was a stone cold killer and our laws at the time included the death penalty for murder.

[@mqbitsko25]

The United States banned capital punishment several years before Great Britain did. But reinstated it about the same time GB stopped it. I support it if for no other reason than it is a 100% effective deterrent to recidivism. No executed killer in human history has EVER re-offended. Not one.

[@nigelsheppard625]

The England & Wales and Scotland (two different legal systens) ended Capital Punishment in 1965, the last man hanged in England was in 1964. In Northern Ireland, capital punishment ended after the imposition of direct rule from Westminster in 1973. The Federal Government in the USA ended capital punishment in 1974.

[@NiklasAdam]

@@nigelsheppard625 I don't know where you got the idea that the Federal Governement in the USA ended capital punishment in 1974? Timothy McVeigh (Oklahoma bomber) and the less-know but also executed Juan Garza refutes your statement. Both excuted in the Terra Haute federal prison in 2001.

[@joevignolor4u949]

And no wrongfully convicted and executed person has ever come back to life either. Not one.

[@arthurmorgan2835]

The death penalty should be expanded to include pedophiles

[@adrianfrost4845]

Death Penalty should never return. There is no place for it, not in my name or this country name. Even Pierrepoint himself said it does not deter, it's pure revenge.

[@zippymo672]

Where can I get a copy of this documentary?

[@geezerp1982]

you cant !

[@zippymo672]

@@geezerp1982 You can! I found out...loll. from Fremantle media.

[@cornovii3012]

+Zippy Mo Also look up on Albert Pierrepoint

[@kevintrace5396]

Brave woman Ruth feel sorry for er she was a victim too ❤

[@totaltouring829]

In the act of cold blooded premeditated murder, what should we hand out to those who child killers. Three meals a day and a 6x6 cell. Examine them for their crime. What do we learn from it. We as a civil society need protection and deterrent from such evil. Hanging likely argued as inhumane lethal injection a more inhumane one. Where there is unquestionable acts of murder those who live by the sword shall die by it.

[@tonymoore4947]

Thourght this was pierrepoint interview

[@Markhayes1963]

..but I was very very drunk

[@KeithMather-r4g]

' Money For Old Rope ' 🇬🇧🤔

[@sadem1045]

I never thought I would have respect for an executioner.

[@robinelliott-ni2eh]

The man did a job... if he didn't do someone else would've however with Pierrepoint he took his time to do weight and height so it was over straight away... as humanly as possible.

[@jamiehurley3149]

Albert Pierpoint would of died a man with no soul .

[@1339LARS]

Lovely!!! //Lars

[@kencook7580]

Consumat gentleman.

[@radikowalski1553]

If their guilty of murder then do as the law demands. I am under the impression that if you commit a heinous crime such as murder then after ALL of one’s legal options are exhausted, then you MUST pay with your life regardless of relationship even if your family or friend.

[@normanrobinson2631]

What so he went off her demenia

[@robbdavies7749]

Odd Ball

[@slr3447]

They make you swear on the bible which says, 'thou shalt not kill.' A man made book with man made mitigation built in. How convenient.

[@GaryHall-y9v]

You couldn't wait to put on your black cap, just like Bentley. You needed to show the citizens who is the boss. Now you have to answer for your crimes before God.

[@Manasses1961]

Her Lawyer looks and responds like a right pillock

[@andrewcrocker-harris4830]

Does he? Please explain how. He sounds perfectly reasonable to me, and admits his own errors during the conduct of the trial.

[@anthonyarcanumsanctumregnu9551]

In TV shows and movies they make these guys look like 7 foot muscle bound degenerate guys with shaved heads and beards like myself laughing an Evil Laugh but this guy is a gentleman seems like a God fearing loving man too!

[@commentsturnedon6313]

british justice, has to be right all the time,,, the law is an arse

[@influentialgurning]

It is amazing what double-think does when multiplied among the crowd. While some killers excuse this condemned killer for killing the killer who has no excuse, others condemn her killer and the killer whom she killed for killing without her permission. The killers that remain are free to kill again, at the pleasure of their perversely honoured prison governor. They are equal under the lie, and equally deny God his visiting rights. Still, He is there, denied with the innocents. Forgotten in the remains of fiction, rotting fruit hangs from the tree of statutes.

[@FunSponge1901]

I was very, very, drunk....

[@peterisaacs1344]

The queen has no power in this . Only the home secretary can commute the sentence

[@georgebuller1914]

LOL! So you think that Queen Elizabeth the Second - just about THE most famous woman in the world - couldn't put 'pressure' on a poxy, elected 'commoner?' - dream on.... ;-)

[@DanteAtropos]

Royal prerogative of mercy. If the Queen actually cared to she could pardon Ruth

[@harrynewiss4630]

@@DanteAtroposIt's not 1784 any more

[@jonldn]

@@DanteAtropos in her name an appeal and request for pardon did take place and the results of this can be found . I wonder if people who have some much angst over a crime of 1955 do anything about those sitting on death rows around the world !

[@syourke3]

Capital punishment is absolutely wrong, no exceptions. Two wrongs never make a right.

[@toker6664]

He was a tool of the judiciary and a fine one he was the most professional hang man, he wasnt the one condemning he executed his job, i admire him if i ever got sentenced to death id elect him to kill me

[@andrewcrocker-harris4830]

That just shows what a bloody fool you are.

[@toker6664]

@@andrewcrocker-harris4830 how so please explain? If you was sentenced to death you'd rarher writh in pain in the electric chair or lethal injection or be dead in under 3 minutes from cell to drop? Or are you saying he executed a innocent person? He was the final tool in a system of checks and balances, he didnt say who was innocent or guilty he did his job the best anyone has ever done the most humane and efficient, the persons neck was snapped instant death

[@andrewcrocker-harris4830]

@@toker6664 What utter bollocks! Spare me your manipulative drivel about "checks and balances". Why have the barbaric death penalty at all?

[@andrewcrocker-harris4830]

@@toker6664 Incidentally, how do you know that Pierrepoint's"clients" were "dead in under 3 minutes from cell to drop"? Yes, they were hanged, but were they unconscious? Can you prove that they were? Why were they left hanging for so long? The heart often continued to beat for some time after the neck was broken.

[@toker6664]

@@andrewcrocker-harris4830 once the neck is snapped the person is dead consciousness has ceased to exist the heart can beat all it wants, its why he was meticulous about weight of the person and the type of rope and length of drop, since its illegal now in the UK and wont come back why are you so worked up? If your in America and it has to happen you should realise his methods were more humane then what happens in the USA today, they were left hanging for the heart to stop as heart beating is the easiest method to signify death

[@Shield.148]

Execution is a 100% deterrent. There has not been one case, of any executed criminal, coming back and killing again.

[@joevignolor4u949]

There has also never been one single case of any wrongfully executed person coming back to life again either.

[@joevignolor4u949]

@Lang Hansen Unless you are the innocent person that was executed or his or her relatives.

[@joevignolor4u949]

@Lang Hansen That's easy to say. Let's see if you feel the same way when they are strapping you into the electric chair and getting ready to fry your insides. And I hope they put enough water in the sponge.

[@simonh6371]

If everyone was executed at birth, there would be no murder in the first place, and everyone would be happy.

[@Shield.148]

@@simonh6371 Isn't that what the Demorats are doing with abortion?

[@toyman9642]

To Fat H...you're entitled to your opinion.

[@Thedrysurrealbloke]

Murder is murder no matter who does it. Governments including.

[@MrAlexhollins]

If we go down the road of government by referendum the death penalty could make a comeback. So could wide scale gun ownership and loads of other great populist notions of common sense. A return to the good old days.

[@cotswoldcuckoo775]

Referendums in UK ? Can't trust 'em !

[@samsum3738]

Be careful what you wish for .

[@kevinbrookes4870]

@@cotswoldcuckoo775 I trust them. A referendum finally got us out of the clutches of Brussels and the Bureaucratic EU.

[@antoniokasto4293]

IRA yes Albert and his uncle hung some IRA men and they swore revenge .. I thought they would have shot him..,

[@joehart7260]

Christmas Humphreys the prosecuting council who effectively condemned her was a Buddhist, and believed in Karma rather than Christian forgiveness.

[@kevinbrookes4870]

He didn’t condemn her ,he was just doing his job as a Lawyer. Ruth Ellis condemned herself, she committed murder, and was found guilty. Humphrey’s what did you intend to do when you shot David Blakeley? Ellis: it’s obvious I intended to kill him. If ever their was an open and shut case, this was it.

[@joehart7260]

@@kevinbrookes4870 Ruth Ellis was not in a sound frame of mind when she shot Blakeley. There was no law of diminished responsibility at the time so yes, he effectively condemned her. Humphreys might have been just doing his job but he did it with a real relish, condemning at least two other people to the gallows who should never have been hanged, Tim Evans and Derek Bentley.

[@kevinbrookes4870]

@@joehart7260 Sound mind or not she committed the Cspital offense of murder. You could argue that Brady & Hindley were not of sound mind when they went on their murder spree. Dismissed responsibility my arse. You commit murder you hang simple as that. Oh sorry your honour I wasn't of sound mind at the time I killed him. No defense then, and it should be no defense today either.

[@joehart7260]

@@kevinbrookes4870 What's your nickname Judge Jeffreys? The law of diminished responsibility was brought in after the Ruth Ellis case because of all the controversy her execution caused. Nowadays she would have got about 8 years. In France her offence would have been considered a crime of passion. Blakeley was a serial philanderer who physically abused her on a regular basis. She would probably have never harmed another human being in her life. There is no comparison between her case and what the evil Moors Murderers did. Perhaps you would like to restore public hangings at Tyburn, maybe that would satisfy you.

[@kevinbrookes4870]

@@joehart7260 Their is no comparison between her murder and and the Moors murders? Are you for real? Think 99.9% of people would disagree with that barmy statement of yours. Ellis committed murder, she intended to kill him and was hanged. It was the right punishment. All this diminished responsibility crap doesn't wash I'm afraid. Controversial at the time because she was a woman. Yes I am in favour of Capital punishment but yes public hangings at Tyburn, bring it on I say. Especially for fucking pedophiles as well as murderers let's rid society of the unwanted dregs of it. The World would be a better place I can assure you.

[@gggggggg3542]

Fascinating. She pretty much admitted she wanted to kill him, so in my opinion, the sentence was correct. But I have to say there have been some truly awful miscarriages of justice. I also believe that sentences now are far too lenient, life should mean life, and the full sentence should be carried out - - - all this time off for good behaviour shit should be stopped, was it not a criminal that did the crime??? that's not good behaviour

[@lyndseymartin3333]

Baring in mind he killed her unborn child, she had a deceased person inside of her because he assaulted her, if there's one thing i've seen which even just abit justifies murder, is killing a parent's child.

[@RazorRevenge]

But things aren’t always that simple. Innocent people have been found guilty, innocent people have been executed. There are three sides to every story, my side, your side and the truth and the truth doesn’t always come out.

[@taxidude]

I disagree with the death penalty and am sorry she had to hang but as the law stood at that time, it was the correct sentence. There was another injustice here though. The pre death penalty people obviously wanted her to die......BUT........ the abolitionists wanted her hanged as well in order to shock the general public into demanding the repeal of the death penalty. I guess it's ok to hang ugly old men like me but not pretty young women.

[@mqbitsko25]

Who cares which ones were female? I believe in equality. That includes equal responsibility. Equality is a bitch. Don't like it? Stop demanding it.

[@adrianwebster7406]

Pierrpoint was a wrong un ,we all know it, just saying as it's an erelavance now.....I hope

[@eddielasowsky7777]

Cecil Havers died in 1977, yet another point of coincidence with his life and that of Elvis Presley.

[@D-777i]

Yes indeed! Cecil's stint in Las Vegas was amazing.

[@dreamcatcher3622]

If there is a god, these men who sealed this woman's fate will have answered to him.

[@Bernie8330]

Did she not murder in cold blood in front of eye witnesses and not deny the fact?

[@bobdean4827]

The date of the hanging was not in 1977 it was on 13 July 1955

[@D-777i]

The 1977 in the title refers to the year of the documentary.