The descendants of the final woman to be executed by hanging in the UK are currently pursuing a posthumous exoneration, asserting that she endured physical and emotional abuse from her partner before fatally shooting him.
Ruth Ellis, a nightclub hostess, was put to death on July 13, 1955, following her conviction for the murder of her lover, David Blakely. Laura Enston, Ellis’ granddaughter, expressed the profound impact of Ruth’s execution on their family, leading to enduring trauma for her mother, uncle, and subsequent generations. Enston emphasized that the severity of the punishment did not align with the circumstances of the crime. The execution took place at Holloway Prison.
Ellis shot Blakely outside The Magdala pub in London amidst a tumultuous relationship marked by infidelity, a terminated pregnancy, and physical abuse from Blakely, including an incident that resulted in a miscarriage. During the 20th century, there was growing public skepticism about the appropriateness of capital punishment, and Ellis’s case became a focal point in the debate over the death penalty’s place in modern British society. The judge instructed the jury to disregard the mistreatment Ellis suffered from her lover as a potential defense.
The grandchildren of Ellis have formally requested a conditional pardon from the Justice Secretary, David Lammy. Although Ellis admitted to intending to kill Blakely during cross-examination, the swift murder conviction and mandatory death sentence raised concerns. Pardons can take into account broader societal factors that may render a conviction unjust or outdated.
Enston highlighted the enduring mental health struggles faced by Ellis’ children, describing her mother as deeply troubled and revealing that her uncle tragically took his own life. The family’s legal representative, Alex Bailin KC, noted the increased awareness of the impact of domestic abuse on victims’ well-being and behavior compared to when Ellis was executed. Bailin suggested that had Ellis’s case occurred in contemporary times, she might have been able to plead diminished responsibility or loss of control.
Advocates for the pardon believe that granting Ruth Ellis posthumous exoneration would rectify a historical injustice and send a resounding message against violence targeting women and girls.