At the moment, there are a number of gaps in the story. Use the words below to complete it.

 

trial	confessed	court	custody	guilty
convicted	enquiry (2)	sentenced	jury	execution
arrested	innocent	charged	appeal	dropped
pardon	judges	plea	apprehended	hunt
suspect	tried	executed	statements	denied

The story began when a man called Timothy Evans was (1)… for the murder of his wife and baby. He was (2)… with the double murder, but a short time later one of the churches was (3)… and he was (4)… for the murder of his daughter only. During the (5)… Evans accused the man whose house he had been living in, John Christie, of the crimes, but no attention was paid to him. The (6)… found Evans (7)… and he was (8)… to death. An (9)… was turned down and he was (10)… in 1950.

Some time later, more women’s bodies were discovered in Christie’s house: two, three, four, five, six. John Christie was the police’s chief (11)… and they started a nationwide (12)… for him. He was soon (13)…. Alleged (14)… by Christie while he was in (15)… cast doubt on the Evans hanging. When he went to (16)…, Christie (17)… that he had murdered Mrs. Evans, but in private it was said that he (18)… to that crime. His (19)… of insanity with regard to other murders was rejected and he was (20)… of killing his wife.

Soon afterwards there was an (21)… into the (22)… of Timothy Evans. The (23)… decided that justice had been done and Evans had been rightly hanged. It was only in 1966 that another (24)… was set up. This time it was decided that Evans had probably been (25)… and he was given a free (26)…. Better late than never, as they say.

 

 

2. Now a quiz on some points of law – English style. The answers may well be different in your country. Simply answer the questions Yes or No.

 

1. Is it a crime to try and kill yourself?
2. Is it illegal to help somebody to commit suicide?
3. Can you be executed for murdering a policeman?
4. If, after a murder, all the victim’ s relatives plead: “Please don’t prosecute!” can charges against the suspected culprit be dropped?
5. If two armed thieves break into a house, guns in hand, and one of them shoots and kills the house-owner, is his accomplice guilty of murder?

6. If I surprise an intruder in my lounge at night stealing my millions, have I a legal right to assault him with a weapon?

7. If I set a tap – a fifty-kilo weight just above the front door – for any burglars who might try and enter the house, am I breaking the law?

8. After a divorce or legal separation, can a wife be required to pay alimony to her ex-husband?

9. If I promise to marry my girlfriend and then change my mind shortly before the wedding, can she take me to court?

10. If you said to your teacher in the middle of one of his lessons: “You don’t know the first thing about teaching!” could he bring a civil action against you?

11. Would I be in danger of committing an offence if I put an advertisement for my school in the paper saying: “Male white teacher required”?

12. If, as a defendant (or the accused), I am not satisfied with the way my barrister has handled my defence, can I sue him?

13. If you were in my house – uninvited – and the ceiling, which had had a large crack in it for some time, caved in and broke your leg, would it be a god idea to consult your solicitor?

14. Can a person suspected of and charged with rape be allowed bail?