1 NOVEMBER 1957, Page 7

WHERE inc murderer is obviously to some extent abnormal, the

defence now has a difficult decision to make. Should it plead guilty, as both did last week, with the result that a sentence of

life imprisonment is passed, which means that the actual length of time spent in prison is in the discretion of the Home Secretary? Or should it try under Section 2 of the new Homicide Act to get a verdict of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, which would mean that the Judge decides the sentence?

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