Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Grenada death sentences quashed by Privy Council
02-08-2007

ST GEORGE'S, Grenada: The death sentences of the thirteen people convicted of the killing of former Grenadian prime minister, Maurice Bishop, and some of his cabinet colleagues were quashed by the Privy Council in London on Wednesday.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the court of final appeal for the UK overseas territories and Crown dependencies, and for those Commonwealth countries, including Grenada, that have retained the appeal to the Queen in Council. Five Law Lords normally sit to hear such appeals.

According to reports reaching Caribbean Net News, the Law Lords ordered that the death sentences should be dropped and the 13 be re-sentenced.

This is good news for the appellants and their five-member legal team, who presented their arguments before the Privy Council in December last year, saying that the death sentence was illegal.

The lawyers are expected to elaborate further on the matter at a press conference to be held here on Thursday.

Last year, three members of the so-called Grenada 17 were released after spending 20 years behind bars.