DEATH PENALTY

From 1842 to 1957, capital punishment was carried out here on New Zealand shores.

Most were killed at Mount Eden prison by hanging.

The first execution was of a young Maori man, Maketu, who murdered four people, one of which was the granddaughter of a high ranking chief. He murdered them for offending his mana.

Because one of his victims was a relative of the afore mentioned chief, the Maori decided to hand Maketu over to the police.

Maketu was then hung on the 7th of March.

The only woman to be executed was the infamous Minnie Dean, who murdered children in 1895. Her trial and subsequent execution caused a media storm.

Outside the courthouse, little dolls in hat boxes were sold, replicating one of the murders.

Finally, the last execution in New Zealand was of Walter Bolton, accused of murdering his wife with poison. It was found he was having an affair with her sister.

It is said that Walter did not break his neck when he was hung, but was slowly strangled. This, as well as suspicions of Walters innocence, brought about the abolition.

The death penalty was decommissioned is 1935 then abolished 1941. It was reinstated in 1950, and finally abolished in 1957 after Walter's death.

The final abolition was caused by the change in government, Labour coming back into power.

CONSEQUENCES

• Instead of being punished by death, people are put in prison.
• We have joined the 124 other countries who don't use the death penalty.
• People wrongly convicted with a crime can be conpensated/released.

THANK YOU