Ruth Ellis, last woman to be hanged in UK, gets conditional posthumous pardon
The UK government has granted a posthumous pardon to Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in the country, who was hanged in 1955 for the murder of her lover. Her family campaigned for the pardon, arguing that her conviction failed to account for the domestic abuse and coercive control she suffered.
Why it matters
The case highlights a historical shift in the justice system's recognition of domestic abuse as a mitigating factor in criminal cases.
Image source, Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Image caption, Ruth Ellis' grandchildren have campaigned for the pardon
The article reports on a government action and family advocacy without taking a partisan stance, using neutral language to describe the historical context.
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