July 13, 1955:  Last Woman Executed for Murder in Great Britain On this day in 1955, 28-year old nightclub owner Ruth Ellis was hanged for the murder of her playboy race-car driver boyfriend, David Blakely, with whom she engaged in a physically abusive relationship.  She was the last woman to be executed in England before the death penalty for murder was banned in England, Scotland and Wales in 1965. In one of last year’s U.S. presidential debates, people saved their loudest applause of the night not for tax cuts or jobs but for the death penalty.  Find out why revenge and retribution has been etched into our laws and moral codes for centuries.
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July 13, 1955:  Last Woman Executed for Murder in Great Britain

On this day in 1955, 28-year old nightclub owner Ruth Ellis was hanged for the murder of her playboy race-car driver boyfriend, David Blakely, with whom she engaged in a physically abusive relationship.  She was the last woman to be executed in England before the death penalty for murder was banned in England, Scotland and Wales in 1965.

In one of last year’s U.S. presidential debates, people saved their loudest applause of the night not for tax cuts or jobs but for the death penalty.  Find out why revenge and retribution has been etched into our laws and moral codes for centuries.

Source: to.pbs.org

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  1. youdontseethiseveryday reblogged this from pbsthisdayinhistory
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  9. gypsyjae reblogged this from pbsthisdayinhistory and added:
    Gypsyjae: Rob’s Aunt Monica wrote a book on Ruth Ellis’ execution. She also started a personal blog and was completely...
  10. themanlostinspace reblogged this from pbsthisdayinhistory and added:
    Yur death
  11. o-h-h-h-h-h-h reblogged this from pbsthisdayinhistory and added:
    i want one.
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  23. This was featured in #History
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  26. danibeth90 reblogged this from pbsthisdayinhistory and added:
    physically abusive, they should...getting a medal. Just sayin.
  27. pbsthisdayinhistory posted this