Strange Case Of Derek Bentley

The Strange Case of Derek Bentley

On December 11, 1952, 19 year old Derek Bentley and 16 year old Christopher Craig were detained for robbery and murder. Let us begin from the beginning, which is a very good place to start.

Bentley was 9 years old when he suffered from a somewhat sever injury to his head during a bombing to London by the German army during the Second World War. This brain traumatization caused Bentley to have the rational thinking and acting abilities of an 11 year old boy, when he was only 9. At first Bentley´s issues were not detected by anybody. Until, he got expelled from his first school for low attainment.

Once this occurred, Bentley turned to the working side of life and decided to retire from school. His first job was in a local furniture shop where he did no more than move furniture around. This job gave Bentley severe consequences, due to the fact of him getting his back gravely injured during these procedures. Next, he tried the garbage business. Not long after starting, he got fired from this job.

Desperate, Bentley recurred to the crime industries, and he began robbing and doing evil. His last crime was entering a ware house and shooting a police officer. The crime consisted on entering an art warehouse in order to rob from it. His companion in this crime was, Christopher Craig. Anyhow, they entered the ware house around 9 pm; a small girl who lived across the street saw them try to sneak into the warehouse. She immediately told her parents who called the police corps immediately.

Once the police reached the warehouse, both criminals climbed on the roof hoping not to be noticed by the officers. The police soon saw them, and raced for them. Bentley, Craig and the police soon had a close encounter. A police officer soon grabbed a hold of Bentley, while this happened, Bentley exclaimed: “Let him have it Chris!!!!!!” Even though both criminals claimed not to have spoken these words. Craig shot the police officer holding Bentley.

During trial, Bentley´s defense points such as, his mental incapacities, he never shot any gun, and that his words could have meant more than one thing. Bentley´s case was closed and he was condemned death penalty.

Did he shoot a bullet? Did they consider his mental state when he was judged? Did they ever consider an asylum for Bentley? I believe not. I believe not.

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