Derek Bentley: Death by Ambiguity (Part 1)

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Writing Wrongs

Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics

13 episodes

2 days ago

Every sentence tells a story, every word leaves a trace. Writing Wrongs, from the Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics, explores historic and contemporary forensic linguistic cases. Hosts Professor Tim Grant and Dr Nicci MacLeod, who've provided expert evidence in hundreds of cases, examine a specific case and its linguistic analysis each episode. Some episodes feature guest forensic linguists sharing their experiences as expert witnesses. The series highlights different case types, showcasing the strengths and limitations of forensic linguistics in criminal and civil investigations.

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Derek Bentley: Death by Ambiguity (Part 1)

Writing Wrongs

55 minutes 56 seconds

2 months ago

Derek Bentley: Death by Ambiguity (Part 1)

* Warning: This episode contains descriptions of gun violence, murder and capital punishment. *

In this first episode of a two-part case, Nicci and Tim discuss Derek Bentley’s story and the miscarriages of justice that occurred when he was found guilty of murder and received the death penalty.

Focusing on two different meaning ambiguities, our hosts explore 1) the alleged statement Derek made (‘Let him have it, Chris’) after which a police officer was shot, and 2) the legal vs. ordinary meaning of ‘to be held’, as it played a role in Derek’s failed appeal.

For a list of our sources and more information about this case, please visit https://www.aston.ac.uk/writing-wrongs

Have a question for Nicci or Tim? Email us at writingwrongs@aston.ac.uk and we may answer it during an upcoming episode!

Check out the official AIFL blog for more forensic linguistic goodies here: https://medium.com/@AIFLblog

If you have been affected by any of the themes in this week’s episode, please contact one of these free sources:

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

https://www.helpguide.org/find-help

Production Team: Sam Cook, Jordan Robertson, Neus Alberich Buera

Sound: Sam Cook

Visual design: George Grant

Additional Voices: Sam Cook

Resources

Professor Tim Grant’s home page: Tim Grant - Aston Research Explorer

Dr Nicci MacLeod’s home page: Nicci MacLeod - Aston Research Explorer

‘Let him have it’ movie on Amazon Prime UK: Watch Let Him Have It | Prime Video