COPYRIGHT PHOTOS - may not be used without my permission
On Friday 13th July 2007, Ruth’s sister Muriel Jakubait and I visited the place where Ruth is buried in Amersham Cemetery, marked by the single plant close to the wall. 
Muriel Jakubait planted a red gerbera at the site of her sister Ruth Ellis’s unmarked grave in Amersham cemetery.
A timely and moving reminder of a dreadful episode of our judicial history, which must not be forgotten.
Fight on.
Comment by diana — July 19, 2007 @ 12:30 am |
On 14th July 2007 I wrote in my journal, “Yesterday with Muriel in Amersham….planting a red gerbera near Ruth’s grave..in top left-hand corner of graveyard….her grave as far from the public gaze as they could have got her. It looked so poignant, a single bright light in the ill-tended part of graveyard. Stone crosses damaged, tombstones lifting, grass needing cutting. We remembered Ruth.”
Monica Weller
Comment by copperknob — July 19, 2007 @ 10:24 am |
I hope one day that Ruth’s Family will win the fight ti prove Ruth’s innocence
Comment by Patricia Davidson — July 19, 2007 @ 1:48 pm |
Thanks for your thoughts Pat, and also for signing the Petition. Please encourage friends and family to sign it.
Monica
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/RuthEllis55/
Comment by copperknob — July 19, 2007 @ 4:41 pm |
I do not think that RUTH should have been hanged.
Comment by William Ellis — February 10, 2008 @ 2:17 pm |
Hi William – you are not alone!
Last October the Prime Minster commissioned a review of when historical records are transferred to The National Archives and made available to the public – this currently happens 30 years after an event. You can contribute your views to the 30-year rule until FRIDAY 29 FEBRUARY 2008 by filling in an online questionnaire:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Ruth Ellis case papers were locked away from public scrutiny for nearly 50 years. Other documents in files not to be opened until 2031 were finally opened at my request in 2006, a year after our book RUTH ELLIS MY SISTER’S SECRET LIFE was published.
This is not the end of the story – I have compiled a long list of documents that are still missing from official files.
I have seen the effect of 50 years of secrecy surrounding Ruth Ellis’s case, a so-called open and shut case of cold-blooded murder – for example, how Ruth’s defence counsel, the eminent barrister Melford Stevenson who clearly bungled her case, has been protected from scrutiny.
Long Closure of documents highlights the unfair system used in British courts of justice, which does not seek the truth but simply a winner or loser between the prosecution and defence counsel.
In 1957 Melford Stevenson was involved in another botched trial, that of Dr John Bodkin Adams, suspected of murdering more patients than Dr Shipman. Dr Adams walked away from court a free man. Once again case papers were locked away until 2033, only opened at the request of author Pamela Cullen for researching her excellent 2006 book about the Dr Adams case Stranger in Blood.
In my opinion the 30-Year rule (longer in some cases) is no longer acceptable in the educated society in which we live today.
Please have your say about the 30-year rule on The National Archives website for the sake of justice.
Please also sign my Petition, asking Gordon Brown to look again at the Ruth Ellis case:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/RuthEllis55/
Thank you
Monica
Comment by copperknob — February 12, 2008 @ 10:11 am |
After reading your book there was no argument in my mind, Ruth could have not possibaly have pulled the trigger. I wish you all the luck and take my hat off to all the hard work you have done to uncover the truth. God bless Ruth and her family – justice will be done.
Comment by Deborah — February 22, 2008 @ 12:23 pm |
Thank you Deborah.Your thoughts are appreciated. I shall never give up in my quest to clear Ruth’s name.
Monica Weller
Comment by copperknob — February 22, 2008 @ 1:53 pm |
Read the book (Ruth Ellis My Sister’s Secret Life) cannot get it out of my mind. I pray to God the Petition goes to plan. Lets get the truth out there. Everyone should be aware. Lets make the public know Ruth was a loving lady who was used and blamed and not like she is described as the last woman to be hung in Britain. She was more than that. She was the lady who loved too much and trusted too many.
Comment by laine rowley — April 26, 2008 @ 2:24 pm |
I have just read your fascinating and very well researched book. Thank you for bringing such a miscarriage of justice into the public eye. I had no idea that anything like this had happened and I think Ruth’s trial was an appalling and shaming travesty of justice. I think a lot of people will feel the same and I Ruth’s sister Muriel knows that she has our support.
Comment by Helen Kempster — June 16, 2008 @ 9:51 am |
Hello Helen
Thank you for your comment which I appreciate. I hope that you and your friends and relations will sign my petition on the 10 Downing Street website:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/RuthEllis55/
and also continue to raise awareness about this travesty of justice.
Best Wishes
Monica Weller
Comment by copperknob — June 16, 2008 @ 10:19 am |
Have read most books about ruth,this lady should never have been hung, god bless you ruth and muriel.
best wishes cindy
Comment by cindy hague — August 1, 2008 @ 7:59 pm |
Hi,could you tell me if you will be doing another petition for Ruth? also could we get a petition going for the BBC to make a programme about RUTH,this might shame the government into giving Ruth the pardon she deserves once the truth is known .Best Wishes Cindy Hague.
Comment by cindy hague — August 5, 2008 @ 8:04 pm |
Hi Cindy
Thanks for your comment.I appreciate every one.
When I receive a response from Downing Street webteam, I’ll paste it on my blog.
Monica Weller
Comment by copperknob — August 6, 2008 @ 10:48 am |
This is an event from history that quite frankly makes me feel ashamed to be British – for a supposedly democratically elected government to allow such a travesty of justice and then to further compound matters (and cover its tracks) by administering the harshest and most cruel of penalties quite simply beggars belief.
The case of Ruth Ellis changed my perspective of capital punishment forever.
The best of wishes and I truly hope you continue in your quest for justice.
Steve
Comment by Steve R — August 26, 2008 @ 10:17 pm |
I have read with interest the book by Monica Weller as well as many other extracts and publications on the subject. The conclusion that I came to was that the Ruth Ellis case was a travesty and affront to the UK Judicial process.
Ruth Ellis should never have suffered the cruel and unjust penalty vested upon her by the institution, I can only conclude that her bravery when facing such a fate should serve as tesimony to her courage.
God Bless – do not give up in the search for the truth, it is certainly out there
ATVB Steve
Comment by Steve R — August 27, 2008 @ 5:36 pm |
Hi Steve
Thank you most sincerely for your comments.
I agree – the Ruth Ellis case was a travesty and an affront to the UK judicial process.
But above all it was an insult to the intellect of the British public. Maybe in 1955 those at the top thought the public could be fooled, and that their squalid secrets were impenetrable.
I began uncovering the truth in 2002, just one month after beginning ghost writing our book RUTH ELLIS MY SISTER’S SECRET LIFE, and a year before Muriel Jakubait’s 2003 Appeal.
I am disgusted that my findings and also details about my 10 Downing Street Petition have so obviously been quashed. There’s no doubt in my mind that the press have had their arms tied behind their backs.
Somebody at sometime must have the human decency and say sorry for for what happened 50 years ago to Ruth Ellis.
I am not giving up.
I am prepared to go to the highest court in the land if someone will help me, for justice for Ruth Ellis who was innocent of the crime for which she was hanged.
Monica Weller
Comment by copperknob — August 27, 2008 @ 8:55 pm |
Monica
I will help you as much as I can to get justice for Ruth Ellis.
I find it hard to believe that the press of today are censored. I just can’t accept that newspapers are not acting on the evidence that Muriel and yourself have found concerning Ruth’s innocence. Perhaps another petition should be sent to one of these papers to see if
they will do anything to help get a pardon for RUTH.
Monica many thanks for all the hard work you have done for RUTH.GOD BLESS YOU.
If I can help you in any way please let me know.
RRGARDS CINDY.
Comment by cindy hague — August 28, 2008 @ 8:40 pm |
I am intrigued by the evidence produced regarding the weapon used, as I am a keen shooter and have shot many different types of weapons over the years, including .38Spl revolvers.
Handguns are notoriously inaccurate in inexperienced hands; requiring correct tuition as to how to hold the pistol and much practice, couple this with a heavy trigger (10lb!), which needed 6 pulls to fire all the rounds in the chambers in addition to this S&W revolvers are far from a “ladys gun” from someone with small stature and hands. I would have thought that to get 4 or more shots in a decent enough group of say a torso would be a miracle at ranges of greater than 5 yds or so. At greater distances this would require a lot of practice.
In the military training and practice with such firearms was limited to officers as they were the only ones issued with a sidearm, As a Pilot Officer in the RAF Cussen would have had the benefit of such training. The heavy trigger and facory loads which would have a relatively large recoil would mean that it would be very difficult for a slight woman like Ruth Ellis to pick up such a firearm and put several shots into a fleeing adverary without an inordinate amount of luck or training and practice. It is also intriguing to discover that the gun in question mysteriously failed during testing.
I cannot for the life of me see why the defence counsel did not capitalise on the above during the trial.
Comment by Steve R — August 29, 2008 @ 4:00 pm |
Thank you Steve for taking the time to explain some of your first hand information about firearms and its relevance to my findings in the Ruth Ellis case. The Director of the Metropolitan Police Laboratory at New Scotland Yard should have been asked by the defence counsel at the Old Bailey trial to repeat all the crucial evidence about the gun which he had given previously at the magistrates court hearing. Monica Weller
Comment by copperknob — August 29, 2008 @ 8:48 pm |
Hi Monica
On re-reading the appropriate parts of the book about the gun, in my own opinion:
The evidence presented to the court in this respect was nowhere near detailed or conclusive enough for any balanced jury to convict upon – it seems clear viewed from “outside” that the defence team made no effort to discredit the prosecution case and simply concentrated on “window dressing” and mitigation. Given the directions of the judge regarding Murder vs Manslaughter the odds were very much stacked in favour of things going the way that regrettably they did.
Given the background that the cold war build up was already advanced (evidenced by military programmes such as the Vulcan strategic bomber). I think that your conclusions are well founded.
The story of Ruth Ellis has caused me to lose a good few nights sleep over the years and will not go away. I came across your blog the other day and felt that I had to leave a message of solidarity – I am in full support of what you are trying to achieve and should you need any assistance with your campaign please let me know.
Comment by Steve R — September 1, 2008 @ 1:41 pm |
Hi,
I would just like to say that even though I am on 31 years old and the case of Ruth Ellis happened well before my time it has cast a great bearing on my life.
I am greatly intrigued by her in so many ways and think that what happened to her is a travesty and was wrong and all facts should have been brought together before sentencing was given.
I am actually so intrigued with the case of Ruth Ellis that when I was at college I did my project and essays about her and have also read almost every book written. I have also got the film, Dance with a Stranger, an adaptation of her life.
There is no other case that as meant so much to me and I think that even though she is noth here today to see it, her name should be cleared.
Comment by Victoria Chapman — October 24, 2008 @ 11:27 am |
I was 12 when the trial took place, and remember my mother being furious. How dared they hang a woman suffering from post-natal depression. Di,has told me so much, and I wish I’d known and been able to sign your petition.
Three cases made me anti-capital punishment : this, The Bentley boy, and the man accused of murdering his wife and baby, who had lived in the Christie house.
At least he was cleared eventually.
Comment by shane — November 24, 2008 @ 2:06 pm |
She didn’t deserve to die….
Comment by Rachel — May 27, 2009 @ 10:00 pm |
Surely with all the extra evidence that has now been brought to light, the Ruth Ellis case MUST be looked into again. It’s so sad and unfair and I feel so angry at our justice system for how Ruth Ellis’s young life was taken so cruelly away from her. If things had been done properly the first time round in the courts, then a fairer sentence could have been issued. The government do not realise the importance of a pardon, its just words on a piece of paper for them to sign. JUSTICE MUST BE DONE NO MATTER HOW MANY YEARS IT TAKES
Comment by Lorna — August 18, 2009 @ 5:29 pm |