Report of David Boyle, Lord Justice Clerk on 1 individual petition (William Steele,...

Report of David Boyle, Lord Justice Clerk on 1 individual petition (William Steele, the prisoner's counsel) and 1 collective petition (193 people, of Greenock [Renfrewshire], including 5 magistrates and 4 ministers) on behalf of John Kerr, rigger, convicted at the Circuit Court of Justiciary held in Glasgow on 4 May 1827 for the murder of Mary Munn [his wife] on 17 October 1826. There is a copy of the 'Indictment against John Kerr'; a copy of the declaration'; a copy of the notes on evidence; a copy of the verdict & sentence; a covering letter to the previous documents from Lord Gillies and covering letters to the petitions from William Steele and M Leitch. Grounds for clemency: victim [the prisoner's wife of 30 years] had a history of alcoholism and her intemperance finally provoked an assault by her husband, the attack was not premeditated, the accused surrendered himself voluntarily to the authorities and the Jury recommended mercy. Initial sentence: death. Recommendation: no mercy. AN 3. [Scot]