Alan Turing law

[Green_Knight]

Britain is expected to pass a law pardoning thousands of gay men convicted under historic gross indecency crimes.

The new law has become known as the Alan Turing law, after the man who is widely regarded as the pioneer of modern computer science and who was instrumental in breaking the German Enigma codes during World War II - a breakthrough that probably shortened the war in Europe by two years. He was convicted of 'gross indecency' in 1952 and opted for chemical castration instead of prison. This had such an effect on him that he committed suicide in 1954.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...en-convicted-of-outdated-crimes-a7320851.html

 

[Lazy_lay]

Britain is expected to pass a law pardoning thousands of gay men convicted under historic gross indecency crimes.

The new law has become known as the Alan Turing law, after the man who is widely regarded as the pioneer of modern computer science and who was instrumental in breaking the German Enigma codes during World War II - a breakthrough that probably shortened the war in Europe by two years. He was convicted of 'gross indecency' in 1952 and opted for chemical castration instead of prison. This had such an effect on him that he committed suicide in 1954.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...en-convicted-of-outdated-crimes-a7320851.html

No convincing proof was ever found that it was suicide. Hence the assertion that he was led to suicide by the great injustices done to him is completely without merit.

He was deeply involved in the code breaking and could easily have been targeted for assassination by any of a number of parties.

 

[stickygirl]

I remember reading somewhere that you shouldn't have to be a brilliant scientist to have the state apologise - and I think a statement was made to that effect when he was officially pardoned. So this is another step in the right direction. We can't change the mistakes of the past, incomprehensible as the seem today, but an official apology was long overdue.
As for suicide: his autopsy was done in a shabby manner too.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18561092