Let Him Have It

Let Him Have It is a 1991 British film, which was based on the true story of the case against Derek Bentley, who was hanged for murder under controversial circumstances onJanuary 1953. While Bentley did not directly play a role in the murder of PC Sidney Miles, he received the greater punishment than the gunman who was 16. It stars Christopher Eccleston as Bentley, with Paul Reynolds, Tom Courtenay and Tom Bell, directed by Peter Medak.

Within the film, Bentley Eccleston is an illiterate young adult with developmental disabilities who falls into a gang led by a younger teenager named Chris Craig Reynolds. The two become trapped by the police, who tell Chris to put down his gun. Bentley says, Let him have it, Chris. Chris begins firing, killing one officer and wounding another. Because he is a minor under 18, Chris is given a minor sentence, but Bentley, although he did not shoot anyone, is sentenced to death, on the basis that his statement to Chris was an instigation to begin shooting.Bentleys family begin an effort for clemency that reaches Parliament, which Bentley finds out about when a jailer reads the stories to him from a newspaper. Despite his familys efforts and some public support, Bentley is executed in 1953 within a month of being convicted, before Parliament takes any official action. ........

Source: Wikipedia