{{Infobox Court Case
, name = Pratt v A-G for Jamaica
, court =
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is the highest court of appeal for the Crown Dependencies, the British Overseas Territories, some Commonwealth countries and a few institutions in the United Kingdom. Established on 14 Aug ...
, image =
, caption =
, date decided = 2 November 1993
, full name = Earl Pratt and Ivan Morgan, Appellants v The Attorney General for Jamaica and The Superintendent of Prisons, Saint Catherine's, Jamaica, Respondents
, citations = UKPC_1 _ UKPC_1 _[1994">993 UKPC_1 _[19942_AC_1
.html" ;"title="994.html" ;"title="993 UKPC 1 993 UKPC_1 _[19942_AC_1
">_judges_=_
.html" ;"title="994">993 UKPC 1 [19942 AC 1
"> judges =
"> prior actions = Court of Appeal of Jamaica
, subsequent actions =
, opinions = Hugh Griffiths, Baron Griffiths, Lord Griffiths
, transcripts =
, keywords = Capital punishment; inhuman or degrading punishment
''Pratt v A-G for Jamaica'' is a 1993
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is the highest court of appeal for the Crown Dependencies, the British Overseas Territories, some Commonwealth countries and a few institutions in the United Kingdom. Established on 14 Aug ...
(JCPC) case in which it was held that it was unconstitutional in Jamaica to execute a prisoner who had been on death row for 14 years. The JCPC held that because the Constitution of Jamaica prohibits "inhuman or degrading punishment", excessive delays cannot occur between sentencing and execution of the punishment. In cases of such excessive delay, the death sentence should be commuted to life imprisonment.
The JCPC held that any delay of more than five years between sentencing and execution was ''prima facie'' evidence that carrying out the sentence would constitute inhuman or degrading punishment. It suggested that the entire appeals process in Jamaica should take no more than two years, and that any further applications to the
United Nations Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), CDH is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis. ...