It’s Christmas 1919 at Downton! What a happy time…for some.
This week we shall be discussing the unfortunate matter of Mr. Bates. In case you forgot, let’s talk about Bates’ history. Mr. Bates is the valet of Lord Grantham. Bates is married to a vindictive woman named Vera Bates, though they have been separated for years. Mrs. Bates comes to find her husband at Downton, where she threatens to reveal the secret of Lady Mary’s affair with a Turkish gentleman. After several attempts to keep her quiet, Mary is forced to beg her betrothed, Richard Carlisle, to buy the story from Vera Bates. Carlisle, who owns a number of newspapers in London, tricks Mrs. Bates into signing a contract, ensuring that the story remains “exclusive.” After discovering the plot against her, the angered Mrs. Bates informs the judge that Bates paid her to agree to a divorce, and the judge can withdraw the decree for divorce. Bates is forced to go to London and try to rationalize with her. But the next day, we learn that Vera Bates is dead. Bates realizes that he will likely be accused of and tried for Vera Bates’ murder.
During their time together at Downton, Bates and Anna, who works as Lady Mary’s lady’s maid, have fallen in love. In expectation of their future troubles, Anna decides that they need to get married. However, she is not simply motivated by love. Anna knows that, if Bates is arrested and they are unmarried, she will have no legal rights. Anna cannot simply stand by and watch while Bates is convicted, without the right to even be informed.
Vera Bates’ death and the subsequent trial of Mr. Bates is a demonstration of how such legal practices were carried out in England during the early 1900s. At the trial, the juries unanimously voted that Bates was guilty. Bates was immediately sentenced to execution. As Matthew points out, the sentence is simply a “matter of routine.” In other words, those found guilty of murder were always sentenced to death, regardless of circumstances. Today, when the death sentence has been so fiercely debated, it was shocking to watch a man so quickly sentenced to death on circumstantial evidence.
However, a death sentence was not an irreversible act. In fact, there were many reasons for it to be commuted. As soon as the death sentence was given, lawyers began to work on changing the sentence to life imprisonment. Looking back, it seems rather counterproductive to issue a death sentence if they could be overturned. For Bates, the flaw in the case was the matter of premeditation. Thankfully, his lawyers were able to change his sentence to life imprisonment. Therefore, Bates and Anna can now work to prove his innocence.
In a heartbreaking scene, Anna goes to visit Bates in prison after his sentence has been changed. Bates begs Anna, “Promise me you’ll make friends. Have fun. Live life.” He does not want her to waste her life waiting on him. He understands that it may be years for his sentence to be reprieved, if he ever is pardoned. Anna promises Bates that she will try.
What a wild ride. It’s tough to see bates never be truly happy because something or someone is always out to get him. He really is a good guy but with a bad history.
That’s crazy that they would instantly hand out the death penalty like that– it seems like that would be so unhelpful in actually solving cases like this, especially since they had such a limited ability to prove guilt or innocence given the technology of the day, and it seems counterproductive to give out such drastic sentences like that without much proof. Poor Bates and Anna can never catch a break!
Vera Bates is super bold and mean is sounds like. It really took a turn of events when I found out that she had died, but hey now he doesn’t to deal with her. Although it is kind of sad that he was convicted, its unfair and sad.
Wow. I feel bad for Mr Bates. As flawed as our current judiciary system can be, we’ve certainly come a long way in the sense of producing better and more concrete evidence with advances in forensics. This trial is even a far cry from it’s predecessor where the Lord simply decides your fate and it all comes down to one person’s decision. Though it’s good he’s not dead, life imprisonment is no small thing either! Here’s hoping the truth is found!
I always feel bad for characters and people like Mr. Bates who are caught in poorly executed cases and never see their truth’s told. It is amazing how much things have changed in regard to the death sentence. To think that his life was so close to quickly ending, but was saved by the hard work of his lawyers, is crazy to think about. What a story!