In a famous court case in the United States a man was tried and found guilty and sentenced to death.His lawyers worked hard to get the man a reprieve and eventually they were successful.
With great joy they went to his cell on death row and they showed him the reprieve and to their amazement he refused it.
It then became a famous legal debate.
They studied it carefully and they came to the conclusion that a reprieve is no more than just a piece of paper until it is personally accepted.
Geoff Pound
Image: Legal eagle