Bentley and Craig Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Factory Girl 

Cover art for Bentley and Craig lyrics by Ralph McTell

I have heard both Ralph McTell's original and June Tabor's cover of this song. I much prefer the original. This song is a passionate indictment of capital punishment. But on another level, it reads like a law school examination question: to what extent can an individual who has surrendered to police be held culpable as an accomplice or principal in a criminal action?