0 8 , ▁Thor pe ▁gave ▁his ▁first ▁press ▁interview ▁in ▁ 2 5 ▁years , ▁to ▁The ▁Guardian . ▁Refer ring ▁to ▁the ▁affair ▁he ▁said : ▁" If ▁it ▁happened ▁now ▁I ▁think ▁the ▁public ▁would ▁be ▁kind er . ▁Back ▁then ▁they ▁were ▁very ▁trouble d ▁by ▁it   ... ▁It ▁off ended ▁their ▁set ▁of ▁values ." ▁Thor pe ▁died ▁on ▁ 4 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁trial ▁Le ▁Mes ur ier ▁kept ▁a ▁low ▁profile , ▁after ▁un success ful ▁attempts ▁to ▁sell ▁" the ▁real ▁story " ▁to ▁national ▁newsp apers . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁in ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁articles ▁printed ▁in ▁the ▁News ▁of ▁the ▁World , ▁Hol mes ▁re assert ed ▁his ▁alleg ation ▁that ▁Thor pe ▁had ▁asked ▁him ▁to ▁kill ▁Scott : ▁" The ▁inc itement ▁charge ▁which ▁Jer emy ▁faced ▁was ▁true , ▁and ▁if ▁I ▁had ▁gone ▁into ▁the ▁witness ▁box ▁I ' d ▁have ▁had ▁to ▁tell ▁the ▁truth ." ▁Hol mes , ▁who ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁had ▁previously ▁admitted ▁his ▁participation ▁in ▁a ▁consp i racy ▁to ▁" f right en " ▁Scott , ▁though ▁not ▁to ▁kill ▁him . ▁B ess ell ' s ▁account ▁of ▁the ▁affair ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁America ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ; ▁his ▁final ▁years ▁were ▁devoted ▁to ▁a ▁campaign ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁er os ion