This Is Where the Right to Die Leads Us

 By Alex Schadenberg*

Spiked published an in-depth article by Lauren Smith on January 15, 2024 titled: "Canada has revealed the horror of assisted dying." Smith tells the stories of the many people who have felt forced into  considering death by euthanasia.

Smith sets the stage for her article by calling Canada's euthanasia law a gruesome, state-sanctioned industry. Smith states:

There is nothing remotely civilized about Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) programme. Assisted dying in Canada was initially considered a last resort for terminally ill patients suffering from incurable pain. But in the space of just a few years, euthanasia has been made available to pretty much anyone who is struggling with an illness or a disability. Even Canadians facing homelessness and poverty are feeling compelled to end their lives, rather than ‘burden’ the authorities.

Trial Continues...Widow Claims Assisted Suicide, Prosecutor Says Murder

By Harriet Alexander 

For entire article, click here.

In the months before the death of Walcha sheep grazier Mathew John Dunbar in August 2017, the internet history of his partner suggested an expanding interest in ways to take a life.

In February, Natasha Beth Darcy allegedly researched poisonous spiders, fungi and snakes. By March, she was running searches on epidurals, spinal taps and the number of tablets required to be taken to execute a suicide. In June, she allegedly typed into a search engine: “how to commit murder”.

Natasha Beth Darcy, 46, was the sole beneficiary of Mr Dunbar’s estate, which included Pandora, a 1200-acre property on Thunderbolts Way in northern NSW valued at $3.5 million. She has pleaded not guilty to his murder.

Graham Morant Red Flag to Oppose Assisted Suicide Legalization

By Richard Egan.
To view pdf, click here.

In a unanimous decision by three judges of the Queensland Court of Appeal handed down in Brisbane on 19 June 2020 in the case of R v Morant [2020] QCA 135, Graham Morant’s appeal against his conviction for aiding the suicide of his wife was rejected on all four grounds of appeal and the sentence of 10 years imprisonment was upheld as fair.

Morant was convicted on two counts under s311 of the Queensland Criminal Code. The first was that he had counselled Ms Morant to kill herself and thereby induced her to do so. The second was that he had aided her in killing herself.

Morant Loses Appeal

By Lydia Lynch, Brisbane Times

A Queensland man sentenced to 10 years in prison for helping his wife to kill herself for a $1.4 million life insurance payout has lost his appeal.

The ruling comes after emails between euthanasia campaigner Philip Nitschke and the man's wife were discovered following his conviction.

Graham Robert Morant (pictured here) was aged 69 when he was convicted of persuading his wife to end her life in November 2014.

Queensland Euthanasia Bill Deferred

Palaszczuk

Courtesy of Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition:

ABC News Australia, state political reporter, Josh Bavas, reported that the Queensland Australia euthanasia bill will be deferred until after the October 31, 2020 election. Bavas [said]:

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament this morning the legislation would instead be referred to the Queensland Law Reform Commission for consideration, with an expectation it would respond after the October state election. 

Queensland Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Counselling Suicide to Obtain Life Insurance

To view original article, click here

Justice Davis

“However, one can imagine many circumstances arising where people in positions of trust and responsibility could succumb to the temptation to counsel suicide for personal gain.”

By Hope Australia

These confronting words were spoken last week by Justice Davis in the Supreme Court of Queensland, as he sentenced Graham Robert Morant to 10 years imprisonment for counselling his wife to commit suicide.

The judge’s words articulate the risk that family members and others in positions of trust and responsibility can persuade a person to take their own life, particularly when they stand to gain financially as a result of the death. Such risks would only be exacerbated in an environment where assisted suicide and euthanasia was legal.

Man Convicted of Assisting Wife's Suicide

An Australian man has been convicted of aiding his wife's suicide, after a court heard he had coveted payouts from her life insurance.

Jennifer Morant, 56, had suffered from chronic pain but was not terminally ill when she died in 2014, a court heard.

A jury found that Graham Morant, 69, counselled and aided his wife to take her life. He had denied both charges.

Euthanasia Bill Defeated

"[T]he title of their legislation
gave the game away."

By Denis Strangman

In a narrow vote the Australian Senate today (Thursday) defeated by 36-34 a move to permit the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory to enact laws on euthanasia and assisted suicide. Most of the Australian media was campaigning for the pro-euthanasia move. A lot of work went on in the background with the group established by Paul Russell (Hope) encouraging a joint-Party meeting for Senators and staff to hear from two experienced Doctors from Victoria.

Assisting Persons Can Have an Agenda

Michelle Carter assisted boyfriend's suicide,
"wanted sympathy, attention"

By Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA

Persons assisting a suicide can have an agenda. Consider Tammy Sawyer, trustee for Thomas Middleton in Oregon. Two days after his death by assisted suicide, she sold his home and deposited the proceeds into bank accounts for her own benefit.[1]

In other US states, reported motives for assisting suicide include: the “thrill” of getting other people to kill themselves; a desire for sympathy and attention; and “want[ing] to see someone die.”[2]

New South Wales Defeats Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia

NSW Legislative Council

Today, the New South Wales' Upper House voted against a purported "Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill."

The bill would have legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia, on both a voluntary and non-voluntary basis, for dying and non-dying people. The vote was 20 to 19.

HOPE: Bill in New South Wales Provides For Assisted Suicide and Direct Killing

Dear Friend

The Legislative Council debate on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017 will begin today. (11/16/17)

The long title of the Bill states that Bill is about assistance to persons to “end their own lives”.

However, Clause 5 also provides for a medical practitioner or a nurse to directly kill a person by administering a lethal substance to the person.

Assisted Suicide Is a Prescription for Abuse

Nancy Elliott

I am a former three-term State Representative in the state of New Hampshire USA. I was alarmed to see that Victoria may be close to passing a bill to legalize assisted suicide.

Four years ago, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted down a similar bill in a bipartisan vote. The vote was an overwhelming 3 to 1 defeat, 219 to 66.*

Many representatives who initially thought that they were for the law, became uncomfortable when they studied it further. Contrary to promoting “choice” for older people, assisted suicide laws are a prescription for abuse. They empower heirs and others to pressure and abuse older people to cut short their lives. This is especially an issue when the older person has money. There is NO assisted-suicide bill that you can write to correct this huge problem.