Living wills law could be ‘revisited’ after Kerrie Wooltorton suicide case – Andy Burnham – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 5th, 2009 in assisted suicide, news, wills by sally

“The law on ‘living wills’ could be reviewed after a young woman used one to commit suicide, Andy Burnham, the Health Secretary, has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 4th October 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Suicide advice websites face prosecution – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 24th, 2009 in assisted suicide, internet, news by sally

“Internet campaigners whose advice on how to take your own life is used in an assisted suicide face possible prosecution, according to the new guidance published yesterday.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Assisted suicide guide is a blend of protection and compassion – The Times

Posted September 24th, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“Keir Starmer has made the best of a difficult job. First, as widely trailed, he has decided that his assisted suicide guidelines must apply to England and Wales as well as to behaviour abroad. This is surely right: there is no moral difference between an act committed in Geneva and its replica in Hull.”

Full story

The Times, 24th September 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

DPP publishes interim policy on prosecuting assisted suicide – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted September 23rd, 2009 in assisted suicide, Crown Prosecution Service, news by sally

“Launching his interim policy on prosecuting cases of assisted suicide today, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, called for public participation in a 12-week consultation on the factors he has identified which will be taken into account when considering whether prosecutions will be brought for this offence.”

Full story

Crown Prosecution Service, 23rd September 2009

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Families may face assisted suicide charges, says DPP Keir Starmer – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 23rd, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“Family members who help loved ones to commit suicide when they are not suffering from a terminal illness are more likely to be prosecuted, Keir Starmer, Director of Public Prosecutions, has suggested.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Debbie Purdy’s husband helping her die – BBC News

Posted September 23rd, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“The publication of guidance on when prosecutions should be brought in assisted suicide cases represents a victory for multiple sclerosis sufferer Debbie Purdy.”

Full story

BBC News, 23rd September 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Assisted suicide guidelines published on helping family end their lives – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 23rd, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“Guidelines will be published clarifying whether people in England and Wales are likely to be prosecuted if they help relatives or friends commit suicide.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd September 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Guidance for relatives in assisted suicide cases to be revealed – The Guardian

Posted September 21st, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“People who wish to die through assisted suicide will this week have guidance for the first time on whether their partners, relatives or friends risk being prosecuted.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th September 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Son jailed after ward gun suicide – BBC News

Posted September 4th, 2009 in assisted suicide, firearms, news by sally

“A man who gave his father a gun in hospital so that he could shoot himself has been jailed for three years.”

Full story

BBC News, 4th September 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

A matter of life or death – BBC News

Posted September 2nd, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“It is not just friends and family who want clarity about potential criminal prosecutions for helping someone travel abroad for an assisted suicide – doctors too may face criminal proceedings for offering advice or assistance under the current law.”

Full story

BBC News, 2nd September 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Human rights: clarifying the law on assisted suicide – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 21st, 2009 in assisted suicide, judicial review, news by sally

“There are several remarkable features about the case of Debbie Purdy. For one, the case started with judicial review proceedings in April 2008, concluding with the House of Lords judgment on 30 July 2009 – less than 15 months later.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 20th August 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Suicide guidance will apply to UK – BBC News

Posted August 4th, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“Guidelines on assisted suicide will apply in the UK as well as overseas, the Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed.”

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BBC News, 4th August 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government may allow Commons time to hear assisted dying bill – The Guardian

Posted August 4th, 2009 in assisted suicide, news, parliament by sally

“The government is to consider giving time for a bill to allow assisted dying if the director of public prosecutions fails to come up with clearer advice on when it is legal or illegal to help someone to die.”

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The Guardian, 3rd August 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

R (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions (Society for the Protection of Unborn Children intervening) – WLR Daily

R (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions (Society for the Protection of Unborn Children intervening) [2009] UKHL 45; [2009] WLR (D) 271

“The Director of Public Prosecutions should be required to promulgate a policy identifying the facts and circumstances to be considered in exercising his discretion under s 2(4) of the Suicide Act 1961 whether to prosecute a person such as the claimant’s husband for aiding and abetting an assisted suicide abroad.”

WLR Daily, 31st July 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Assisted suicide: Whose life is it anyway? – The Times

Posted August 3rd, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“Debbie Purdy was ‘ecstatic’. It was a strange reaction to the news that it had suddenly become easier to be killed in Zurich. But the real reason for her elation was that the news also meant it might soon become easier to be killed in Britain.”

Full story

The Times, 2nd August 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Purdy: ‘Now let me die in Britain’ – The Independent

Posted August 3rd, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“Pressure mounts for assisted suicide to be allowed on the NHS after MS sufferer’s landmark legal victory.”

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The Independent, 1st August 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Guidelines on assisted suicide ‘heading for challenge in the courts’ – The Times

Posted August 3rd, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“A former Lord Chancellor has warned that new guidelines on assisted suicide will expose the Director of Public Prosecutions to challenge in the courts.”

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The Times, 1st August 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Decision day for assisted suicide law – The Guardian

Posted July 30th, 2009 in assisted suicide, human rights, news by sally

“A groundbreaking change in the law on assisted suicides could become inevitable tomorrow when the UK’s highest court delivers its judgment in the case of Debbie Purdy, whose long legal fight has put her at the centre of the controversy.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th July 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawcast 152: Lord Falconer on assisted dying and the new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom – Charon QC

Posted July 28th, 2009 in assisted suicide, podcasts, Supreme Court by sally

“Today I am talking to Lord Falconer, a former Lord Chancellor, about two important and interesting themes – assisted dying and his amendment to the Suicide Act defeated in the Lords recently and secondly his thoughts on the reasoning behind establishing a new Supreme Court and the direction it may, in time, take.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 28th July 2009

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

Amendment to relax law on assisted dying is thrown out by peers – The Times

Posted July 8th, 2009 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“A move to relax the law on assisted dying was thrown out by the Lords on Tuesday night. Peers voted by 194 to141 to reject a proposal to allow people to help someone with a terminal illness travel to a country where assisted suicide is legal.”

Full story

The Times, 8th July 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk