One step closer to the 'right to die'
August 06, 2009
The House of Lords ruled recently on Debbie Purdy's case seeking to clarify whether her husband could be arrested for accompanying her to Switzerland to have an assisted suicide. As of yet there have been no arrests for this crime but Mrs Purdy wanted more certainty as the law says he could potentially face 14 years in prison.
The Law Lords agreed with Mrs Purdy and said that "a sensible and clear policy document would be of great legal and practical value" as it was important that Mrs Purdy's husband be of some moral and emotional comfort to Ms Purdy in their tragic situation. This may signal a softening in the approach that the law takes against assisted suicide when the alternative is a long period of suffering.