Thursday 30 October 2008

High Court rules on euthanasia...

Debbie Purdy (pictured in happier times when she had just been given permission to appeal to the High Court) lost her appeal today.

She had wanted to force the Director for Public Prosecutions (who is in charge of the Crown Prosecution Service) to issue clear guidelines as to when the CPS would be likely to prosecute someone for assisting a loved one to travel abroad (like Daniel James did) to commit suicide. The court refused, saying it was a matter for Parliament to decide...

Watch a video clip reporting the case here, and read the story in the Times here. Are the courts getting this right? Should the issue be left to Parliament to sort out by changing the Suicide Act 1961?

AS students - if Debbie Purdy wants to appeal further, might this case be suitable for the "leapfrog" procedure, and why do you think this doesn't appear to have been considered here?

All students - feel free to add a comment on the earlier euthanasia thread below - there's still a prize up for grabs for the best one!

You might also want to read Daniel James' mother on why she thinks her son had the right to die.

The BBC has a good glossary of euthanasia-related terminology here.

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