A euthanasia advocate could face 14 years' jail after today being charged with assisting someone's suicide, in addition to two previous charges. <\/p>\n
Wellington District Court Photo: RNZ \/ Alexander Robertson <\/p>\n
Susan Austen, 66, was today accused of helping 77-year-old Annemarie Treadwell commit suicide between December 2015 and June 2016. <\/p>\n
In October she was charged with two counts of importing the sedative narcotic pentobarbitane, also known as Nembutol, which is a class C drug. <\/p>\n
Speaking in the Wellington District Court today, her lawyer, Dr Donald Stevens QC, requested the charges be adjourned until 12 May, when she would enter a plea to all three. <\/p>\n
She was remanded on bail until then. <\/p>\n
Ms Austen is the former chairperson of the Wellington branch of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. <\/p>\n
The case arose after the police used a breath-testing checkpoint to target voluntary euthanasia supporters as they left an Exit International meeting in Lower Hutt in late October 2016. <\/p>\n
The legality of the checkpoint was being investigated by the Independent Police Conduct Authority. <\/p>\n
Assisting suicide carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. <\/p>\n
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Euthanasia advocate charged with assisting suicide - Radio New Zealand<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A euthanasia advocate could face 14 years' jail after today being charged with assisting someone's suicide, in addition to two previous charges. Continue reading