VANCOUVER, July 17, 2002 (LSN.ca) – Evelyn Marie Martens, the 71-year-old Right to Die activist charged with assisting in the suicide of a Quebec-born former nun, wants to be tried by a judge and jury. She is charged with “aiding and counselling” Monique Charest to commit suicide in January, and faces another charge in the June 26 assisted suicide of Leyanne Burchell, a Vancouver school teacher. A three-day preliminary hearing will begin on November 13 in Duncan, B.C. “She’s hoping at least one member of the jury will be on her side,” suggests Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. Martens “hopes to get off with a hung jury,” he says, adding, Robert Latimer “tried that twice.” Schadenberg’s main concern is the publication ban on the case, which “makes it hard to assess the full situation” in a matter of great public interest. Meanwhile, Schadenberg notes, Dr. Philip Nitschke, Australia’s leading Right to Die activist, says domestic “exit bags” are on the way after their “Canadian manufacturer” (who is not named) “was arrested.” To read CBC online coverage see: https://www.cbc.ca/stories/2002/07/16/suicide020716
For more details on the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition send an email to: [email protected]
To read Dr. Nitschke’s comment about the “arrest” of the unnamed Canadian “exit bag” supplier see: https://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_624975.html