Wellington: A New Zealand euthanasia campaigner died today just hours after receiving a judgement that rejected her case for assisted suicide, the High Court said. Lecretia Seales, a lawyer suffering from an inoperable brain tumour, launched a landmark legal bid to allow her doctor immunity from prosecution if the medic assisted her death.
The 42-year-old's family said she died of natural causes early Friday. New Zealand's High Court said her death came shortly after she received judge David Collins' ruling that changing the laws on euthanasia was a role for parliament, not the courts.
"Sadly, Ms Seales passed away within hours of receiving the judgment," the High Court said in a statement.
"The judge conveys to Ms Seales' husband, family and friends his deepest condolences." Seales' legal team had argued that her doctor should be able to help her die if her suffering became intolerable and refusing such assistance would breach her human rights.
Collins ruled that her doctor could be charged with murder for administering a fatal drug, or manslaughter for giving her a dose of drugs to self-administer that led to her death.
"Only parliament can change the law to reflect Ms Seales' wishes the courts cannot trespass on the role of parliament," he said in his judgement.
"The complex legal, philosophical, moral and clinical issues raised by Ms Seales' proceedings can only be addressed by parliament passing legislation to amend the effect of the Crimes Act."
Seales' family said Collins had acknowledged that she was not vulnerable and her wish for assisted death was "a rational and intellectually rigorous response to her circumstances".
"For us, as a family, it is terribly disappointing that the judge was prepared to go as far as he did but not take this last step," they said in a statement. "The judgment has starkly highlighted that the status quo is not ideal."
