>> kiwi suzy austen charged with assisting >> exit's 'bullshit … ·...
TRANSCRIPT
>> Kiwi Suzy Austen Charged with Assisting
NZ Police Dredge Up More Charges for Suzy
>> Exit's Youngest Member Takes Final Step
Canadian Activist Adam Maier-Clayton Dies
>> Exit's 'Bullshit Granny' Does Proud
Patricia & Ron Fellows Speak Out on ABC TV
>> Exit 2017 London & Toronto Workshops
Bookings Open: 10 June (UK) & 31 October (CA)
>>May 2017 Peaceful Pill eHandbook Update
Bolivia & Peru Updates Coming Soon
>> Tweet of Week
>Goodbye Adam
>> Forum Q of Week - Got a Legal Question?
Ask Tasha Russell in the Forums Now
• Suzy Austen Charged with Assisting Suicide • Since October 2016 Exit has reported on the situation of our Wellington (NZ)
Exit Chapter Coordinator, Suzy Austen.
In November last year Suzy found herself the subject of a police investigation. A generous
and hospitable Chapter Coordinator, Suzy was the host of regular pot-luck lunches for Exit
Members at her home in Wellington.
Little did Suzy know that her October 2016 Sunday lunch would not only be infiltrated by a
NZ Police agent, but those attending would be stopped on their way home after the NZ
Police set up a fake DUI roadblock.
The roadblock was aimed not at catching drink-drivers. The primary purpose of the
roadblock was to gather the names and addresses of the Exit Members in attendance that
Sunday at Suzy's.
Many of those who gave their names to the Police at the roadblock were later visited by the
Police. Some had their Nembutal confiscated, one member even had her cylinder of Balloon
Time Helium taken away by the Police, raising questions of the legality of the Police actions
and who precisely is driving the witch hunt.
While it remains to be seen if the evidence gathered that Sunday will be admissible in court,
what is clear is that Suzy is now facing multiple charges including importing Nembutal (a
Class C drug) and assisting with the suicide of fellow Exit Member Annemarie Treadwell
(77 years).
The implications of what happens to Suzy Austen are critical for the voluntary euthanasia
movement globally.
If the matter goes to trial, there may be legal precedents created in relation to defining the
meaning of 'assisting a suicide'.
Needless to say, assisting someone to die is a very serious offence. In New Zealand as in the
UK, the penalty is up to 14 years imprisonment.
However, given the extraordinary lengths the NZ Police have gone to snare Suzy (and
possibly others), there is no room for complacency.
What is happening in New Zealand is a political witch hunt of hitherto unknown
proportions. The amount of public funds being used in the process will be breath-taking,
again raising questions of who and why.
This week Exit has launched a crowd-funding campaign to help Suzy with her legal costs
(see below).
This week's media regarding Suzy can be found below:
Stuff.co.nz: Hutt Woman Faces New Charge of Assisting a Suicide
Radio NZ: Euthanasia Advocate Charged with Assisting a Suicide
NZ City: Assisted Suicide Charge Laid
• Crowd-Funding Launched for Suzy Austen •
This week Exit has gotten behind a new Crowd Funding campaign to help former
Wellington Exit Chapter Coordinator (& NZ VE Society Committee Member) Suzy Austen
pay her legal costs.
Suzy heads back to court in mid May when she will enter a plea to all three charges that
have been levelled against her (2 charges of importing Nembutal & one charge of assisting a
suicide).
Suzy is represented by Donald Stephens QC. While Mr Stephens is an excellent barrister,
his services don't come cheap.
If you care about pushing the right to die issue & ensuring Suzy is in the best position
possible to be the test case that changes the law in New Zealand we urge you to donate now.
Already several large donations have been pledged to Exit and these are reflected in the
kick-start donations of $5000+
The Target of the Gofundme.com/suzyausten campaign is $50,000.
You can donate using any credit card at the above address.
Alternatively go to www.GoFundMe.com and search for Suzy Austen.
Suzy's court case has the potential to change the law on voluntary euthanasia /assisted
suicide in New Zealand (& Australia).
Donate Now
Thank you,
Philip Nitschke
• VALE - Adam Maier-Clayton •
Exit's Youngest Member Dies
It was with great sadness that Exit learned of the death of 27 year old Canadian, Adam
Maier-Clayton from a posting by his mom, Margaret on Facebook on Good Friday.
Adam first approached Exit in 2015. Suffering for years from a range of chronic psychiatric
illnesses, Adam sought a special excemption to purchase The Peaceful Pill eHandbook
(being under 50 years and mentally ill), and to become a fully-fledged member of the
organisation.
With the backing of his parents, Exit was pleased to provide Adam with a subscription to
the eHandbook and to accept his membership. This enabled many an early morning skype
call with Dr Philip Nitschke.
21 Nov 2015
Dear Dr. Nitschke,
My name is Adam.
Once upon a time I was an ambitious young man avidly pursuing school with the
ambition of becoming a serial entrepreneur.
Fast forward a few years and I started experiencing great pain in my eyes, face, cranium,
eyeballs and in other regions of my body. I spoke to doctor after doctor and nobody ever
thought to say "this is psychogenic" rather I would get "it's just anxiety."
Fast forward a few more years and the pain has amplified 100 fold. I'll put it like this, I
didn't know pain like this existed. I cannot work, read for more than a few minutes
without amplifying symptoms and even writing this mere e-mail is a chore. I am very,
very sick and although I am still avidly pursuing treatment, as a realist, I know there is
something deep within my brain that is very, very wrong ...
Speaking from the Netherlands, Dr Philip Nitschke has said 'Adam was remarkably mature
for his age. He was thoughtful and a quiet critical thinker. Adam had a rare intellectual
outlook on the world, on his own suffering, and on the dearth of solutions open to him'.
Knowing he did not, and would not, qualify for Canada's euthanasia law (where one must
terminally ill and death must be imminent), Adam was acutely aware that he was on his
own when it came to creating his own end of life options.
It was a relief to all concerned when Adam was able to successfully import Nembutal over
the Internet. He stored the drug away for many months before choosing to use it.
It had been hoped that Adam's psychic suffering would ease and that the quality of his life
would improve to the extent that he would want to live on. Adam was precisely the type of
powerful and passionate advocate that the assisted dying debate (especially as it relates to
younger people) needs.
I want you to understand that I am pursuing treatment and working to get better. I am
not suicidal, I love this Earth -- but as a realist, things are not looking good for me. Multi-
dimensional mental disorders that are now manifesting themselves into pain disorders.
I'm pharmacologically inclined, I've looked at the clinical studies, I've done CBT and
looked at those studies, I'm not your average patient. I'm a smart guy and I make
decisions based on logic, not emotion.
Only days before dying, Adam had intimated to Philip that he may be able attend the
NuTech Conference scheduled for Toronto in October 2017. Sadly this was not to be.
Life is complicated Dr. Nitschke -- many people are fortunate and will not have to
understand its potential complexity. It's a shame that I have. That being said, I am a
strong advocate of yours and sincerely appreciate your work.
Take care.
In Memory of Adam Maier-Clayton
A collection of Adam's radio interviews, undertaken in the 12 months before
his death can be found at SoundCloud.com
Adam's dad can be heard remembering Adam yesterday on CBC.
Philip Nitschke on 'Adam's Choice' can also be found on CBC.
The Vice News interview with Adam & Philip, undertaken in December 2016, is
available.
Adam Maier-Clayton, 28 October 1989 - 14 April 2017
• 'Swearing Granny' Patricia Fellows does
Exit Proud @ ABC TV's Q&A • As author Nikki Gemmell continues her promotion tour for her new book 'After' about her
mother, Exit Member, Elayne's rational suicide, so more Exit Members have come
forward to fly the Exit Flag.
On ABC TV's Q&A program on Monday 10 April, Exit Members Pat & Ron Fellows
were comfortably ensconced in the front row of a studio audience.
The debate was between Nikki Gemmell and Australian-Canadian Law Professor Margaret
Somerville. Somerville has a long track-record on the pro-life, anti-choice side of the
debate.
Back in 2002 when Philip was debating the same Margeret Somerville with the same host
Tony Jones on ABC TV's Lateline, Somerville said that people who were terminally ill and
wanted euthanasia:
... were in a state that these psychiatrists called hopelessness. It was usually associated
with clinical depression ...
Somerville went on:
we know that if someone can look forward to a visit from someone they love or to see their
grandchild or even to hear the birds get up in the morning or see the sunrise -- that's
enough hope to make that period of life still worth living.
Philip's reply at the time reads:
... this dream that we can somehow or other get these people who come to me and talk to
me about their situation to somehow or other hear the birds, is naive.
The problem is that these are adults, they're rational, they know their situation and they
say, "We've had enough and we want to know why we can't leave when we want to
leave."
So it is hardly suprising that the Professor was coughing up the same old tired arguments of
why no one should have the right to choose when, where and how they die.
The surprise came in the audience comments from Patricia Fellows.
In reply to Somerville trying to state that Patricia's death was a matter for community
concern, Ms Fellows replied 'bullshit'.
The highlight of the night was that Margaret Somerville was left with nowhere to go. The
empress had no clothes.
Nice one Patricia!
You can catch the exchange at The Guardian's website.
• London UK 2017 Workshop •
• Toronto CA 2017 Workshop • Exit will be holding workshops in both London UK and Toronto Canada in 2017.
The London Workshop Details:
1.30 - 4.30pm on Saturday 10 June 2017
Dragon Hall, 17 Stukeley St, WC2B 5LT
The Toronto Workshop Details:
1 - 4pm, Tuesday 31 October 2017
Venue TBC.
Bookings for both meetings are now open
Download the Booking Registration Form
Join Exit Online
Members can register by emailing [email protected]
UK Reception 07883 509 765
Australian 2017 Workshop Series Information
* Workshops are free for Exit members
• Peaceful Pill eHandbook May 2017 Update •
Coming Soon The May 2017 update to the online Peaceful Pill eHandbook will be published
in the first week of May.
The subject of the update is over-the-counter drugs in Bolivia & Peru.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
The 2017 Print Peaceful Pill Handbook is now shipping.
ORDER NOW
Based upon the February 2017 edition of the online eHandbook, the new Peaceful Pill
PRINT Handbook presents the most up to date information on end of life choices
available in print.
ORDER NOW
Price: USD$80 (exc postage & handling)
Older editions of The Peaceful Pill Handbook are available at Exit's Online Print Books
Store. Prices start from USD$20 (exc shipping), while stocks last.
* Readers must be aged 50 years or over and be of sound mind. Exceptions are always
considered.
• Tweet of the Week •
Goodbye Adam Follow Philip Nitschke on Twitter @philipnitschke
#euthanasia
Twitter.com
• Forum Q of Week •
Got a Legal Question? Ask it in the Forums Exit's roving Legal Director Tasha Russell will be visiting the forums this week to answer
your legal questions.
Tasha is a graduate of Charles Darwin University Law School and the University of
Adelaide Law School. She is not currently practicing as a lawyer but she is well-positioned
to provide informal advice.
And if she doesn't know the answer for your particular state or country, she'll find out and
come back to you.
The Peaceful Pill Forums are provided free to Members of Exit & to Subscribers to The
Peaceful Pill eHandbook.
Log In to Exit's Peaceful Pill Online forums & join the conversation.
Apply to join by email: [email protected]
www.peacefulpillforums.com
Members must be aged 50 years or over, of sound mind OR be seriously ill (or have other
valid reasons). Photo ID is required.
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