Euthanasia campaigner freed

2004-12-13 21:40

Wellington - New Zealand euthanasia campaigner Lesley Martin was released from prison on Monday after serving half of a 15-month sentence for the attempted murder of her mother, who was terminally ill.

Martin vowed to continue campaigning for mercy killing legislation.

The case of Martin, who tried to kill her mother with a morphine overdose, ignited fierce debate in New Zealand over the right to die and legalisation of euthanasia.

Martin, 40, an intensive care nurse, was prosecuted only after she published a frank book on her mother's death, To Die Like a Dog, in which she wrote that she had twice tried to end the suffering of 69-year-old Joy Martin, who had terminal bowel cancer.

Martin said she planned a quiet Christmas with her family before resuming her work campaigning for voluntary euthanasia legislation in New Zealand.

Met by her husband and children as she walked free, Martin said she had no regrets and described her time in prison as "part of bringing more awareness to the whole issue of VE (voluntary euthanasia) and the situations people find themselves in because we don't have decent legislation".

Lawmakers earlier this year narrowly defeated legislation that would have legalised mercy killing under tight controls - the second time the move was defeated in two years.

- AP