Man charged with assisted suicide in Hamilton Ontario

Several days ago, a man was charged with the crime of assisted suicide in Hamilton Ontario.

Hamilton Ontario

The Hamilton Spectator reported that Herbert Dilts was charged by Hamilton police for the alleged crime of assisted suicide in the death of Brian Nelson (71) of Stoney Creek Ontario who died in February 2012.

Nelson, who was a friend of Dilts, had unsuccessful back surgery for a degenerative disk several years before. Nelson asked Dilts to assist him to commit suicide. Dilts acknowledges that he discussed the suicide plan with Nelson, but claims that he had nothing to do with the death.

The story that was written by Teri Pecoskie and published in the Hamilton Spectator on July 26, stated that:

Dilts knows Nelson couldn't have killed himself without help — not with his ailing back. However, he denies playing any role in his friend's hanging, a cause of death officials won't confirm. 

Dilts says he wasn't the only person Nelson talked to, which is something his lawyer Michael O'Brien backs up.  

"Brian Nelson had been making a lot of people aware that he wanted to commit suicide," he says. "It was pretty well-known."  

According to Dilts, Nelson threatened to kill himself several times, but didn't attempt to follow through until that warm day two winters ago.

Hamilton General Hospital

According to the Hamilton Spectator story, a preliminary hearing has already taken place and there is a publication ban on the specific information related to the case. We do know that Nelson was found dead in the parking garage at Hamilton General Hospital.

Due to the publication ban, the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition does not have enough information to comment on the case. 

Section 241 of the Criminal Code states that anyone who:
(a) counsels a person to commit suicide, or
(b) aids or abets a person to commit suicide,
whether suicide ensues or not, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years.