Friday, March 21, 2014

Queensland Australia court decides man cannot inherit after assisting suicide.

By Alex Schadenberg
International Chair - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Queensland Australia Chief Justice Paul de Jersey decided that Merin Nielson, who was convicted for assisting the suicide of his friend, Frank Ward, cannot inherit from the Will.

Ward died by assisted suicide in 2009. Nielson, who was convicted of assisted suicide in February 2012 was sentenced to three years but was released in August 2012 after serving 6 months in jail.

The Herald Sun reported that:
Merin Nielsen
In 2012 ex-teacher Merin Nielsen became the first Queenslander convicted of assisted suicide, for helping his friend Frank Ward, 76, kill himself at Clayfield in 2009. 
Mr Ward made Nielsen his executor and sole beneficiary of his estate before committing suicide with a drug Nielsen brought back from Mexico. 
Chief Justice Paul de Jersey yesterday ordered Mr Ward’s estate be distributed to his four surviving relatives, who all live overseas.
The Herald Sun reported that previous to this decision:
Only those convicted of murder or manslaughter had previously been barred from benefiting from an estate if named as executors or beneficiaries in their victim’s will.
Hopefully this decision will further protect people who are at the lowest point in their life. These people need personal, psychological and medical help, not assisted suicide.

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