Australian man denies assisting his wife's suicide for 1.4 million dollars.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Yesterday I reported that Graham Robert Morant was charged with assisting the suicide of his wife, Jennifer Morant, in Australia, to receive 1.4 million dollars in Life Insurance.

• Australian man had 1.4 million reasons to assist the suicide of his wife.

Jennifer Morant

According to a report by Warren Beansley for News.com Morant denied assisting the suicide of his wife Jennifer. Morant told the court that:

Morant claimed he found a suicide note after coming home one night in November 2014. 

The note explained Jennifer didn’t want to be a burden on anyone, especially her husband, and it would not be fair on him to care for her “24 hours a day”. 

Morant said she tried to kill herself at least twice previously, the prosecution says.

The Lynette Lucas, the sister of Jennifer Morant told the court that Morant wanted the money to buy a property to establish a religious commune and her sister feared for her life. According to the report for News.com:

Morant wanted to buy a property in the Gold Coast hinterland with Jennifer’s life insurance, worth $1.4 million, to start a religious commune to prepare for biblical rapture, Ms Lucas testified. 

“Jenny was horrified that he had all these plans. She said she didn’t want to be part of the communal environment.” 

Ms Lucas told the court her sister was “fearful for her life”. 

“(I told her) your life’s in danger with these (life insurance) policies,” she said.

Dean Wells, the lawyer for Graham Morant stated:

“I suggest to you Graham is more innocent than anybody you will hear giving evidence against him,” Mr Wells said. 

“Truth is stranger than fiction. There are ... more subplots in this particular case than you will ever see in any courtroom drama on television.”

The case continues in court.