Case stirs euthanasia issue

Euthanasia is a difficult subject that needs to be considered by Parliament, Nelson coroner Ian Smith said yesterday in his ruling on the self-inflicted death of a euthanasia supporter.

Ralph Forte Vincent, 86, was found dead by friends on April 17.

In the coroner's court yesterday, Mr Smith offered his condolences to Mr Vincent's family, saying, "This is the second member of the family who has taken their life".

Mr Vincent's 83-year-old wife, Vicky, was found dead with a plastic bag over her head in September 2002. After a police investigation, the coroner ruled that her death was self-inflicted.

Mr Smith said euthanasia was a matter Parliament was going to have to consider.

"It is quite clear that this is a difficult subject that is not going to go away."

In Mr Vincent's case, "he has been very succinct and set things out very clearly" as to why he took his own life, Mr Smith said.

Mr Vincent thought he might have suffered a stroke beforehand and his autopsy indicated this was the case.

Giving evidence in court, Constable Mary Brice of Nelson said Mr Vincent, who was found dead in his campervan, had left a note describing himself "as a profound believer in the right to choose the time of my demise" and saying he had taken his own life unassisted.

She said there was no evidence to suggest anyone had assisted Mr Vincent in his death.

- NZPA