Lesley Martin appeals to Supreme Court

Lesley Martin was charged after admitting she helped her terminally ill mother to die. Picture / Amos Chapple

The lawyer for euthanasia campaigner Lesley Martin will argue at the Supreme Court tomorrow that her conviction for attempted murder was a miscarriage of justice.

An oral application for leave to appeal the conviction would be made tomorrow morning, Donald Stevens QC said. Written submissions have already been made.

In February, the Court of Appeal rejected Martin's appeal against her conviction.

Dr Stevens said the basis of the application was that the Court of Appeal had made an error.

"Lesley made out two grounds of appeal, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal nonetheless because it said there had been no substantial miscarriage of justice," he said.

"We're saying there has been a substantial miscarriage of justice."

If the Supreme Court grants leave, it can then hear an appeal against the conviction.

Martin was found guilty of one count of attempted murder by a jury in the High Court at Wanganui in March 2004 and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. She was freed in December after serving 7 1/2 months.

Martin was charged after admitting in her book To Die Like A Dog that she helped her terminally ill mother Joy die in May 1999 by giving her an overdose of morphine and smothering her with a pillow.

- NZPA