EXTRACT 2: Keir Starmer's 2010 guidelines

Details

Category: Applied Ethics: Euthanasia

Published on Friday, 28 May 2010 21:14

Hits: 1441

Implications of the change for euthanasia

Relatives

Keir Starmer made it clear that relatives who actively help a terminally ill person to die are not covered by theguidelines and individuals could be expected to be charged with murder or manslaughter. This follows public concern that family members would put sick relatives under pressure.
"Someone who takes the life of another undertakes a very different act and may well be liable to a charge of murder of manslaughter. That distinction is an important one which we all need to understand."

Slippery Slope

Christians like Dr Sentamu (Archbishop of York) argue that any relaxation in the law against euthanasia will encouraga slippery slope where the sacredness of life will be seriously diminished. Slippery slopes can be halted: do the Starmer guidelines provide an adequate barrier against the slide?

Recent cases

The distinction means people like Kay Gilderdale - who was prosecuted for the attempted murder of her daughter who had ME - could still face criminal charges. A judge last month criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for charging Kay Gilderdale and a jury found her not guilty in less than two hours.
Michael Bateman escaped prosecution in May 2010 for helping his wife kill herself using a plastic bag and gas. The Crown Prosecution Service ruled "it was Mrs Bateman who tightened the strings of the bag and turned the gas on". Mrs Bateman "had a clear and settled wish to commit suicide", ruled the CPS, and "Mr Bateman was wholly motivated by compassion" (see criteria below).

The abortion act of 1967, included disability as a criterion for legal abortion. Here disability is not included in thecriteria for non-prosecution for euthanasia. In line with natural law theory, people were concerned that this would lead to a devaluing of the sanctity of the disabled person's life. Keir Starmer commented: "The argument that by including disability, you sent messages to people about the value of lives was made by a number of individuals in a number of different ways and the more I heard it the more important I thought it was."

For Debbie Purdy's response on a film clip, click the link below.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraphtv/6223037/Debbie-Purdy-on-Keir-Starmers-guidelines.html