Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Graeme Wylie died a lonely death, says daughter.

I was clearing out old emails when I came across this article that was published in Australia's Daily Telegraph on June 20, 2008.

The death of Graeme Wylie (71), who had alzeimer's disease, was always portrayed as a case of a man who wished to die by assisted suicide who had become incompetent to make the decision for himself. The charges against his partner Shirley Justins and her friend Caren Jenning were based on the fact that they assisted a suicide, which was illegal, for a man who could not have asked for it himself.

The writer interviews the daughters of Wylie who died by euthanasia/assisted suicide in Australia. His partner Justins gave him a fatal dose of Nembutal, a veterinary drug, that she had obtained from her long-time friend Jenning.

Jenning went to Mexico and obtained the drug for Justins.

Justins was convicted of Manslaughter and Jenning was convicted of being an accessory to manslaughter in the death of Wylie.

Tania Shakespeare, a daughter of Wylie stated that her father:
"died a lonely death surrounded by those who put their own interests and beliefs first."

Shakespeare also stated that:
"Her father had not discussed suicide with her and did not want to die. He didn't think of killing himself. He was always looking for a cure - he was never looking to die."

Nicola Dumbrell, another daughter of Wylie told the court that she knew that Jenning was the instigator. She also referred to the assisted suicide group - Exit International as a "cult".

Exit International is operated by Dr. Philip Nitscke, Australia's Dr. Death.

Shakespeare noted that Justins had a motive.

She allegedly had a financial motive. She had Wylie change his will a week before he died, leaving her most of the $2.4 million estate. Justins was also, allegedly, having "an ongoing love relationship" with a woman in Germany.

The Wylie case proves that euthanasia and assisted suicide is a direct threat to the most vulnerable in our society.

Wylie was incapable of asking for death, but died because a person that he trusted took advantage of her position in his life.

Link to the article:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23893367-421,00.html#

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