The case raises ethical questions about euthanasia. David Ronald Mobbs, 56, suffered from incurable motor neurone disease and had repeatedly stated, according to the court, that he did not want to continue living if the illness became unbearable. His wife Kylie Ellina Truswell-Mobbs then administered a lethal mixture of medications.
The prosecution filed a murder charge. On Tuesday, however, a judge in Brisbane decided to release the 56-year-old on bail with conditions. The exact terms of the bail were not disclosed. The trial is set to continue at a later date.
The case echoes other proceedings in Australia where relatives of terminally ill patients have faced charges of killing on request. In Queensland, active euthanasia is illegal, although the public debate over legalization continues. Truswell-Mobbs’s defense may aim for moral justification, as local media report.
Source: www.theguardian.com
