Diva
04-26-02, 07:53AM
(Reuters (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/020424/80/cxkrj.html)) -- A violent prisoner has won a landmark court appeal for the right to pursue his own death.
The man, who is confined to his cell 23 hours a day, told the High Court in London on Wednesday that he had been mutilating himself with porcelain from a broken toilet since December in the hope his wounds would become infected and lead to his death.
High Court Family Division President, Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, ruled that the man, identified as W, had the mental capacity to refuse medical treatment if he did fulfil his wish to become ill as a result of what he has done.
"I am satisfied he does understand the implications -- that if he continues, he will in fact die. That is a choice which as someone with mental capacity he has the right to make," she said.
The prisoner, who is guarded by five prison officers and a dog handler, told the judge via a video link from prison he wanted to die because of the conditions he was kept in.
"I am kept under close supervision and I am banged up 23 hours a day in my cell and have never been given any help with my problem," he said. "I am poisoning my leg so that the blood poisoning transfers through my body and hopefully kills me."
W said a doctor had warned him he would need his leg amputated if he did not take antibiotics, but he did not want treatment and hoped he would die.
The man's lawyer, Mark Mullins, told the court the prisoner was severely psychotic but wanted the court to rule he had the capacity to decide to refuse medical treatment.
I agree to a point. The point that I don't agree is when he starts needing medical treatment and wants it. Then the public pays for his stupidity.
The man, who is confined to his cell 23 hours a day, told the High Court in London on Wednesday that he had been mutilating himself with porcelain from a broken toilet since December in the hope his wounds would become infected and lead to his death.
High Court Family Division President, Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, ruled that the man, identified as W, had the mental capacity to refuse medical treatment if he did fulfil his wish to become ill as a result of what he has done.
"I am satisfied he does understand the implications -- that if he continues, he will in fact die. That is a choice which as someone with mental capacity he has the right to make," she said.
The prisoner, who is guarded by five prison officers and a dog handler, told the judge via a video link from prison he wanted to die because of the conditions he was kept in.
"I am kept under close supervision and I am banged up 23 hours a day in my cell and have never been given any help with my problem," he said. "I am poisoning my leg so that the blood poisoning transfers through my body and hopefully kills me."
W said a doctor had warned him he would need his leg amputated if he did not take antibiotics, but he did not want treatment and hoped he would die.
The man's lawyer, Mark Mullins, told the court the prisoner was severely psychotic but wanted the court to rule he had the capacity to decide to refuse medical treatment.
I agree to a point. The point that I don't agree is when he starts needing medical treatment and wants it. Then the public pays for his stupidity.