The Wellington lawyer with terminal brain cancer who took her fight to the right to die to the High Court has died of natural causes this morning.
Public law specialist Lecretia Seales died of natural causes at 12.35am this morning, only hours after receiving the judgement of the Seales v Attorney General case.
The lawyer, who worked for Chen Palmer and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, spearheaded a landmark case, seeking a declaration that her doctor would not risk prosecution under the Crimes Act if she were to assist Seales to end her life.
Russell McVeagh lawyers Andrew Butler, Chris Curran and Catherine Marks also argued denying such a declaration breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights.
Since her appearance in court last week, her health had deteriorated rapidly with increasing paralysis, and she was moved to a hospital bed in her home over the weekend.
Justice Collins’ reserved judgement is to be released at 3pm today.
Seales' husband, Matt Vickers, today posted a tribute to her from Geoffrey Palmer on the Lecretia's Choice blog - http://lecretia.org/.
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The lawyer, who worked for Chen Palmer and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, spearheaded a landmark case, seeking a declaration that her doctor would not risk prosecution under the Crimes Act if she were to assist Seales to end her life.
Russell McVeagh lawyers Andrew Butler, Chris Curran and Catherine Marks also argued denying such a declaration breached the New Zealand Bill of Rights.
Since her appearance in court last week, her health had deteriorated rapidly with increasing paralysis, and she was moved to a hospital bed in her home over the weekend.
Justice Collins’ reserved judgement is to be released at 3pm today.
Seales' husband, Matt Vickers, today posted a tribute to her from Geoffrey Palmer on the Lecretia's Choice blog - http://lecretia.org/.