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Sunday 8 January 2012

Assisting in suicide



A report announced earlier this week has proposed changes towards lifting the ban on assisted suicide in specific case.

Created by a commission chaired by Lord Falconer of Thornton, former labour lord chancellor, the report comes in response to a number of issues previously reported. Former Met. Police Commissioner, Lord Blair of Boughton has described the existing laws as 'incoherent and unsafe'. In response Lord Falconer claimed this is an 'issue that has been moving centre stage for a period of time and the commission has been set up to ensure there is an independent and comprehensive look at the law'.

The report suggests that whilst stringent safeguards will be put in place to protect those without the mental capacity to make decisions about ending their life. There does need to be the option for the terminally ill who have less than a year to live to ask a doctor for a dose of medication that would end their life. They would have to take this themselves as an indication that this is the individual's choice and a voluntary action. The suggestions in the report were followed by support from many including the West Midlands NHS strategic Health Authority who has openly stated its not opposed to change and believes the current law in this area isn't fit for the 21st century.

As expected with any proposed reform there has been lengthy and numbered criticism. Care Against Killing the charity who campaign against euthanasia and assisted suicide has estimated that lifting the ban could result in 13000 deaths a year whilst putting the lives of the vulnerable and disabled at risk. It was also suggested by the British Medical Association that the majority of doctors don't want to legalise assisted suicide. David Cameron's opposition was made clear as early as 2006 when a letter to pro-life campaigners stated that he didn't believe in allowing doctors to accelerate death.

Still no to cameras but a yes to tweeting

Britains highest judge has announced reporters can now use live, text based sources of communications straight from the court room. Providing the first real-time accounts of court room action and making a move towards open justice and increased accessibility for the public. 
The Lord Chief Justice has decided reporters can now use tweeting amongst other live, text based sources (including tablets, blogs and email) to report live from the court room. First used in December 2010 during the extradition case against WikiLeaks founder, interim guidelines followed, under which to use these sources, reporters had to make an application to the individual judge in each case. 
A review has followed this month in which the Lord Chief Justice reported the use of tweeting in the WikiLeaks case posed no harm to justice. Changes now mean reporters don’t need to ask permission from the judge in order to use these sources. However it has been made clear that the judge still retains the right to stop this if it interferes with the courts administration of justice and the rules of contempt of court (Contempt of Court Act 1981) still apply. The result of the review was explained by the judge as ‘enabling the media to produce fair and accurate reports of [court] proceedings’. 
It still remains that members of the public must seek permission from the judge. This change does however show the court adapting to changing media formats and promoting new ways for the public to gain information.