John Keown
John Keown believes post Purdy guidance threatens public safety & undermines justice
It is one thing for the courts to protect citizens from the arbitrary use of prosecutorial discretion resulting in abuse of process; quite another to require prosecutors to spell out the public interest criteria they will apply in relation to particular crimes, not least to particular instances of particular crimes. Circumstances are infinitely variable, especially when a case is hypothetical. Ms Purdy may never be assisted in suicide, by her husband or anyone else. For all we know, she may—like Mrs Pretty—end up dying a natural death in an English hospice. In short, Purdy seems unprecedented, unsound and unconstitutional.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
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Test new law article
If you don't select an issue the article will be assumed to be "online only". These articles will be surfaced on the frontpage in a block in order of newest content first. Placing the article in an issue will automatically remove the "online only" status
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