Italian Doctor Cleared of Charges in Death of Prominent Right-to-Die Activist

LifeSiteNews.com ^ | July 24, 2007 | John Jalsevac

[monomaniac]

Italian Doctor Cleared of Charges in Death of Prominent Right-to-Die Activist

By John Jalsevac

ROME, Italy, July 24, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A doctor who removed the ventilator tube of prominent right-to-die activist Piergiorgio Welby has been cleared of charges of "consensual murder" on Monday, reports ANSA.

The case of Piergorgio Welby hit international airwaves in 2006 after the poet, who suffered from advanced muscular dystrophy, sent a public letter to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in which he described in detail his medical condition and expressed his desire to die. (see: http://vrzhu.typepad.com/vrzhu/2006/12/a_poets_right_t.html)

"If I were Swiss, Belgian or Dutch, I could escape from this utter outrage, but I am Italian and there is no pity in Italy," he said.

"My dream…my will, my request, that I wish to bring before all authorities, starting with the political and judicial bodies, is today clearer and more precise in my mind than ever before: to be able to obtain euthanasia. So that Italian citizens can have the same opportunity that is granted to Swiss, Belgian and Dutch citizens."

In December of 2006 an Italian court ruled against the request of Welby to be removed from life-support. That court argued that the activist was asking for assisted suicide, which is illegal in Italy.

Shortly thereafter Welby convinced his physician, anesthetist Mario Riccio, to remove his respirator. At the time Riccio argued that this "was not a cause of euthanasia; it was about refusing treatment."

"This sentence tells us what we already know, namely that a patient can refuse treatment, even if it's life saving, and above all, that this right can be delegated to another person," Riccio said following the announcement of the verdict, according to ANSA. "I'm delighted with this (verdict)…The case was taking a dangerous turn for me, with the risk of 15 years in jail."

The judge in the case argued that by removing Piergiorgio's ventilator tube, the physician was simply complying with a legitimate request to refuse medical treatment.

Following Piergiorgio's death, the Catholic Church in Rome refused the right-to-die activist a Catholic funeral. However, the Church did take pains to state that the refusal of a Catholic burial was not as a result of the manner of Welby's death, but was because Welby was a well-known euthanasia activist.

According to the diocese, Welby had "placed himself at odds with Catholic doctrine" by his advocacy for assisted suicide.

Bishop Rino Fisichella, however, a Rome auxiliary and chaplain to the Italian parliament, said that he would pray for Welby, "that God may accompany him in mercy after Welby suffered so much and for so long." The bishop also said he would "ask our Lord to forgive those who killed Welby."

Nevertheless, several other Church official indicated that it was somewhat difficult to discern the moral issues surrounding Welby's death, since under some circumstances the use of a respirator can be considered "extraordinary care."

Welby's case has been used as a rallying point for the euthanasia movement in Italy and around the world. In February of this year Dignitas, the infamous suppliers of assisted-suicide in Zurich, ran an ad in a Munich paper expressing their outrage that the Catholic Church had denied Welby a Catholic funeral.

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Italian President Advocates Debate on Legalizing Euthanasia

http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/sep/06092601.html

Diocese of Rome Refuses Catholic Funeral for Catholic Right-to-Die Activist

http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jan/07010303.html

Top Italian Cardinal Speaks Out Against Homosexual Unions, Euthanasia

http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jan/07012403.html

Italian Court Denies Paralyzed Man's Request to Have Respirator Turned Off

http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/dec/06121804.html