Woman Who Took Right-To-Die Case, Marie Fleming Has Passed Away

Marie Fleming, who took a right-to-die challenge to court earlier this year has passed away. The 59-year-old who had been suffering from multiple sclerosis, lost her case to the Supreme Court. As the disease progressed Marie found it difficult to talk, required 24-hour care and was confined to a wheelchair. She hoped that taking the case would allow her to have a dignified death at the time of her choice without prosecution for anyone who helped her. After her case was rejected by the High Court, the seven judge Supreme Court ruled the right to life under the Constitution “does not import a right to die” in what it described as a “very tragic case”. Marie had argued that the ban on assisted suicide breached her constitutional rights and discriminated against people with disabilities. The former university lecturer is survived by her partner Tom Curran and two children Corrinna and Simon.