'Time for mercy killing debate' (From The Advertiser Series)
Send us your pictures, video, news and views by texting NORTHERN ECHO to 80360 or email us
'Time for mercy killing debate'
8:00am Saturday 12th February 2011 in News
EUTHANASIA QUESTION: Dr Howard Martin
A GP who admitted giving lethal doses of painkillers to his patients has called for a national debate on euthanasia, saying it is already common practice in hospitals.
But Dr Howard Martin, the former County Durham GP, who learnt this week that he will not face a second trial for the murder of three patients, has called on others to lead the discussion, saying he now wants a quiet life.
His comments were last night criticised by the families of the dead patients. They accused him of trying to hurt them by speaking out.
The families will now consider whether to take civil action against him. In 2005, Dr Martin was acquitted of murdering three patients, Harry Gittins, 74, Frank Moss, 59, and Stanley Weldon, 74, with morphine overdoses while working as a GP in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.
The investigation was reopened by Durham Police after he claimed in the press last June that he had acted out of “Christian compassion”.
However, Durham Crown Prosecution Service announced this week that there was not enough new evidence for the doctor to be re-tried.
Speaking from his home in Wales yesterday, Dr Martin told The Northern Echo that giving morphine to terminally- ill patients in hospital to end their lives was a regular occurrence.
He said he served for 20 years in hospitals before becoming a GP, saying: “It’s accepted, but when I did the same as a GP I got put in prison – I’ve never seen a hospital doctor put in prison.”
He said patients were suffering unnecessarily because doctors were afraid to carry morphine.
“Some of the doctors are not carrying morphine with them, so they can’t give it to patients in extreme pain.
They don’t carry it for fear of the situation (that I found myself in).”
After the collapse of his trial at Teesside Crown Court, when he declined to give evidence, Dr Martin was struck off by the General Medical Council (GMC) for a “deliberate course of conduct”
that hastened the death of 18 of his elderly patients.
Dr Martin, now of Penmaenmawr, in Wales, was branded “reckless” and “arrogant”
by the GMC. He later told the Telegraph newspaper he had “helped people die” and felt no guilt or remorse.
He said that in 20 years’ time his actions would be the accepted practice. However, he added that the establishment was preventing debate on the issue of euthanasia because it was dictatorial.
He said he no longer wanted to take part in the discussion, but welcomed the fact others are now leading the debate.
“I just want a quiet life now.
I’ve had my say and I’ve been put in the public eye for the past five years. I don’t want to be in any more trouble.”
Dr Martin said he was still getting over the shock of seeing the front page of a tabloid newspaper with a picture of his face accompanied by the words “Doctor Death”.
He added: “I don’t feel disgraced and I don’t feel I did anything wrong.
“I’ve been back [to Newton Aycliffe] and I have had people put their arm around me and say what a good doctor I was – I’ve had fantastic support.”
Last night, Paul Gittins, the son of Harry Gittins, said euthanasia was helping someone to die who was suffering – after being given their permission.
He said: “Dr Martin just killed people, but I do agree we need to have a debate about it, if only to stop misguided people like him from taking the law into their own hands.”
Mr Gittins said he would take advice on whether civil action was possible.
Allison Moss, the daughter of Frank Moss, said she had feared the second trial might not go ahead.
“What is he trying to do now?” she said. “Is he just trying to hurt us even more? He probably doesn’t think about it, but that’s how I feel.”
Others have called Dr Martin an “angel of mercy”.
Albert Cubitt, 88, said his wife Bessie, who died in January 2001 after battling lung cancer, was “grateful” for Dr Martin’s intervention.
Comments(7)
gibbo waz here
says...
11:42am Sat 12 Feb 11
Pete Sakes
says...
12:27pm Sat 12 Feb 11
onlinereader
says...
3:07pm Sat 12 Feb 11
Now whilst I'm all for people having the right to have a dignified passing, it is against the law to 'play god' and decide when a persons life should end and that's exactly what Dr Martin did, he 'played god' under the pretence that it was 'Christian compassion'. I'd like to see you stand in front of the loved ones left behind and look them in the eye and say what you so uncaringly wrote because their father was not in pain and he was not at deaths door. If he had been I'm sure they would have welcomed Dr Martins actions.
What truly amazes me is the arrogance of this Doctor...and yes I know him personally too and have done for many years. Prior and during the trial of this man he refused to give evidence. Once found not guilty, he arrogantly and openly boasts of how he knowingly and deliberately ended these peoples lives out of what he calls 'Christian compassion'. He did not ask their permission to end their lives, nor did he ask the permission of the families. Additionally, since the not guilty verdict, he openly courts media publicity to defend his actions.... I find that truly disgusting and distasteful and I cannot imagine what the families of his 'victims' must be going through.
More concerningly is that with his warped mindset that he was doing good, one must consider just how many others he 'helped along' to their deaths. This man was not an angel of mercy... he was a law unto himself and he should not be praised for his unlawful actions.
Trial and Error
says...
6:19pm Sat 12 Feb 11
onlinereader wrote:He wasnt praised for his actions, you really shouldnt put words into peoples mouths but you did say what matters, "once found not guilty".
Pete, that's a bit harsh. I actually know one of the families involved and believe me no-one was dying in agony. In fact, the chap wasn't anywhere near dying... until Dr Martin took it upon himself to make an unannounced, unplanned home visit. One hour later, the man was dead. That particular family could have have many more months, possibly years with their father, but now all they have are the memories of the 'Sudden and unexpected' death of their father. Now whilst I'm all for people having the right to have a dignified passing, it is against the law to 'play god' and decide when a persons life should end and that's exactly what Dr Martin did, he 'played god' under the pretence that it was 'Christian compassion'. I'd like to see you stand in front of the loved ones left behind and look them in the eye and say what you so uncaringly wrote because their father was not in pain and he was not at deaths door. If he had been I'm sure they would have welcomed Dr Martins actions. What truly amazes me is the arrogance of this Doctor...and yes I know him personally too and have done for many years. Prior and during the trial of this man he refused to give evidence. Once found not guilty, he arrogantly and openly boasts of how he knowingly and deliberately ended these peoples lives out of what he calls 'Christian compassion'. He did not ask their permission to end their lives, nor did he ask the permission of the families. Additionally, since the not guilty verdict, he openly courts media publicity to defend his actions.... I find that truly disgusting and distasteful and I cannot imagine what the families of his 'victims' must be going through. More concerningly is that with his warped mindset that he was doing good, one must consider just how many others he 'helped along' to their deaths. This man was not an angel of mercy... he was a law unto himself and he should not be praised for his unlawful actions.
johnny_p
says...
10:52pm Sun 13 Feb 11
onlinereader
says...
7:05pm Mon 14 Feb 11
Whilst we are all entitled to our opinion I did not put words into peoples mouth.... the following quote taken from the original article says it all..... 'Others have called Dr Martin an “angel of mercy”. Others being 'people'. Sorry... but he's no angel, and his actions were not an act of mercy.
Trial and Error says...
11:30am Sat 12 Feb 11