The assisted suicide trial in the High Court in Wellington has heard Susan Austen was not involved in the suicide of her friend.
Mrs Austen's defence team today argued she did not intend that her friend, Annemarie Treadwell, would commit suicide.
The 67-year-old is facing two charges of importing Pentobarbitone and a charge of assisting suicide.
The trial has heard all the crown evidence and today heard evidence from the defence team.
Mrs Austen's lawyer, Donald Stevens QC, today addressed the jury and argued she never intended Mrs Treadwell would commit suicide, but helped her obtain the class C drug to bring her comfort in knowing she had the choice to end her life, if she chose to do so.
"Mrs Austen did not, the defence say, intend Mrs Treadwell should commit suicide… rather her intention… was to assist Mrs Treadwell to obtain the Pentobarbitone not with the intention that she should use the Pentobarbitone.
"But with the intention that Mrs Treadwell should have the comfort of knowing that she had control over her end of life issues," he said.
Susan Austen is charged with assisting suicide and two charges of importing a Class C drug.
The defence used expert evidence from a professor who specialises in the psychology of end of life care.
A statement read in court from Professor Glynn Owens suggested having the ability to control when a person would die can provide comfort, lessen anxiety and psychological suffering at the end of a person's life and increases their sense of "being in control".
"Both physical suffering, the evidence will be, and psychological suffering can be reduced by possession of a life-ending drug, such as Pentobarbitone," Mr Stevens said.
The evidence argued it doesn't mean the person will exercise the option of taking the drug.
The defence intends to address the other two charges of importation in the closing address, but argues the Crown can't prove Austen imported the Class C drug.
Closing addresses from the Crown and defence will be heard tomorrow and the case will be summed up by the judge on Friday.
SHARE ME