Compassionate Homicides Within Canada

Revised May 2007

Compassionate Homicides in Canada

1941 - Keoma, Alberta - Victor and Dorothy Ramberg
Euthanized 2-year-old son who was suffering intractable pain from cancer of the eyes and brain
Charge: Murder
Result: Acquittal
Selected References:
1) "Jury declares Rambergs not guilty of murder"
Calgary Herald, December 11 1941, Front page
2) "The Ramberg case as recorded by journalists"
Last Rights (ISSN 1198-3922), Issue 17 (May 1998), Page 20+
(contains reference #1 above plus several other articles)

1942 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - George Davis
Euthanized wife who was suffering intractable pain from what was then called "dropsy"
Charge: Murder
Result: Acquittal
Selected References:
1) "Davis exonerated in murder case"
Winnipeg Free Press, October 8 1942, Front page
2) "The Davis case as recorded by journalists"
Last Rights (ISSN 1198-3922), Issue 17 (May 1998), Page 84+
(contains reference #1 above plus several other articles)

1978 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Ron Brown
Euthanized ward/patient who was suffering intensely and had very bad prognosis
Charge: Second-degree murder, reduced to manslaughter
Result: 2 years' imprisonment
Selected References:
1) "Ex-aide faces murder count in boy's death"
Edmonton Journal, October 15 1995, Page A10
2) "Slaying of disabled child haunted St. Amant killer"
Winnipeg Free Press, January 1997, Page A4

1982 - Edmonton, Alberta - Nachum Gal
Ordered high dose of morphine for suffering newborn with severe brain damage (baby had been removed from life support at her parents' request)
Charges: Murder plus 8 other charges
Result: Accused was not extradited (had returned to his own country)
Selected References:
1) "Infant euthanasia is ‘everywhere:' MD"
Globe and Mail, June 7 1983, Page 10
2) "Israeli doctor charged with murder in 1982 overdose of Alberta infant"
Globe and Mail, November 5 1983, Page 18

1985 - Montreal, Quebec - Bruno Bergeron
Euthanized demented 94-year-old wife when he was no longer able to care for her in their home
Charge: Murder (probably – story said he "pleaded guilty to killing . . .")
Result: Suspended sentence
Selected References:
1) "Man who killed wife with axe gets suspended term"
Montreal Gazette, May 24 1985, Page A3
2) "Suicide was probably attempt to atone for killing wife"
Montreal Gazette, May 29 1985, Page A3

1985 - Whitehorse, Northwest Territories - Unidentified boy
After having accidentally shot and terribly wounded a companion, acted on victim's plea to be "finished off"
Charge: None (boy acknowledged his actions)
Result: Boy was required to have psychiatric counselling and do 100 hours of community service
Reference:
"Boy, 12, kills best friend"
Toronto Star, October 29 1985, Page A19

1990 - Unidentified city in Quebec, possibly Quebec City - Unidentified doctor
Gave potassium chloride injection to dying patient who was suffering intractable pain
Charge: None (president of Quebec College of Physicians defended doctor's action and Quebec Minister of Justice decided against laying charges)
Reference:
"Euthanasia: Quebec considering charges for MD's role in AIDS death"
Ottawa Citizen, June 20 1992, Page A3

1991 - Timmins, Ontario - Alberto de la Rocha
Gave potassium chloride injection to patient who was about to have a bad death
Charge: Second-degree murder, reduced to administering a noxious substance
Result: Suspended sentence
Selected References:
1) "Timmins surgeon charged with murder"
Globe and Mail, February 1 1992, Page A1
2) "Active and passive euthanasia"
Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), 160:6 (March 23 1999), Page 857+

1991 - Toronto, Ontario - Scott Mataya
Gave potassium chloride injection to patient who was suffering a terrible death
Charge: First-degree murder, reduced to administering a noxious substance
Result: Suspended sentence
Selected References:
1) "Sentence suspended in euthanasia case"
Globe and Mail, August 25 1992, Page A1
2) "First of an 8-part series"
Toronto Star, October 15 1994, Page A1

1993 - Halifax, Nova Scotia - Cheryl Myers and Michael Power
Euthanized Myers' father who was dying badly
Charge: Second-degree murder, reduced to manslaughter
Result: Suspended sentence
Selected References:
1) "Merciful sentence imposed"
Halifax Chronicle-Herald, December 24 1994, Page A1
2) "A simple matter of life and death"
Halifax Chronicle-Herald, January 28 1995, Page A1

1993 - Wilkie, Saskatchewan - Robert Latimer
Euthanized 12-year-old daughter whose suffering (caused by brain damage at birth) was about to increase to a level he felt she should not be required to bear
Charge: First-degree murder, reduced to second-degree murder
Result: Life imprisonment
Selected References:
1) "Latimer ruling"
National Post, January 19 2001, Page A5
2) "Latimer's jailing serves no purpose"
Vancouver Sun, April 26 2003, Page A18

1994 - Hamilton, Ontario - Jean Brush
Euthanized husband suffering from advanced Alzheimer's
Charge: First-degree murder, reduced to manslaughter
Result: Suspended sentence
Selected References:
1) "Sentence suspended in ‘mercy killing'"
Toronto Star, March 3 1995, Page A1
2) "No jail for woman who killed sick spouse"
Globe and Mail, March 3 1995, Page A11

1996 - Montreal, Quebec - Danielle (spelled as Danièle in some stories) Blais
Euthanized autistic 6-year-old son
Charge: First-degree murder, reduced to manslaughter
Result: Suspended sentence
Selected References:
1) "Charged with murder, mother gets support"
Montreal Gazette, November 8 1996, Page A1
2) "Suspended sentence for killing her child"
Montreal Gazette, July 3 1997, Page A3

1997 - Halifax, Nova Scotia - Nancy Morrison
Gave potassium chloride injection to patient who was suffering a terrible death
Charge: First-degree murder, reduced to manslaughter
Result: Case was not sent to trial (judge ruled there was insufficient evidence)
Selected References:
1) "Active and passive euthanasia"
Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), 160:6 (March 23, 1999), Page 857+
2) "Dr. Nancy Morrison and her dying patient"
Health Law Journal, Vol. 10 (2000), Page 1+

2000 - Montreal, Quebec - Herbert Lerner
Euthanized wife who was suffering from Alzheimer's
Charge: First-degree murder, reduced to manslaughter
Result: 5 years' imprisonment (judge noted that woman was in early stages of disease)
Selected References:
1) "Husband jailed 5 years for killing"
Montreal Gazette, August 29 2001, Page A3
2) "Mercy killer commits suicide"
Montreal Gazette, June 26 2002, Page A4

2002 - Rimouski, Quebec - Alain Quimper
Euthanized mother who was suffering from advanced Alzheimer's
Charge: First-degree murder
Result: Life imprisonment
Selected References:
1) "A mercy killing, police say"
Montreal Gazette, July 24 2002, Page A4
2) "Trial under way in woman's strangling"
Montreal Gazette, October 8 2003, Page A7

2004 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Tony Jaworski
Euthanized wife who was suffering from colon cancer and advanced Alzheimer's
Charge: Second-degree murder, reduced to manslaughter
Result: 3 years' probation
Selected References:
1) "Husband, 86, barred before wife stabbed"
National Post, May 11 2004, Page A7
2) "Mercy killing ‘understandable'"
Calgary Herald, April 21 2006, Page A2