Africa-Press – South-Africa. Right-to-die activist Sean Davison’s three-year house arrest came to an end on Monday.
He was put under house arrest in 2019 for the murder of three bedridden or gravely ill people at their request.
At the time, News24 reported that Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe accepted a plea and sentencing agreement which noted that there were compelling circumstances to deviate from sending the 58-year-old married father of three to jail.
According to a Sunday Times report, Davison will celebrate his freedom with a challenge to his three children to jump into the ocean with him and his wife on the winter solstice on Tuesday. He told the Sunday Times that he did not regret the assisted deaths and regularly receives similar requests.
3 murder charges: State details cases against euthanasia advocate Sean Davison
News24 previously reported that Davison had been charged with murder after administering a “lethal concoction” to Dr Anrich Burger, who became a quadriplegic after a car crash in 2005. Burger had wanted to go to Switzerland for assisted dying, but could not afford it.
Davison was also found guilty of assisting in the death of Justin Varian, who suffered a stroke in 2010 and was diagnosed with motor neuron disease in 2011. Varian was unable to move, had difficulty swallowing and had asked for assisted dying several times. In 2015, Davison ended Varian’s life by helium deoxygenation or asphyxiation.
Richard Holland was the third person Davison assisted. He sustained brain damage during a cycling accident and was only able to communicate via a system of eye movements and agreement to a verbal alphabet via slight thumb movement. He suffered severe pain. Davison administered a lethal dose of phenobarbital to him in November 2015.
At the time, Davison was sentenced to eight years in prison, fully suspended, as well as three years of house arrest. He was prohibited from talking to the media and was required to complete 16 hours of community service a month, which he spent cleaning holding cell toilets and the floors of a correctional services building.
He reportedly entered into a plea bargain agreement with the State to avoid being sent away from his young children. His sons are now 13 and 12, and his daughter is eight.
Born in New Zealand, Davison has lived in South Africa for three decades. After his conviction, he was struck off the register of medical professionals in New Zealand, News24 previously reported.
A book about Davison’s experiences and house arrest is expected to be released on Monday.
He is expected to brief the media on Monday morning during a conference on the steps outside the Western Cape High Court.
He was not available for comment at the time of publication.
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