NZ deaths linked to Canadian man who sold suicide poison

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A Canadian man, charged with aiding people's suicide through lethal substances overseas, has been linked to deaths in New Zealand, according to the coroner.

Kenneth Law, 57, was arrested in May and has been accused of selling products to assist suicide through several websites, The Guardian reported.

The man sold a lethal chemical substance to customers in more than 40 countries and has shipped over 1000 packages, Canadian authorities have alleged.

New Zealand's coroner said today it had "received reports of deaths" linked to Law.

"The Coroners Court has confirmed that it has received reports of deaths which are suspected to be linked to the activities of a Canadian man, who has been charged by Canadian police with counselling and aiding suicide," it said in a media release.

"The usual Coroners Court inquiry process will be followed in relation to the deaths.

"As the matters are now active before the court, no further information is available."

Canadian police charged Law with counselling and aiding suicide after the sudden death of a Toronto adult in April. He is now allegedly linked to 14 deaths in the country.

The 57-year-old is due to appear in court again later this month.

Under the Canadian criminal code, convincing or aiding a person to die by suicide can result in a 14-year prison sentence.

Earlier, the UK's National Crime Agency said it had identified 232 buyers within a two-year period. Eighty-eight of them later died, according to local authorities.

The British agency said it couldn't confirm the chemicals were the direct cause of death for the individuals, but that potential criminal offences were being investigated.

An undercover investigation by The Times newspaper helped to publicise the case.

Law reportedly told an undercover reporter: "People might not consider what I do as being very favourable or in fact even criminal.

"But I think it is helpful for a small, very narrow group of people who really need an avenue like this, because simply the laws of our society don’t permit it."

The man, who most recently worked as a cook, reportedly told an undercover journalist that "many, many, many, many" people had died as a result of his business.

"People in the UK have died, people in the US have died, people in Canada have died, and other parts of the world,” he said, according to The Times.

In New Zealand, assisted dying is legal for eligible people under specific arranged circumstances under the End of Life Choice Act — resulting from the successful 2020 referendum.

More on this topic

Canadian man arrested after chemicals sold online, 88 buyers die

Kenneth Law, 57, was arrested in May and is accused of selling chemists online to assist in suicide.

Crime and Justice

August 25, 2023