A Canadian man, Kenneth Law, has pleaded guilty to 14 counts of counselling or aiding suicide after selling lethal chemicals online to hundreds of people worldwide. The 60-year-old appeared in a courtroom in Newmarket, Ontario, on Friday, where prosecutors agreed to withdraw 14 murder charges. Sentencing is expected in September.
Law admitted sending suicide packets to people in 40 countries, including the UK, US, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. He ran websites that sold lethal substances under the guise of industrial food-prep products, and also provided detailed instructions on their use. Investigators said he sent 1,209 packages before his sites were shut down.
The court heard harrowing details of victims, aged 16 to 36, including a young man who pleaded for help after consuming the substance, and a 29-year-old who called 911 saying he was going to die soon. In the UK, a victim called emergency services panicking, but paramedics could not revive him.
Family members of victims expressed anger at the plea deal. Leonardo Bedoya, whose 18-year-old daughter died, called it a 'disgrace' and urged authorities to shut down platforms that encourage suicide. Kim Prosser, whose 19-year-old son died, described the hearing as a 'heavy' day after three years of uncelebrated birthdays.
