Husband Who Assisted Ill Wife’s Death Faces Jail

The man who sparked a debate on euthanasia in Spain last year after admitting to assisting his terminally ill wife end her life could face six months in prison.

Madrid resident Angel Hernandez was arrested after he admitted to police that he helped his wife Maria Jose Carrasco end her life just before calling them on 3rd April 2019.

He was released shortly after as his case was being investigated. The Madrid Prosecutor’s Office announced yesterday (Wednesday) that they want six months of prison time.

However, the Public Prosecutor’s Office also made a statement that said “in the case of a guilty verdict if a pardon plea is put forward, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, considering the concurrent circumstances in the current case, will give a favourable report”.

Angel spoke with newspaper ‘Nius’ and said that “what hurts me much more than them asking for a prison sentence is that the case is being judged in the Domestic Abuse courts.

“That is what torments me. Anybody who knew Maria Jose and I knows that our relationship had everything except domestic abuse.”

He also spoke about the possibility of approving a law that would make euthanasia legal in Spain which according to him, could happen as early as next year.

He said: “It is finally going to go through. I hope it will be approved in 2021, if the pandemic does not dealy everything again.

“Right now, it is with the commission of Justice. The amendments will soon be finished and since there is a majority of progressives it will be approved. Let’s hope soon. That is what really concerns me. More than my thing (referring to his upcoming trial).”

The exact date of the trial is unclear.

Carrasco had been suffering from multiple sclerosis for 30 years and was completely dependent on her husband, who had repeatedly petitioned the government to pass a euthanasia bill.

Angel claimed that his wife wanted to end her life, but was unable to do it herself.

He took a permanent leave of absence from work and started to dedicate all of his time to care for her in 1999.

After wrongly “trusting that the euthanasia law was going to be passed” by the Spanish authorities, Angel and Maria then made a video of the moments leading up to her assisted suicide.

Angel then sent the video the media and was subsequently arrested by police.

Under Spanish law, assisted suicide is punishable with between 2 to ten years in prison, however, the sentence can be reduced if there is a clear request from a victim who is suffering from a serious illness.