Relatives of people who committed suicide using poison sold by Canadian Kenneth Law will give statements this week to a judge tasked with deciding the former chef’s prison term.
Law pleaded guilty in May to aiding the suicide of 14 people in Canada after prosecutors determined they lacked evidence to convict him of murder over his online forums where he advised people on how to end their lives.
Law has admitted that he proactively looked for customers, appearing on a suicide discussion forum under a pseudonym, and made fatal substances available for purchase.
Law sold poison to people in at least 41 countries, including China, France and Brazil. He sold 330 packages to people in the United Kingdom, according to an agreed statement of facts signed by the defense and prosecution.
Several impacted families voiced anger that Law would not face trial for murder, arguing he should be held directly responsible for prematurely ending the lives of mostly young, vulnerable people.
Despite dropping the murder charges, prosecutors are still expected to seek a stiff sentence for aiding suicides, possibly as long as 20 years, legal experts have said.
Judge Michelle Fuerst has allocated four days at a court in Newmarket, just north of Toronto, to hear victim impact statements and other evidence before determining sentencing.
It is not immediately clear when Fuerst will decide on the sentence.