Trial of Kay Gilderdale next Tuesday

Kay Gilderdale cared for her daughter, Lyn, a sufferer of severe ME for 17 years. Lyn was too weak to eat and had to be fed by a tube. She was not strong enough to talk so she and her mother communicated by signs. Lyn could do nothing for herself and was in intense pain for years. Her mother Kay installed a baby monitor so she would be aware if Lyn needed her at night. Her husband left, so it was just her nursing her very ill child day and night for years and year. Lyn died on 4 December 2008. On postmortem examination, her spinal cord was found to be inflamed and it showed ganglionitis, which is agonising. Here is a picture of a lovely girl who had had a bright future ahead of her, and who lost her life to ME



Kay Gilderdale, her devoted mother, is being prosecuted for her murder and could face up to 14 years in jail. Here is a picture of Kay, just after her daughter's death. Does this look like a cold hearted murderess to you?



I will post an open letter from Dr John Greensmith. He has authorised its being copied and reposted.

PERMISSION TO FORWARD AND RE POST ANYWHERE FOR MAXIMUM BENEFIT

Open Letter - Kay Gilderdale trial

In recent days thoughts have been turning to the imminent trial of Kay
Gilderdale and people have been asking for details and what they can do for
the best.

The latest details I have are on Sophia Mirza's site here
http://www.sophiaandme.org.uk/

Annette Barclay went to the trouble of contacting the Court service in Lewes
for the very latest information. It is likely to be in Court room 1 at the
Lewes Combined Court.

Most likely to be heard from 10am or 10.30am but they won't know for sure
until the day before.

There is a website here.
http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/aboutus.htm

Now, it has just struck me, that this is about to happen on Tuesday but that
isn't the end of it. The trial is expected to last 3 weeks! Although no one
has ever been prosecuted for assisted suicide and the Director of Public
Prosecutions' guidelines make it unlikely, a guilty verdict could carry a
maximum jail sentence of 14 years.

I know that Kay would like support from family and friends and to show
solidarity by wearing a white carnation. I know that she would NOT want any
extraordinary demonstrations, certainly not vocal or distracting in anyway.
If you are uncertain what best to do, I would suggest nothing without Kay's
approval first. If you cannot contact her directly I will be pleased to
forward any e-mails.

It should never have come to this and it should not be proceeding because it
is not in the public interest. The Judge, at a previous hearing, invited the
Crown Prosecution Service to drop the case. Unfortunately they declined.

But the CPS can drop it at any time - even before the appointed date.

This is why I suggest that the best thing anyone can do is to write to the
Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, and ask for him to
intervene (as he did in the case of the parents of Daniel James) and call
for the case to be dropped because it is not in the public interest.

Several of us have written already but I'm sure that the more who do, the
greater will be the chance of getting the desired result.

If you are not very good at composing letters, just keep it as simple and as
unemotional as possible. Address it to Keir Starmer QC, Director of Public
Prosecutions, 50 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7EX. Start Dear Mr Starmer and
stress that you do not want to discuss any details about the case but wish
him to hear your plea that he should intervene and have the case dropped
because it is not in the public interest. If anyone still finds it
difficult, they can e-mail me and I will help. But please do it now.

You can also post your letter and look at other examples on the Facebook
page Prosecuting Kay Gilderdale is NOT in the PUBLIC interest here
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68630803256&ref=ts#/group.php?gid=103575747984&ref=ts

This has been the greatest example of injustice I have ever known in the
M.E. Community and I hope we never see the like of it again.

John
drjohngreensmith@mefreeforall.org
Dr John H Greensmith
ME Free For All. org