Switzerland: Australian, 104, dies in assisted suicide

LIESTAL, Switzerland (AP) — A right-to-die group says 104-year-old Australian biologist David Goodall has ended his life in Switzerland.

Philipp Nitschke, director of Exit International, said Goodall was declared dead at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Goodall had traveled to Switzerland to take advantage of the country’s assisted-suicide laws.

The British-born scientist, described by Exit International as its first member, said this week that he had been contemplating the idea of suicide for about 20 years, but only started thinking about it for himself after his quality of life deteriorated over the last year.

He cited a lack of mobility, doctor’s restrictions and an Australian law prohibiting him from taking his own life among his complaints, but he was not ill.