Evidence on Martin 'unreliable'

Evidence the Crown used to prosecute euthanasia campaigner Lesley Martin was unreliable and the trial judge misdirected the jury, the Court of Appeal was told yesterday.

Martin was jailed for 15 months in April for the attempted murder of her mother, Joy Martin.

Martin's lawyer, Donald Stevens QC, told her appeal hearing in Wellington that evidence surrounding the amount of morphine she gave her terminally ill mother could not be relied on because Martin's "admissions" were affected by stress and exhaustion.

Martin is appealing against her conviction and sentence. The Parole Board has twice rejected a home detention application.

- NZPA