Role in death denied

The woman accused of helping a depressed Kiwi commit suicide has denied any role in her death.

American Susan Wilson was charged in the North Shore District Court with assisting with the suicide of Audrey Wallis.

She has remained in the US and is unlikely to face extradition.

So-called "Dr Death" Dr Philip Nitschke sent the Herald on Sunday an email from Wilson.

She wrote: "Audrey committed suicide entirely by herself. I did not touch her except to kiss her cheek when I left.

"I did not provide any medications or poisons for her to take, and none were found in her body. She tried very hard to exit, but just didn't have the courage to do it alone."

It has emerged Wallis was not terminally ill at the time she committed suicide - but was addicted to painkillers and suffering mental health problems.

Wilson's friend of 30 years Annette Houghton said: "Audrey didn't want to die. She didn't want to live the way she was living."

Wallis lived with Houghton and her husband in the last years of her life.

The couple initially thought Wallis had overdosed. Then a 2008 BBC documentary featured Wilson talking about visiting New Zealand to assist with a suicide.

Dignity NZ founder Leslie Martin, together with Houghton, filed the initial police complaint. Wallis had been in contact with Martin before her death.

"Three weeks before Audrey died she withdrew $12,000 from her bank account. So once Annette and I spoke we worked out that it was highly likely Wilson had assisted Audrey to die and needed further investigation."