On 29/5, Law, 60, pleaded guilty to 14 counts of aiding and abetting suicide in a Canadian court, according to a press release from the Crown Prosecution Service of Canada.
In the United Kingdom, prosecutors stated that Law also admitted to aiding the deaths of 73 victims in England and Wales. Five others died in Scotland and one person died in Northern Ireland after using the poison he sent them.
Law is expected to be sentenced in September. Each count of aiding suicide carries a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years under Canadian law.
By pleading guilty to aiding suicide, Law avoided a murder trial.
Kenneth Law, a former chef at a Toronto hotel, showed no emotion while standing in the defendant's box in court on 29/5. His lawyer spoke on his behalf, stating that regardless of personal moral views, his client's actions "do not constitute murder" under Canadian criminal law.
"I just help others escape suffering and earn a little money," Law stated.
Law, who lives in Mississauga, approximately 30 km west of Toronto, was arrested in 2023 following a lengthy investigation by the British newspaper The Times.
According to the case indictment, from January 2021 to April 2023, Law operated four online companies where he marketed and sold sodium nitrite to help customers commit suicide. He also sold masks, hoods, pressure regulators, and other items that customers could use for the process.
Sodium nitrite is a salt used in small concentrations as a preservative in sausages, cured meats, and other processed foods. According to the National Institutes of Health Canada, ingesting large amounts of this substance can cause acute poisoning leading to death.
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York Regional Police speak to media at a press conference in Ontario, Canada regarding Kenneth Law. Photo: AP |
York Regional Police speak to media at a press conference in Ontario, Canada regarding Kenneth Law. Photo: AP
Prosecutors stated that Law shipped 330 packages of sodium nitrite to individuals in the United Kingdom, 431 packages to the United States, and 157 packages to Canada.
Some victims who ingested the salt vomited, collapsed in their parents' arms, or were found unconscious in beds, hotel rooms, and vehicles.
Prosecutors alleged that over 215,000 USD (5.6 billion VND) was transferred into Law's accounts in connection with this trade.
"I truly thought I was helping people alleviate suffering while making a small, modest profit," Law wrote in a letter found at his home.
Families and friends of the victims disagreed, arguing that Law stole the lives of others. Several relatives cried in the courtroom as prosecutors presented evidence to the court regarding the harm their loved ones endured after consuming the packages Law sent.
By Hai Thu (Sources: NYT, The Times, People)
