“I’m tired, exhausted”

Photo Martin Alarie
Michel Cadotte, who is accused of second-degree murder of his wife, was released on bail yesterday. He was among others accompanied by his sister, France (left), in which it will reside, and his lawyer Elfriede Duclervil.

Hugo Joncas and
Vincent Larin

Friday, July 7, 2017 10:41

UPDATE
Friday, 7 July, 2017 23:20

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“I’m tired, exhausted,” said Michel Cadotte at its output to the palace of justice on Friday. The man who would have killed out of compassion his wife with Alzheimer’s had been being released on bail.

“I just want to move on to the next things […] it’s been a couple of days that I don’t sleep “, he said, on the verge of tears, so that he was surrounded by close to his family and that of his deceased wife.

The gesture that would have been Michel Cadotte choking his wife Jocelyne Lizotte with a pillow is the result of” a slow work of demolition ” of a caregiver at the end of the roll, and not a gesture, premeditated or an act of civil disobedience aimed at opening the debate on medical aid in dying.

Judge Michel Pennou was therefore of the view that his detention was not necessary to ensure public confidence in the righteousness and acceptance of his provisional release, in exchange for a deposit of $10,000.

Detained since five months

Michel Cadotte, aged 56, is accused of murder in the second degree. He was held for five months, but he will now be living with his sister France, present at the hearing. This last is said to be “very happy” with the decision to exit the courtroom.

The lawyer of Michel Cadotte, Elfriede Duclervil, has also indicated that he wanted to take advantage of his release to collect from his relatives while he had not been able to attend the funeral of his wife.

Photo Pierre-Paul Poulin

France Cadotte

The magistrate has also ordered that Michel Cadotte to get psychological help. He highlighted the situation of distress in which the accused was at the material time. He had then taken the three drugs, in particular for problems of depression.

“I jumped in my boat and it is no longer of this world,” he reportedly told his brother-in-law via text message after asking this gesture.

Under the anger

The judge has mentioned that Michel Cadotte had acted under the ” wrath to see how his wife was treated and neglected “.

Jocelyne Lizotte was at the accommodation Centre Émilie-Gamelin since 2014 and was suffering from Alzheimer’s since 2006. She had no autonomy. She did not speak any more, wore diapers and was under restraint at any time.

Her husband had made a request for medical help to die in his name, with the agreement of the members of the family Lizotte, with its strong mandate in case of incapacity. The authorities had, however, refused because his wife could not agree.

During his testimony last month, Michel Cadotte had said with emotion that his wife was ” dead in dignity.”

The judge also noted that this case ” is the opportunity of a discussion on the current plan for medical assistance to die and its limits “.

The preliminary investigation of Michel Cadotte shall begin on July 25th.

— With Michael Nguyen

What they said

“It is not yet done, the damned doctors are not too much for it, and I’m impulsive, it’s been two years that I have a syringe, and I’m going to end up doing it myself if I find the courage. “

– Michel Cadotte, the son of Jocelyn Lizotte, Danick Desautels

“The public debate has no role to play in the decision that the tribunal should take. “

– Judge Michel Pennou

“The gesture by Cadotte is […] a form of abuse to a spouse and to a vulnerable person. However, the one who makes this gesture is also the one, the only, that has accompanied Lizotte throughout his illness, which has provided assistance and constant support, for nine years, at the price of his work and his own health. “

– The judge Michael Penno

“No, do not do it, it would just trouble, I say in life that nothing comes for nothing, the support Act arrived lately, it is a sign. “

– Danick Desautels, son of Jocelyne Lizotte

“Mr. Cadotte is a person very particular which is taken in a case, but that is a situation that is own to him. This is what we treat today, and non-medical help to die. “

– The lawyer of Michel Cadotte, Elfriede Duclervil