Ramón Sampedro

Ramón Sampedro

Ramón Sampedro (January 5, 1943January 12, 1998) was a ship fisherman from Galicia, Spain, who was paralyzed in a diving accident at the age of 25 and fought for his right to an assisted suicide for the next 29 years.

His argument hinged on the fact that he was sure of his decision to die. However, owing to his paralysis, he was physically unable to commit suicide without help. He argued that suicide was a right that he was being denied, and he sought legal advice concerning his right to receive assistance to end his life, first in the courts of Spain, where his case attracted country-wide attention. Eventually, his fight became known worldwide.

Death and aftermath

Sampedro died on Monday, January 12, 1998, in Boiro, Spain, from potassium cyanide poisoning. Several days later, a close friend of Ramón, Ramona Maneiro, was arrested and charged with assisting his suicide but was released due to lack of evidence. No further charges were ever filed in connection with Ramón's death.

Seven years later, after the statute of limitations had expired, Maneiro, speaking on a Spanish talk show, admitted to providing Sampedro with a cyanide-laced drink and a straw. She said "I did it for love." She also said she had turned on the video camera that recorded Ramón's last words before he drank the poison and that she was in the room, behind the camera, when he died.

"Mar adentro"

The story of Sampedro's life and death was made into a Spanish movie, "Mar adentro" (English title: "The Sea Inside") (2004), in which he was portrayed by Javier Bardem. The movie drew international attention and won the Best Foreign Language Film at the 77th Academy Awards.

External links

*cite news
url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/1998/int/980126/file.live_and_let_die.sh11.html
publisher=TIME
title=Live and Let Die
date=JANUARY 26, 1998
Article by Rod Usher in TIME magazine written shortly after Sampedro's death.
*cite news
url=http://personal2.redestb.es/admd/ramwill.html
publisher=DMD
title=RAMÓN SAMPEDRO'S WILL
date=March 9, 1998
Partial text of Ramón Sampedro's Will, addressed to "Honors, Political and Religious Authorities" (Translated by Denise Lanzer-Lerma)
*cite news
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402E0D61430F93AA35750C0A96E958260
publisher=The New York Times
title=A Suicide Tape on TV Inflames the Issue in Spain
date=March 9, 1998


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  • Ramon Sampedro — Ramón Sampedro Ramón Sampedro, né le 5 janvier 1943 dans la commune de Porto do Son en Galice (Espagne) et mort le 12 janvier 1998 à Boiro, est un marin, écrivain et militant de l euthanasie. A 19 ans, Ramón Sampedro s est enrôlé dans la marine… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ramón Sampedro — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Ramón Sampedro (Porto do Son, 5 de enero de 1943 – Boiro, 12 de enero de 1998) fue un marino y escritor español. Tetrapléjico desde los 25 años, desarrolló una intensa actividad de petición judicial para poder morir… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Ramon Sampedro — Ramón Sampedro (* 5. Januar 1943 in Porto do Son, Provinz A Coruña; † 12. Januar 1998 in Boiro) war ein spanischer Seemann, der im August 1969 von einer Klippe aus ins Meer sprang und durch die Verletzungen infolge des Aufpralls im seichten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ramón Sampedro — (* 5. Januar 1943 in Porto do Son, Provinz A Coruña; † 12. Januar 1998 in Boiro) war ein spanischer Seemann, der im August 1969 von einer Klippe aus ins Meer sprang und durch die Verletzungen infolge des Aufpralls im seichten Wasser vom Hals… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ramón Sampedro — Fichier:Ramón Sampedro no seu leito.jpg Ramón Sampedro Ramón Sampedro, né le 5 janvier 1943 dans la commune de Porto do Son en Galice (Espagne) et mort le 12 janvier 1998 à Boiro, est un marin, écrivain et militant de l euthanasie. A 19 ans,… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sampedro — Ramón Sampedro (* 5. Januar 1943 in Porto do Son, Provinz A Coruña; † 12. Januar 1998 in Boiro) war ein spanischer Seemann, der im August 1969 von einer Klippe aus ins Meer sprang und durch die Verletzungen infolge des Aufpralls im seichten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sampedro — is a surname, and may refer to:* Edelmira Sampedro y Robato * Frank Sampedro * Ramón Sampedro …   Wikipedia

  • Guadalupe Muñoz Sampedro — Nombre real Guadalupe Muñoz Sampedro Nacimiento 15 de febrero de 1896 Madrid …   Wikipedia Español

  • Ramona Maneiro — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Ramona Maneiro nació en 1958 en Galicia, España. Es conocida como un referente en la lucha por la muerte digna y la eutanasia.[1] [2] [3] …   Wikipedia Español

  • Рамон Сампедро — Камеан Ramón Sampedro Cameán Род деятельности: моряк, поэт; инвалид, боровшийся за право на эвтаназию Дата рождения …   Википедия

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