Tony Bland


Tony Bland

A highly visible UK case in which Tony Bland, a survivor of the 1989 Hillsborough football club disaster—in which 95 Liverpool Football Club supporters suffered fatal crush injuries or suffocated—lapsed into a persistent vegetative state at age 18. Because of legal precedent, if Bland’s doctors discontinued life-support, they could be charged with murder. 4 years later, the court of appeal allowed withholding of treatment, at which time all life-support measures were terminated.