Assisted Suicide Laws

Is assisted suicide a form of homicide? Is it a lesser crime? Is it a crime at all? Three states make it legal, and a fourth has a grey body of law on the topic (note: California recently legalized assisted suicide, but the exact status of that law is not clear right now because of pending litigation). That means that, in 36 states, assisted suicide is a crime. Below is an example of an assisted suicide statute from Pennsylvania, where it is a form of homicide. Read the statute carefully, and then go on to the Writing Exercise on the next page. I also have included a link to Oregon law (where assisted suicide is legal) in case you would like to make any comparisons.

Suicide Statute

§ 2505. Causing or aiding suicide.

(a) Causing suicide as criminal homicide.--A person may be convicted of criminal homicide for causing another to commit suicide only if he intentionally causes such suicide by force, duress or deception. 

(b) Aiding or soliciting suicide as an independent offense.--A person who intentionally aids or solicits another to commit suicide is guilty of a felony of the second degree if his conduct causes such suicide or an attempted suicide, and otherwise of a misdemeanor of the second degree.

Source: Pennsylvania General Assembly, "Consolidated Statutes," www.legis.state.pa.us (accessed Nov. 8, 2012)

Oregon Suicide Statute 

If you are interested, check out the map below. It outlines assisted suicide legality in the United States.