By Margaret Dore
On April 2, 2012, the Attorney General issued draft ballot question title and draft yes/no statements for the assisted suicide initiative. Below please find my objection based on the initiative's being a doctor and heir protection bill. For a print copy, please click here.
I. INTRODUCTION
The proposed act in Petition 11-12 protects persons who cause or assist the death and/or suicide of another person. This memo discusses why the draft title and one-sentence statements for the act are misleading and should be amended.
II. THE ACT
A. The Act Protects People who Cause or Assist a Patient’s Death and/or Suicide
Under current law, people who cause or assist another person’s death or suicide face serious legal consequences. They can be convicted of a crime, including murder.[1] They can be found civilly liable for assisting a suicide, committing malpractice and/or causing a wrongful death.[2] They can also be deprived of an inheritance or life insurance proceeds payable due to the death.[3]
With the proposed act, however, persons who cause or assist another person’s death and/or suicide are protected from these consequences. The act also opens the door to new paths of elder abuse.
How the act works, some of its protections and how it will promote elder abuse are described below.
The proposed act in Petition 11-12 protects persons who cause or assist the death and/or suicide of another person. This memo discusses why the draft title and one-sentence statements for the act are misleading and should be amended.
II. THE ACT
A. The Act Protects People who Cause or Assist a Patient’s Death and/or Suicide
Under current law, people who cause or assist another person’s death or suicide face serious legal consequences. They can be convicted of a crime, including murder.[1] They can be found civilly liable for assisting a suicide, committing malpractice and/or causing a wrongful death.[2] They can also be deprived of an inheritance or life insurance proceeds payable due to the death.[3]
With the proposed act, however, persons who cause or assist another person’s death and/or suicide are protected from these consequences. The act also opens the door to new paths of elder abuse.
How the act works, some of its protections and how it will promote elder abuse are described below.
