Speech and Suicide-The Line of Legality

While physician-assisted suicide legislation is being drafted and passed across the United States, a gray-area continues to exist in regard to the legality of a lay person's assistance with suicide. Several high-profile cases have been covered in the media, namely that of Michelle Carter in Mas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	American journal of law & medicine Vol. 49; no. 4; p. 436
Main Author:	Newman, Justine L
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England 01-12-2023
Subjects:	Humans Massachusetts Speech Suicide, Assisted United States United States Massachusetts ethics speech First Amendment suicide
Online Access:	Get more information
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Summary:	While physician-assisted suicide legislation is being drafted and passed across the United States, a gray-area continues to exist in regard to the legality of a lay person's assistance with suicide. Several high-profile cases have been covered in the media, namely that of Michelle Carter in Massachusetts and William Melchert-Dinkel in Minnesota, but there is also a growing volume of anonymous pro-suicide materials online. Pro-suicide groups fly under the radar and claim to help those desiring to take their own lives. This paper aims to identify the point at which an individual or group can be held civilly or criminally liable for assisting suicide and discusses how the First Amendment can be used to shield authors from such liability.
ISSN:	0098-8588
DOI:	10.1017/amj.2024.2