Connecticut
Background
For years, assisted-suicide activists have attempted to
transform the crime of assisted suicide into a "medical treatment,"
primarily through
legislative proposals and voter initiatives. However they have also
tried to achieve their agenda by using the
courts. As of
mid-2009, a case was pending before the Montana
Supreme Court.
Assisted-suicide proposals in the Connecticut legislature (1995, 1997 and
2009) failed to gain support for passage.
Connecticut was the latest state to see a court challenge to a state's
assisted-suicide law. On September 30, 2009, the assisted-suicide advocacy
group, Compassion & Choices (the former Hemlock Society), filed a complaint
on behalf of two Connecticut physicians. The complaint in Blick v. CT sought a declaratory
judgment that Connecticut's law does not provide a valid statutory basis to
prosecute any licensed physician who provides an intentional lethal overdose
of drugs to certain patients.
Current law regarding assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is a felony in Connecticut.
A person is guilty of manslaughter in the second degree when he
intentionally causes or aids another person, other than by force, duress or
deception, to commit suicide.
[Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-56(a)]
Case: Blick v. CT: Case dismissed 6/1/10
Blick v. CT centered on persuading the court that assisted suicide is not
assisted suicide when it involves a physician and a patient who is dying.
Assisted-suicide advocates argued that such a death should be considered "aid-in-dying" and
claimed that "'aid-in-dying' is a recognized term of medical art." The
Complaint asked the court to find that an assisted-suicide death "does not
constitute 'suicide'" within the meaning of the law.
The Connecticut Attorney's office filed a
Motion to Dismiss the Complaint and a
Memorandum in Support of the Motion to Dismiss on November 19, 2009.
On June 1, 2010 Superior Court Judge Julia Aurigemma issued her
Decision, ordering that the case be
dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. In her ruling, Judge
Aurigemma thoroughly rejected the attempt to redefine the clear meaning of
the word "suicide." (See page 24 of decision.)
On June 24, 2010 Compassion & Choices announced that it would not appeal
the decision.
Articles and Updates
"Superior Court Judge Dismisses Doctors' Request to Prescribe Lethal
Medication to Terminally Ill"
( Hartford Courant - - June 8, 2010 )
Judge wrote that the term "suicide" is intended to include "self-killing"
and that the law does not make any exceptions for doctors who help someone
commit suicide. More
"Suicide Bill Can Have Unintended Consequences"
( Hartford Courant - Hartford, CT USA - October 15, 2009 )
Physician warns Connecticut residents that legalized assisted suicide leads
to health insurance plans paying for assisted suicide to save money. More
"Should Assisted Suicide Be A Crime?"
( Hartford Courant - Hartford, CT USA - October 18, 2009 )
Authors debate their irreconcilable differences about assisted suicide. More
"Doctors file 'aid in dying' lawsuit"
(Connecticut Post - Oct. 7, 2009)
Case questions the state's definition of "suicide."
"Should doctors be allowed to assist with suicides?"
(Hartford Courant - Oct. 8, 2009)
Poll finds overwhelming number of respondents (70.1%) oppose assisted
suicide.
"Greenwich, Norwalk doctors file assisted suicide lawsuit"
(Greenwich Times - Oct. 7, 2009)
Attempt to overturn 40-year-old law has national implications.
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