Missoulian Letter 12/28/2017 Assisted Suicide can be Prosecuted
“We celebrate saving lives everyday in Montana.”
http://missoulian.com/opinion/letters/assisted-suicide-can-be-prosecuted/article_a7afac46-b612-5fad-b221-0f6388c9a695.html
“Re: Denver post gets it wrong again in 12/24/17 Missoulian article about assisted suicide.
Correction please: Thankfully like 44 other states no one in Montana has immunity from prosecution for assisting a suicide, no doctor, nurse, care giver or guardian.
The promoters of assisted suicide have done you a disservice. The promoters of assisted suicide have worn out their thesaurus attempting to imply that it is legal in Montana. Assisted suicide is a homicide in Montana. Our Montana Supreme Court did rule that if a doctor is charged with a homicide they might have a potential defense based on consent. By this comment the court acknowledged it is a homicide in the ruling.
The court did not address civil liabilities and vacated the lower court’s claim that it was a constitutional right. Unlike Oregon, no one in Montana has immunity from civil or criminal prosecution, death certificates are not legally falsified and investigations are not prohibited like in Oregon, Washington and California. Does that sound legal to you?
Perhaps the promoters are frustrated that even though they were the largest lobbying spender in Montana, their Oregon model legalizing assisted suicide bills have been rejected in Montana in 2011, 2013 and 2015. The predatory corporation withdrew from their bullying legislative position in 2017. They simply did not try a fourth time and we celebrate saving lives every day in Montana.”
Bradley Williams
President MTaas org
Hamilton