Euthanasia: those who "assist"

[thir]

Under UK law, it is an offence to assist a suicide, even if committed abroad. There are severe penalties attached to the crime, but the DPP has discretion whether to prosecute. To date, it is unclear how and when he will decide to prosecute. The Lords' ruling has so far resulted in the DPP indicating that prosecutions are likely to be made where there is a financial motive and/or depending upon how the decision to die was taken. Further clarification is still awaited.

A remark aside: I think the UK has too many unclear laws.

After all that preamble, I want to start this debate by asking, are these people all killers, who deserve to be punished, or do acts of mercy such as these deserve recognition for the simple kindness they have done, at such an enormous risk to themsleves?

Ray Gosling claims that his lover was suffering, and Ms Purdy, the MS sufferer, wants to die while she still has a degree of self-control and dignity, and that these reasons (a) justify their death and (b) exonerate the "facilitator".

An old problem, but always relevant. I think one mark of freedom is the right to die, if you want. Only you yourself know if that is the right decision.
Therefore I think helpers should go free, but of course there must be strict control first to ensure that this really is the decision of the person to die. If a doctor's help is required, it must be a volunteer.

On the other hand, a senior nurse at a hospice here has said, she has seen many of her patients die of terminal and debilitating conditions, and only a tiny handful have ever died in pain or distress, because the medicines they administer enable almost any amount of pain to be controlled, either by blocking the pain sensors, or by knocking the patient out. In fact, she suggested that, far from bringing the patient to an early death, it was often possible to prolong their lives a little.

That is IMO besides the point. The decision must still be that of the person him or herself.

[leo9]

A remark aside: I think the UK has too many unclear laws.

"It is the tragedy of law-abiding men in England that they must respect the law without ever being sure what the law is." - Chesterton