Prosecutors making (bad) law?

Medical Law Review

Volumn 17, Issue 2, 2009, Pages 290-299

  Mullock, Alexandra ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ADULT; ASSISTED SUICIDE; DOCTOR PATIENT RELATION; HEALTH CARE FACILITY; HUMAN; LEGAL ASPECT; MALE; NOTE; SOCIAL BEHAVIOR;

HEALTH FACILITIES; HUMANS; MALE; PHYSICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONS; SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY; SUICIDE, ASSISTED; YOUNG ADULT;

EID: 67649484510     PISSN: 09670742     EISSN: 14643790     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwp009     Document Type: Note

References (33)

1. The Queen on the Application of Debbie Purdy v Director of Public Prosecutions [2008] EWHC 2565
2. [2009] EWCA Civ 92.
3. Section 2(1) provides 'A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the suicide of another, or an attempt by another to commit suicide, shall be liable on indictment for a term of imprisonment not exceeding 14 years'.
4. Debbie Purdy (n1) at [6], HC.
5. Article 115 of the Swiss Penal Code states: 'A person who, for selfish motives, aids, or abets another person in suicide will be punished with imprisonment of up to five years'. Thus, in the absence of 'selfish motives' it is lawful to assist another in suicide. See J Griffiths, H Weyers and M Adams, Euthanasia and the Law in Europe (Hart Publishing, Oxford 2008) for a full examination of Swiss legal provisions regarding euthanasia and assisted suicide.
6. Decision on Prosecution - The Death by Suicide of Daniel James, 9 December 2008, at www.cps.gov.uk/news/nationalnews/ death_by_suicide_of_daniel_james.html.
7. Decision on Prosecution (n 5) at para 6.
8. Ibid at para 7.
9. Swiss doctors must act according to Article 11 of the Narcotics Law that requires that the drug be prescribed according to the rules of medical practice, which are not incompatible with assisting suicide provided the patient is competent. Further to this, an administrative court ruling in Zurich in 1999 (Verwaltungsgericht des Kantons Zurich, Entscheid der 3 Kammer VB Nr 99.00145, 1999) added the requirement that there be 'a condition indisputedly leading to death'; however, the court failed to specify which conditions should be covered by this term and even raised the question of whether mental conditions might be included. In 2006 the Swiss Federal Supreme Court (Schweizerisches Bundesgericht, Entscheid 2A.4812006,2006) ruled that a incurable, permanent, serious mental disorder can be comparable to a serious physical condition, thus a doctor who prescribes lethal drugs for a mentally ill patient does not necessarily violate the rules of medical practice in this regard. See Griffiths, Weyers and Adams (n 4).
10. Decision on Prosecution (n 5) at para 10.
11. Ibid at para 17.
12. Ibid at para 11.
13. Available at http://www.cps.gov.uk/Publications/docs/code2004english.pdf.
14. Ibid at para 5.2.
15. [1984] QB 795 (QBD).
16. (1993) The Times, 23 September 1993.
17. Decision on Prosecution (n 5) para 28.
18. Factors regarded as not relevant to the case in hand were identified as 5.9 (b), (c),(d),(e),(j),(k),(m),(n),(p) and 5.10(b),(c), (d),(e),(f),(g),(h), and (i) of the Code.
19. 5.9(a) of the Code.
20. (1983) 5 Cr App R(S) 342.
21. (1984) 6 Cr App R(S) 406.
22. At para 5. 9(f).
23. Para 5.9(g).
24. Para 5.9(h).
25. Para 5.9(o).
26. Decision on Prosecution (n 5) para 32.
27. Ibid.
28. Ibid at para 35c.
29. Debbie Purdy v DPP (n1), CA.
30. Ibid at [91].
31. Ibid at [78].
32. The Guardian 19 February 2009.
33. See also A local Authority v Z (An Adult: Capacity) [2005] 1 WLR 959.