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Montana May Be 1st to Make Suicide a Right

If affirmed, state would be first to guarantee right constitutionally

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 1, 2009 11:15 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Montana Supreme Court tomorrow will take up the issue of—and likely affirm the right to—assisted suicide, the New York Times reports. The case is being brought on behalf of Robert Baxter, who died last year from leukemia after fighting for the right to end his own life. “He yearned for death,” his daughter says. Montana’s high court has a history of holding up rights to privacy and personal choice outlined in its 1972 constitution.

If it does so here, it would make make Montana the first state to sanction assisted suicide in its constitution. Similar laws in Oregon and Washington came about through voter referendums. Arguments against assisted suicide in Montana are myriad—some say health care for underserved rural residents should be addressed first, and religious groups are up in arms. Though not all: "I don’t think God created us to be string puppets,” says one Episcopal deacon.

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A Montana road. The state's far flung populace has little access to even the most basic health care. (AP Photo)

The town of Libby, Mont. (AP Photo)

Jack Kevorkian's suicide machine. (AP Photo)

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This case is part of a journey. It’s about empowering patients and giving them the right to decide when they have suffered enough. - Kathryn L. Tucker, Compassion and Choices

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 20 comments

shrinkess

Nov 18, 2009 9:28 AM CST

Mia Our "purpose" is to suffer?

Snarfeh

Sep 3, 2009 10:41 AM CDT

"...I've done my share, don't need to win, just let me go easy. For two years my body fights. At this point it don't seem right just to do it out of spite and keep hanging on. Go on, let me go easy. Won't you let me go easy, you let me go right now." From: Let Me Go Easy by the Indigo Girls

oldgoat

Sep 2, 2009 7:59 AM CDT

Who is to say that God didn't decide that it was your time and this was the way? If you don't believe that it is right, then don't do it, but don't pull God into the issue. Especially if the people envolved don't believe in God. Everybody deserves the right to be able to say enough is enough. I hope that by the time it comes for me that I have a choice. I've watched too many friends and relatives lay around waiting and in several cases praying to die.

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Montana • privacy • assisted suicide • constitution • constitutionality • Montana Supreme Court • Robert Baxter

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Montana May Be 1st to Make Suicide a Right