Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Posts
    4

    Default Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    My question involves criminal law for the state of: OREGON

    Is it illegal for any person to make a suicide pact, even though both people have not agreed to the pact. Lets say both people were making plans discussing the situation. If the other person did not follow through and the other person commits their own suicide with their own method, can that person still be charged?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    2,289

    Default Re: Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    Quote Quoting blossom23
    View Post
    My question involves criminal law for the state of: OREGON

    Is it illegal for any person to make a suicide pact, even though both people have not agreed to the pact. Lets say both people were making plans discussing the situation. If the other person did not follow through and the other person commits their own suicide with their own method, can that person still be charged?
    Anyone discussing suicide needs to get help ASAP. If you have a friend discussing suicide with you, get them help. If you're both discussing it as an option both of you need to get some help immediately. Suicide is nothing to be joked around with. Why would you even worry about the legality of this? Get help!!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    19,901

    Default Re: Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    Suicide is a crime. Making plans to commit a crime with someone else is called conspiracy, and itself is a crime.

    Get help: http://www.suicide.org/hotlines/oreg...-hotlines.html

  4. #4

    Default Re: Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    In what state is suicide a crime? Out of curiosity?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Lake Chapala
    Posts
    3,043

    Default Re: Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    Quote Quoting zags4champs
    View Post
    In what state is suicide a crime? Out of curiosity?
    All, I believe. And also in many countries outside the US.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    38,867

    Default Re: Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    Quote Quoting eerelations
    View Post
    All, I believe. And also in many countries outside the US.
    there is doctor aided suicide in at least 5 states, with Oregon being one of them. I think you will find it difficult to find any state where suicide is illegal.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    2,289

    Default Re: Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    Where is your source that suicide is a crime in all 50 states?

    In the past there were states that had laws against suicide but currently there are no laws against the act of committing suicide in the United States. There have been cases where suicide is considered a common law crime unless the victim was proven to be "unsound mind."

    http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/07...ws-by-country/

    Suicide is treated as a mental health issue. It's very rare - if it even happens at all anymore - that someone is arrested and charged for attempted suicide. If someone is successful in killing themselves who would you charge if it is illegal? The family could be denied survivor benefits. The military doesn't even do that though anymore for suicides. I do know that I saw a story about a servicemember who attempted suicide and his command used UCMJ against him. I don't remember what happened with it. But in the civilian world - no. Suicide is not illegal.

    Assisted suicide is illegal in many states.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Lake Chapala
    Posts
    3,043

    Default Re: Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    I guess I'm wrong then. But also quite surprised.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    2,289

    Default Re: Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    If two people make a suicide pact and one person goes through and the other doesn't, there could be legal repercussions. It depends. There was just that story about the 11 year old boy who had a 13 year old girlfriend online and she pretended to commit suicide so then he killed himself and I believe she's looking at criminal charges.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    8,238

    Default Re: Is it Illegal to Enter Into a Suicide Pact

    Quote Quoting blossom23
    View Post
    My question involves criminal law for the state of: OREGON

    Is it illegal for any person to make a suicide pact, even though both people have not agreed to the pact. Lets say both people were making plans discussing the situation. If the other person did not follow through and the other person commits their own suicide with their own method, can that person still be charged?
    It does not appear that simply making the mutual suicide pact itself would be illegal in Oregon. Suicide is not a crime in that state. In Oregon, assisted suicide is illegal in most circumstances. But assisted suicide is defined as selling or transferring for a fee the device or substance to be used in committing the suicide (i.e. selling the drugs, gun or whatever to the person knowing it will be used in committing suicide). Oregon law does allow for assisted suicide by a physician if the person committing suicide has a terminal medical condition from which he/she is expected to die within 6 months and certain other conditions. (Washington state has a similar law, and these two states are the only states currently that affirmatively recognize a right to assisted suicide for terminally ill persons.) Moreover, Oregon statute provides that assisting in a suicide would be a defense to a murder charge. “It is a defense to a charge of murder that the defendant's conduct consisted of causing or aiding, without the use of duress or deception, another person to commit suicide. Nothing contained in this section shall constitute a defense to a prosecution for, or preclude a conviction of, manslaughter or any other crime.” O.R.S. § 163.117. Note that depending on the circumstances, the statute holds out the possibility that helping in a suicide might still be prosecuted as manslaughter or some other offense.

    In addition, if as part of a suicide pact you actually commit the act that kills the other person (you administer the drugs to the other person, you shoot the other person, etc) that is a crime in Oregon. Case law in Oregon holds that doing so would be murder. “But where a person actually performs, or actively assists in performing, the overt act resulting in death, such as shooting or stabbing the victim, administering the poison, or holding one under water until death takes place by drowning, his act constitutes murder, and it is wholly immaterial whether this act is committed pursuant to an agreement with the victim, such as a mutual suicide pact.” State v. Bouse, 199 Or. 676, 703, 264 P.2d 800, 812 (1953).

    The bottom line is that the pact by itself is likely not a crime. But the details of how any such pact was carried out would matter. In some circumstances, it could be a crime.

    1. Sponsored Links
       

Similar Threads

  1. Unlawful Presence and Overstay: Can an Illegal Immigrant Re-Enter the U.S. After Traveling Abroad
    By lawfacts in forum Immigration Issues
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 12-19-2016, 09:33 PM
  2. Homicide: Is Suicide Illegal
    By SuperPop in forum Criminal Charges
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 12-14-2013, 01:29 PM
  3. Lights, Signs and Traffic Controls: Is It Illegal to Exit and Re-Enter from a Freeway Off Ramp
    By jdh1133 in forum Moving Violations, Parking and Traffic Tickets
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 12-17-2011, 02:00 PM
  4. Traffic Lane Violations: Is it Illegal to Exit and Re-Enter from a Freeway Exit
    By missava in forum Moving Violations, Parking and Traffic Tickets
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 07-31-2011, 12:49 PM
  5. Child Abuse: Dad Threatened Suicide
    By Stupidlawbreaker in forum Abuse and Neglect
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 04-01-2009, 07:17 AM
 
 
Sponsored Links

Legal Help, Information and Resources