UK Ruling Directly Challenges UK Assisted Suicide Law

Here’s a piece that gets to the heart of the Nicklinson case – it directly challenges UK law against assisted suicide.

Law on euthanasia challenged by Tony Nicklinson case

The case of Tony Nicklinson represents a fundamental challenge to the current law on murder and euthanasia.

At present any doctor who deliberately gave a lethal dose - even if the intention was to relieve suffering - would face a murder charge.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Charles said the court was being invited to cross the Rubicon which runs between the care of the patient on one side and euthanasia on the other.

The Ministry of Justice argued that the Nicklinson case should be struck out and never have a full hearing because the law on murder was settled and it was for Parliament, not the courts, to change it. But the judge ruled that Tony Nicklinson had an arguable case which deserved a full hearing. more