Minnesota Supreme court to hear assisted suicide case

Published 10:23 am Friday, December 27, 2013

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Supreme Court will consider the case of a national right-to-die group accused in the 2007 suicide of an Apple Valley woman.

The high court agreed to hear Dakota County prosecutors’ appeal of an Appeals Court ruling. That ruling said the state law that prohibits advising or encouraging suicide is unconstitutional.

The Appeals Court ruling, however, didn’t dismiss charges of aiding and abetting suicide against the Florida-based group Final Exit Network and two members.

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The Supreme Court also agreed to hear the cross-appeal of Final Exit Network that all of the charges are unconstitutional.

All proceedings were stayed pending a ruling in an ex-nurse who was convicted in 2011 of “advising and encouraging” two suicides. The Court of Appeals upheld the conviction last year.