Amici Curiae Brief

AMICI CURIAE BRIEF
OF NOT DEAD YET AND
AMERICAN DISABLED FOR ATTENDANT PROGRAMS TODAY

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CONTENTS

Title Page, with introduction and summary of argument

Argument

I. The Creation Of A Right To Assisted Suicide For A Class of Individuals Based On Health Status Or Disability Is A Lethal Form Of Discrimination Which Violates The ADA.

A. People With Disabilities, With Either Terminal Or Nonterminal Health Impairments, Are The Class Of People Affected By The Proposed Right To Assisted Suicide.

B. Denying People With Disabilities The State Benefit Of Suicide Prevention And Enforcement of Abuse, Neglect And Homicide Laws Violates The ADA.

II. Adequate Safeguards Cannot Be Adopted To Protect People With Disabilities From Assisted Suicide Abuse And Therefore An Unequivocal Rule Must Be Established Prohibiting Assisted Suicide.

A. Any Purported Limitation Of The Right To Assisted Suicide To Terminally Ill Persons Will Not Protect People With Severe Disabilities.

B. Any Purported Limitation Of A Right To Assisted Suicide Only In Cases Of "Voluntary" Requests Will Not Protect People With Disabilities From Abuse.

III. If This Court Finds That Either A Constitutional Or Statutory Right To Assisted Suicide Exists, Then This Right Should Be Afforded To Everyone Without Discriminating Against People Because Of Health Or Disability Status.