Pro
“Although it is frequently argued that suicide assistance and active euthanasia are morally equivalent, the law in all states draws a clear distinction between these two types of acts. In New York, assisting a suicide, except in certain limited circumstances, is a form of second-degree manslaughter. Euthanasia, however, falls under the definition of second-degree murder, as the defendant intentionally causes the death of the victim through his or her direct acts. Because the consent of the victim is not a defense to murder, euthanasia is therefore prosecutable as murder in the second degree. “
1994