Signing a last will: can it be assisted suicide?

9 Comments

Let's say there's a guy named John. John is an emotional person. He often talks of gloomy subjects such as hardships of life and death. You could say that he's a pretty "emo" guy. However, John is generally mentally health, and has never been diagnosed with any mental illness.

Greg and Sarah are John's two closest friends. Consequently, both of them know of John's gloomy personality.

One day, John approaches Greg and Sarah and asks them for an unusual favour: he wants them to sign his Will as witnesses (a Will needs to have 2 witness signatures to be legal). John explains that he thought it would be a good idea to have a Will just so he's prepared no matter when he dies. Being his best friends, Greg and Sarah sign the Will.

A few weeks pass, and John commits suicide.

Should Greg and Sarah have known better? Are they guilty of assisted suicide?

Both legally guilty and morally reprehensible 3
Not legally guilty, but morally reprehensible 14
Legally guilty, but not morally reprehensible 1
Neither legally guilty nor morally reprehensible 32
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Comments ( 9 )
  • bleach_baby
    13 years ago

    This is so retarded. How could you even think this posed a moral dilemna. "Is signing a will assisted suicide" for fucks sake I bet you consult a lawyer before you take your kids to the park

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    • georgienne
      12 years ago

      get over yourself..

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    • Merkai
      13 years ago

      Don't you think this is a little to sensitive a subject for that kind of trolling?

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  • 343Boy
    12 years ago

    No, it's not assisted suicide. They didn't directly cause the suicide. It would only have been a contributing factor.

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  • Angel_in_a_Glass_Dress
    12 years ago

    Although filling out a will is on the checklist of suicide prevention awareness, by itself it's not really much to go on.

    Neither is "being gloomy"

    What you really should do is read this webpage. It may help clear up some myths and misconceptions: http://helpguide.org/mental/suicide_prevention.htm

    And here's a list of common signs.
    - Talking about suicide
    - Seeking out lethal means
    - Preoccupation with death
    - No hope for the future
    - Getting affairs in order ---- please note that, although the page mentions a "will", you also really need to watch for "giving away possessions". that one's almost classic
    - Saying goodbye
    - Withdrawing from others
    - Self-destructive behavior
    - Sudden sense of calm

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  • Merkai
    13 years ago

    Sighing a will is not the same as not stopping someone from killing their self
    just because 'John' was a gloomy person doesn't
    mean you knew he was suicidal,
    sure looking back you might think
    "I should have seen the signs"
    "I could have helped him"
    well yeah, maybe
    I can't disagree
    but what happened happened
    and if you think signing a will was akin to
    letting 'john' kill himself
    think, would you 'Not' put a gun in your mouth
    if your to best friends refused to sign your will?

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  • newace
    13 years ago

    Hmm I need to re-post an edited version of this so it's clearer. If admins could delete this (so there are no doubles), that'd be great.

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  • [Old Memory]
    13 years ago

    are they the benefactors? if yes; morally wrong if no; in the clear
    (not sure if you can witness if u r mentioned in the will)

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    • Angel_in_a_Glass_Dress
      12 years ago

      If they sign the will they cannot be benefactors by law, so that isn't a possibility.

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