Any legal minds out there? I have a question.

Poll - Total Votes: 7

Suicide

Murder

Manslaughter

You can only vote on one answer.

If someone is told by a powerful person or group (like the mafia or a cult) to commit suicide, given a certain deadline, told to put their affairs in order, given an effective mostly painless suicide pill to take which will immediately render them unconscious and cause death within minutes, and the clear and stated consequences of disobeying the suicide order would be to be captured by this group, held prisoner and tortured to death over a period of days (while being filmed so as to warn others of the consequences of disobedience), and this person then obeys the order and takes the pill before the deadline and dies...

Is this suicide? Or murder?

I would especially appreciate comments from those who have studied the law.

CountScrofula · 41-45, M

It varies by country and jurisdiction, but the clearest answer I could find is that it would be considered homicide in the US.

MistyCee

Sounds like law and order.

I don't do criminal law but I'd guess you'd look for some lesser crime like assisted suicide, even if you could get a judge who wouldn't throw out the murder or manslaughter charges before you could get them to a jury.

If your really curious, Google Jonestown and see what charges were brought.

MikeSp · 56-60, M

Remarkably, the charges that could be brought in different countries are all over the map. Could be any of the three or not at all. Sounds similar to ISIS when they gave people the option of converting to their religion or being beheaded. At least these victims could lie and save their lives, and wait for ISIS to move on or be defeated.