Help Can you be prosecuted for helping someone commit suicide?

[BridgeJumper]

This is a thing that bugs me.
We all give advice on open threads, but Ive also been exchanging private messages with a few members, helping them make sure they will kill themselves successfully. Of course I never explicitly say that they should do it, I onlygive advice.
But what if the local police started sniffing around to find out why a particular member died, went through their browser history, and found my text. Would they prosecute me for assisting in a suicide? It carries a 5 year sentence. Im terrified of prisons.
Assuming there is no encryption on the dead users computer, is that possible? Or do they not care much? When it is confirmed that someone ctb'd and his account is permanently banned, can you access it at all?
Thanks for help.

 

[6ixxy]

Long story short; yes
Assisting suicide is essentially manslaughter, the person has knowingly went out of their way to aid or 'turn a blind eye' to someone else dying. Think it depends on your country but for the most part I'm fairly certain helping someone to CTB will land you with a prison sentence.

 

[forever21]

I think it depends which country you are from

 

[BridgeJumper]

Omg.

I need to jump asap then.
Why cant I just say no, I wont help you.

Were any of the members that gave advice to Shawn Shatto prosecuted?
And Im from Poland if that helps
I have bpd and schizophrenic bipolar, can this help me get a shorter sentence?

 

[forever21]

Do you think someone is watching you and they know your identity?

 

[BridgeJumper]

Not that Im aware of. None of the people that know me on here know, none of the people in real life either, and it will stay that way.
Please, I dont wanna go to jail. Im a weakling. They will rape me in the ass...

 

[forever21]

I guess technically I also gave advice. Poland is poor. Do you really think they have specialists and money that will do something like this?
Also why would they go through their browser history of its clear that it's a suicide. It will just cost them time and money.

 

[Stan]

I think physically helping will be the biggest one. Followed by if it was proved that you coerced/encouraged someone into doing it. Sharing methods is a murky one to be honest, not sure how that looks in law.

 

[raybd]

In most countries - including the west - you can be prosecuted directly or indirectly.

 

[SinisterKid]

Please read this:

Will the site ever close? Should I worry?
Our website does not encourage suicide, and all information provided is for educational purposes only. We only offer a place to discuss the topic of suicide; in other words, we provide a free speech platform for those that can't speak about suicide anywhere else. Our servers are offshore, and we have taken precautions to avoid issues that could arise. Regardless, there might be days where the forum is in the public eye; when those days come, don't panic. Suicide is a taboo topic, and thus, we must not succumb to any paranoia or fear. Help us keep the peace during these times by calming other users and not creating panic by making threads about this. Downtime may rarely happen due to maintenance, upgrades, or feature changes, if there's anything that you should know, we'll make a thread about it and pin it.

Also this:

Encourage suicide or any other acts.

• Do not encourage or coerce users to carry out acts of any nature, including suicide; only provide information and emotional support to those who ask for it.

Also bear in mind, anyone who posts a goodbye thread has their account closed/banned so no one else has access to it. Many have tried and failed to get this site removed. You should also be taking all and any steps to protect your own identity whilst online. Read this thread:

https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/on-the-issue-of-privacy.13159/

Help us to help you. Read the Rules & FAQ they are there to for a reason.

https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/rules-and-faq.4/

 

[Quinlor]

 

[jgm63]

If answering someone's question, after giving an answer, I would suggest including the following passage :

------------------------------------
Please note that I strongly recommend against taking any action that would cause harm to yourself. Please seek assistance in any and every way possible to prevent harm coming to yourself. I do not encourage you or anyone to do anything that would cause harm to yourself or themselves. You alone must decide upon your actions and take full responsibility for them, and you should always favour seeking help and keeping yourself out of harm's way. I repeat, please seek assistance in any and every possible way to prevent harm coming to yourself.
------------------------------------

Yes, it adds bulk, but IMO that's an acceptable price to ensure we are placing responsibility firmly on the questioner.

Perhaps something similar could be included during sign-up, forcing people to read and agree to the terms, and perhaps making that compulsory to read (at present there is a link that you don't have to click, and the terms that appear could perhaps be extended)

Perhaps I'll suggest this to the staff...

Also, when wording answers, it may be better to say something like :
"I suppose if I were doing this, I might consider <x,y,z>" ("RIGHT")
instead of :
"You should do <x,y,z>" ("WRONG")

As always, the aim is the make the person asking the question fully responsible for their own actions.
We should never suggest to anyone what to do....

 

[BridgeJumper]

That kinda calmed me down, but Im still having a freakout on the bridge. Gonna ask this person to make a goodbye thread.

 

[Circles]

Now I don't want to make you worry and I don't know if this is allowed so please @SinisterKid tell me and delete this. But there was a user named @Rukia who was also from Poland and one day I found out by talking in the chat box from another user also from Poland who was in touch with Rukia and after she found some laws over there (which I know nothing about btw I just remember her telling me about it) but regarding talking about suicide in general over the internet with another Polish citizen I think. Long story short Rukia freaked out after learning about this and called the cops on that user. She immediately banned herself not long after that.

Edit: I'm So sorry if this doesn't help btw, I just remember that incident and since you said you were from Poland also I got to thinking about it. But I'd look up the internet laws over there as it depends on the country.

 

[ImSorryEmma]

Omg.

I need to jump asap then.
Why cant I just say no, I wont help you.

Were any of the members that gave advice to Shawn Shatto prosecuted?
And Im from Poland if that helps
I have BPD and schizophrenic bipolar, can this help me get a shorter sentence?

well I believe i gave Shawn advice like once or twice and I haven't been prosecuted, and the parents of Shawn went after the site as a whole not the individuals involved in giving him advice as far as i know.

 

[c824767]

what if you offered to take someone to Switzerland with a suicidal motive. would it be legal all over the world to offer this service ?

 

[BridgeJumper]

Now I don't want to make you worry and I don't know if this is allowed so please @SinisterKid tell me and delete this. But there was a user named @Rukia who was also from Poland and one day I found out by talking in the chat box from another user also from Poland who was in touch with Rukia and after she found some laws over there (which I know nothing about btw I just remember her telling me about it) but regarding talking about suicide in general over the internet with another Polish citizen I think. Long story short Rukia freaked out after learning about this and called the cops on that user. She immediately banned herself not long after that.

Edit: I'm So sorry if this doesn't help btw, I just remember that incident and since you said you were from Poland also I got to thinking about it. But I'd look up the internet laws over there as it depends on the country.

So the user was about to kill himself, and she called the police to get him locked up and avoid being in legal trouble?
I dont want to ruin somebodys plans like that, but I also want to save my ass...

 

[Circles]

So the user was about to kill himself, and she called the police to get him locked up and avoid being in legal trouble?
I dont want to ruin somebodys plans like that, but I also want to save my ass...

The user told me that he told her that he was going to kill himself, yes. Rukia got worried and thought that since they were in contact online and in real life and after finding out about that supposed law she overreacted and called the cops to prevent his suicide. Whether if she mostly wanted to save him or just herself I don't know, she had Schizophrenia and I'm sure the added paranoia didn't help.

 

[BridgeJumper]

Im schizophrenic too. Just posted about my insane nervous hallucinating breakwdown. Im lying curled near the river now hoping I freezs so excuse me if my typing is wonky. I knew someone on here irl who ctb, I didnt get in trouble. Maybe this one will be the same

 

[SinisterKid]

You are worrying yourself unnecessarily over something that every single member of this site has done at some point. We discuss more than just suicide here. Please take a little time to think about what has already been said here and dont let paranoia take over.

 

[BridgeJumper]

Are you sure?
Like totes really sure?
Should I call 9911 or my dad and go home

 

[SinisterKid]

Go home if at all possible please. This is not worth dying over.

 

[BridgeJumper]

You know what yea im gonna crawl to the bus
mahybe get 911'ed on the way but idc

 

[WaitingForMyRide]

You're alright man. It's just the schizophrenia making you nervous/paranoid.