Coroners May Sue over Medical Aid in Dying Law
A Lake County Coroner’s office uniform.
The Medical Aid in Dying physician-assisted suicide bill signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker may get a constitutional challenge from coroners who argue the bill violates state law governing a coroner’s jurisdiction over suicidal deaths.
In numerous conversations with current and former county coroners around the state, the independent elected county officials believe the Medical Aid in Dying law removes their jurisdiction over the suicidal deaths, which, they argue are not “natural.”
Others believe the law dictates doctors to list the suicidal deaths as “natural” on death certificates.
Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon says the law takes a key part out of a coroner’s job, investigating and ruling on a death that isn’t “natural” and ruling on the cause of death.
“We determine the cause and manner of death. That’s what we do,” he said. “And the legislature has created a law that says we’re unable to do that in these types of situations, [defining them as] natural deaths, but they’re not. You’re asking us to do something that’s not true. You’re asking us to do something that’s not right.”
Allmon, and many coroners we spoke to, say their objections to the law aren’t moral, but on the impact to their offices.
Allmon is First Vice President of the Illinois Coroner’s and Medical Examiner’s Association. He says he has not been in direct discussions about legal action over the bill yet, but knows many of his colleagues have begun talks of a court challenge.
He says coroners were not involved in any discussions about the bill as it was being drafted and hope legislative leaders and Governor Pritzker’s office will work with them on an amendment before it takes effect next September.
“We want to make sure that we that we do our job appropriately,” Allmon said. “We’re trying to get a foot in the door to see if we could sit down and maybe amend this thing.”
One legislative supporter of the assisted suicide law said Monday the legislation was “100% constitutional” and supporters “have nothing to worry about.”
