MN Appeals Court Upholds Conviction Of Right-To-Die Group

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota appeals court has upheld the conviction of a national right-to-die group that was found guilty of assisting in the 2007 suicide of a Minnesota woman.

Final Exit Network Inc. was convicted last year of assisting in the suicide of 57-year-old Doreen Dunn, who took her life after a decade of suffering from chronic pain. The group was sentenced to pay a $30,000 fine and funeral expenses.

On appeal, the group argued that Minnesota's law barring assisted suicide is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals disagreed Monday, finding that the state's Supreme Court has already ruled that Minnesota's assisted-suicide law is constitutional and that "assisting" suicide can include speech instructing another person on methods.

The appeals court says it won't question Supreme Court precedent.