he fact remains that any type of murder is illegal in most societies. The American case of "It's over Debbie", in which a gynecology resident gave a lethal injection of morphine to a woman with ovarian cancer, questions the legality of any doctor's intents and actions. First, the resident appears to have committed a felony: premeditated murder. Direct intentional homicide is a felony in all American jurisdictions, for which a plea of merciful motive is no excuse. Second, law aside, the physician behaved altogether in a scandalously unprofessional and unethical manner contrary to the policy of the American Medical Association. He did not know the patient: he had never seen her or her family, he did not study her chart, and he did not converse with her or her physician. He took, as an unambiguous command, her only words to him, "Let's get this over with." Instead of thinking of ways in which he could ease her suffering, he brought her death. This is no humane and thoughtful physician succumbing with fear and trembling to the pressures and wishes of a patient, for which there was truly no other recourse. "This is an impulsive yet cold technician, arrogantly masquerading as a knight of compassion and humanity" who should be punished for his actions. When a patient asks for assistance in dying, and the doctor then gives the patient a lethal injection, there is no way of disguising what is happening. The doctor's intention is clear, this is undoubtedly a killing and not an allowing to die. An essential aspect of euthanasia is that it involves taking a human life of a person who is suffering from some disease of injury from which recovery cannot reasonably be expected. The action is deliberate and intentional as stated in section 231(2) of the Canadian Criminal Code: Murder is first degree when it is planned and deliberate. Section 222(1) of the Criminal Code states: A pers...