# Is Suicide illegal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [January 12, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970 "2017-01-12T17:24:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LubbockGayMale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@LubbockGayMale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LubbockGayMale)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970/1 "2017-01-12T17:24:10Z")
In Texas, attempted suicide can cause you to be arrested and held for observation. I’m not aware of any DA who has actually prosecuted an attempt, but the arrest allows the ‘victim’ to be held for 48 hrs or so, and usually the observation time allows for help. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970/2 "2017-01-12T17:33:56Z")
[Link to Cecil’s column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2501/is-suicide-against-the-law) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970/3 "2017-01-12T17:36:12Z")
It’s usually considered good practice to provide a link to the column. Even though it’s on the first page today, it won’t be later. It saves others the trouble of doing a search. [Is suicide against the law?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2501/is-suicide-against-the-law) ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970/4 "2017-01-12T18:01:29Z")
From the column: > [@](#): > > Of course they didn’t take matters as seriously as the Roman emperor Hadrian, who in 117 AD declared attempted suicide by soldiers a form of desertion and made it — no joke this time — a capital offense. Hadrian was a pretty wise Emperor and I think he got this one right. Attempted suicide by a soldier essentially differs not at all from attempted desertion. They are bailing out on their fellow soldiers in time of war and in the face of the enemy. The penalty of course should reflect the more compassionate approach of the modern era but the act itself is certainly akin to attempted desertion. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970/5 "2017-01-12T18:13:32Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Hadrian was a pretty wise Emperor and I think he got this one right. Attempted suicide by a soldier essentially differs not at all from attempted desertion. I think the part that people think unwise was making it a capital offense, which means it could be punished by death. So it’s saying ‘if you’re a soldier and try to kill yourself, you’re deserting, and that’s so bad that we’ll kill you for the attempt’. The problem with executing someone for attempting to execute himself should be obvious. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970/6 "2017-01-12T18:29:07Z")
The issue of course is one of timing. Committing suicide while on the “font line” as it were would be somewhat different than being executed after a trial, with time to be replaced in your unit. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970/7 "2017-01-13T00:23:30Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > The issue of course is one of timing. Committing suicide while on the “font line” as it were would be somewhat different than being executed after a trial, with time to be replaced in your unit. Seems to me that what you refer to would be more of an issue with printers and publishers, not soldiers. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-suicide-illegal/776970/8 "2017-01-13T03:50:26Z")
You’ll never take me alive, coppers!