Most states have laws against aiding a suicide or assisted suicide. These laws are usually found in the state’s statutes, and sometimes in the state’s court opinions or case law (common law). The severity level of these crimes range from misdemeanors to felonies.
In Alaska, assisted suicide is illegal and considered a serious offense. The state's statutes classify assisting in a suicide as manslaughter, which is a felony. Under Alaska Statutes Section 11.41.120(a)(2), a person commits the crime of manslaughter if the person intentionally aids another person to commit suicide. Manslaughter in Alaska is a class A felony, which can result in significant prison time and fines upon conviction. There is no provision in Alaska law that allows for physician-assisted suicide, and the state has not adopted any laws similar to those in some other states that permit medically assisted death under specific circumstances. Therefore, any form of assistance in another person's suicide is subject to criminal prosecution in Alaska.