United States Second Circuit

No federal law barred defendants from effectuating the state's interest in prolonging the life of a terminally ill citizen. In insisting that the patient's care be continued, despite uncontroverted testimony that the care was medically inappropriate and was causing her significant pain, defendants are entitled to qualified immunity.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/02/2004
• Published 02/02/2004

Judges

• B.D. PARKER, Jr. Circuit Judge., Before:  POOLER, SACK, and B.D. PARKER, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Second Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• James T. Snyder (James E. Reid, on the brief), Greene & Reid, LLP, Syracuse, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Robert M. Goldfarb, Assistant Solicitor General (Daniel Smirlock, Deputy Solicitor General, Peter H. Schiff, Senior Counsel, on the brief), for Eliot Spitzer, Attorney General of the State of New York, Albany, NY, for Defendants-Appellees.