Medicating people without consent or against their expressed wish is illegal.

1. Did the drugs, that she clearly did not want, cause her death?
2. Was giving his mother these drugs illegal?

The first question is hard to answer. It is hard to know whether or not the medications led to his mother’s death.

Do not use my comments as legal advice, but to answer the second question – in general it is illegal to administer drugs against someone’s consent and if there is clear knowledge of a person refusing certain medications or treatments, while competent, then when incompetent that persons wishes should be respected by medical care-givers, institutions and persons who have the legal right to make medical decisions for that person.

In emergency situations medications will often be administered without consent, if consent is not possible. Another problem occurs when someone is incompetent, and the person they have appointed to make medical decisions has consented to the treatment.

It is very important to have a document, such as the Life-Protecting Power of Attorney for Personal Care (Link to order) that can be purchased from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition and to appoint a medical decision maker who understands your wishes and shares your values.