Irreversible coma and withdrawal of life support: is it murder if the IV line is disconnected?

Towers, a consultant to the defense, presents an account of a homicide charge being processed against two Los Angeles physicians. At the family's request for withdrawal of life support systems, the doctors removed nasogastric and intravenous lines from a patient whose cardiac arrest after surgery resulted in severe brain damage. At the autopsy, dehydration was listed as a contributory cause of death. Towers discusses the case as it involves local guidelines for discontinuing treatment, California law, and media coverage.