Dr. Jack Kevorkian to Be Released
Physician-Assisted Suicide Advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian to Be Released From Prison
Sunday , May 27, 2007
For nearly a decade, Dr. Jack Kevorkian waged a defiant campaign to help other people kill themselves.
The retired pathologist left bodies at hospital emergency rooms and motels and videotaped a death that was broadcast on CBS' "60 Minutes." His actions prompted battles over assisted suicide in many states.
But as he prepares to leave prison June 1 after serving more than eight years of a 10- to 25-year sentence in the death of a Michigan man, Kevorkian will find that there's still only one state that has a law allowing physician-assisted suicide - Oregon.
Experts say that's because abortion opponents, Catholic leaders, advocates for the disabled and often doctors have fought the efforts of other states to follow the lead of Oregon, where the law took effect in late 1997.
Opponents defeated a measure in Vermont this year and are fighting similar efforts in California. Bills have failed in recent years in Hawaii, Wisconsin and Washington state, and ballot measures were defeated earlier by voters in Washington, California, Michigan and Maine.
Kevorkian's release could spur another round of efforts, if only to prevent anyone else from following his example.
"One of the driving forces of the (Oregon) law was to prevent the Jack Kevorkians from happening," said Kate Davenport, a communications specialist at the Death with Dignity National Center in Portland, Ore., which defended Oregon's law against challenges.
"It wasn't well regulated or sane," she said. "There were just too many potential pitfalls."
Kevorkian, 79, was criticized even by assisted suicide supporters because of his unconventional practices.
He used a machine he'd invented to administer fatal drugs and dropped off bodies at hospital emergency rooms or coroner's offices, or left them to be discovered in the motel rooms where he often met those who wanted his help.
At the time, some doctors didn't want to give dying patients too much pain medication, fearing they'd be accused of hastening death.
Oregon law allows only terminally ill, mentally competent adults who can self-administer the medication to ask a physician to prescribe life-ending drugs, and they must make that request once in writing and twice orally.
Oregon's experience shows that only a tiny percentage of people will ever choose to quicken their death, said Sidney Wanzer, a retired Massachusetts doctor who has been a leader in the right-to-die movement.
From the time the law took effect in 1997 until the end of last year, 292 people asked their doctors to prescribe the drugs they would need to end their lives, an average of just over 30 a year. Most of the 46 people who used the process last year had cancer, and their median age was 74, according to a state report.
Experts say the attention on assisted suicide has helped raise awareness caring for the terminally ill.
"End-of-life care has increased dramatically" in Oregon with more hospice referrals and better pain management, says Valerie Vollmar, a professor at Oregon's Willamette University College of Law who writes extensively on physician-assisted death.
Opponents and supporters of physician-assisted death say more needs to be done to offer hospice care and pain treatment for those who are dying and suffering from debilitating pain.
"The solution here is not to kill people who are getting inadequate pain management, but to remove barriers to adequate pain management," said Burke Balch, director of the Powell Center for Medical Ethics at the National Right to Life Committee, which opposes assisted suicide.
"We need to come up with better solutions to human suffering and human need," Balch said.
More end-of-life care is needed, but doctors should have a right to assist those who ask for their help in dying, Wanzer said.
"There are a handful of patients who have the best of care, everything has been done right, but they still suffer. And it's this person I think should have the right to say, `This is not working and I want to die sooner,'" Wanzer said.
Kevorkian has promised he'll never again advise or counsel anyone about assisted suicide once he's out of prison. But his attorney, Mayer Morganroth, said Kevorkian isn't going to stop pushing for more laws allowing it.
The state wants to go after money that Kevorkian makes following his release to help cover the cost of his incarceration. Morganroth has said his client has been offered as much as $100,000 to speak. Many of those speeches are expected to be on assisted suicide.
"It's got to be legalized," Kevorkian said in a phone interview from prison aired by a Detroit TV station on Monday. "I'll work to have it legalized. But I won't break any laws doing it."
Sunday , May 27, 2007
For nearly a decade, Dr. Jack Kevorkian waged a defiant campaign to help other people kill themselves.
The retired pathologist left bodies at hospital emergency rooms and motels and videotaped a death that was broadcast on CBS' "60 Minutes." His actions prompted battles over assisted suicide in many states.
But as he prepares to leave prison June 1 after serving more than eight years of a 10- to 25-year sentence in the death of a Michigan man, Kevorkian will find that there's still only one state that has a law allowing physician-assisted suicide - Oregon.
Experts say that's because abortion opponents, Catholic leaders, advocates for the disabled and often doctors have fought the efforts of other states to follow the lead of Oregon, where the law took effect in late 1997.
Opponents defeated a measure in Vermont this year and are fighting similar efforts in California. Bills have failed in recent years in Hawaii, Wisconsin and Washington state, and ballot measures were defeated earlier by voters in Washington, California, Michigan and Maine.
Kevorkian's release could spur another round of efforts, if only to prevent anyone else from following his example.
"One of the driving forces of the (Oregon) law was to prevent the Jack Kevorkians from happening," said Kate Davenport, a communications specialist at the Death with Dignity National Center in Portland, Ore., which defended Oregon's law against challenges.
"It wasn't well regulated or sane," she said. "There were just too many potential pitfalls."
Kevorkian, 79, was criticized even by assisted suicide supporters because of his unconventional practices.
He used a machine he'd invented to administer fatal drugs and dropped off bodies at hospital emergency rooms or coroner's offices, or left them to be discovered in the motel rooms where he often met those who wanted his help.
At the time, some doctors didn't want to give dying patients too much pain medication, fearing they'd be accused of hastening death.
Oregon law allows only terminally ill, mentally competent adults who can self-administer the medication to ask a physician to prescribe life-ending drugs, and they must make that request once in writing and twice orally.
Oregon's experience shows that only a tiny percentage of people will ever choose to quicken their death, said Sidney Wanzer, a retired Massachusetts doctor who has been a leader in the right-to-die movement.
From the time the law took effect in 1997 until the end of last year, 292 people asked their doctors to prescribe the drugs they would need to end their lives, an average of just over 30 a year. Most of the 46 people who used the process last year had cancer, and their median age was 74, according to a state report.
Experts say the attention on assisted suicide has helped raise awareness caring for the terminally ill.
"End-of-life care has increased dramatically" in Oregon with more hospice referrals and better pain management, says Valerie Vollmar, a professor at Oregon's Willamette University College of Law who writes extensively on physician-assisted death.
Opponents and supporters of physician-assisted death say more needs to be done to offer hospice care and pain treatment for those who are dying and suffering from debilitating pain.
"The solution here is not to kill people who are getting inadequate pain management, but to remove barriers to adequate pain management," said Burke Balch, director of the Powell Center for Medical Ethics at the National Right to Life Committee, which opposes assisted suicide.
"We need to come up with better solutions to human suffering and human need," Balch said.
More end-of-life care is needed, but doctors should have a right to assist those who ask for their help in dying, Wanzer said.
"There are a handful of patients who have the best of care, everything has been done right, but they still suffer. And it's this person I think should have the right to say, `This is not working and I want to die sooner,'" Wanzer said.
Kevorkian has promised he'll never again advise or counsel anyone about assisted suicide once he's out of prison. But his attorney, Mayer Morganroth, said Kevorkian isn't going to stop pushing for more laws allowing it.
The state wants to go after money that Kevorkian makes following his release to help cover the cost of his incarceration. Morganroth has said his client has been offered as much as $100,000 to speak. Many of those speeches are expected to be on assisted suicide.
"It's got to be legalized," Kevorkian said in a phone interview from prison aired by a Detroit TV station on Monday. "I'll work to have it legalized. But I won't break any laws doing it."
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Whats his phone number I might need his help on a matter. 0 -
I have met Dr jack in person, he truly is a kind soul who wants to help end suffering for the terminally ill.
Don0 -
i support the guy, i also find it odd our supreme court ruled its legal to kill innocent babies but wont allow mature adults to end their own lives. plus, if someone doesnt want to be on this earth who is another man to tell them what to do ? 0 -
We call ourselves the most free nation on Earth - but how is that true when you can't even (legally) decide to end your own life? Isn't that the most personal choice of all? 0 -
I've always been a supporter of Dr. Kevorkian. Medical science has advanced so much that the capacity for the extension of the human boady far beyond the mind or the spirit's capacity to be along with the rest of the ride has gotten way out of hand. All one needs to do is watch an elderly family member in a nursing home, or dying of a terminal illness to realize this. As a person who has benefitted, and is alive today as a result of the advances in medicine, I am thankful. Also, as one who has intimate familiarity with the limits of my immortality and th prospect of dying a slow, painful death, I also feel qualified to say that Jack Kevorkian's "work" is important. It's an ugly job, but somebody has to have the fortitude to stand up and say, "enough is enough".
Jack's biggest problem was that he came off as a bit egotistical, which is understandable coming from someone with a great deal of conviction about what he does.
He is an artist, as well, if you did not know. His paintings are quite good, and quite disturbing.0 -
i need to make an appointment for my wife[:D] 0 -
If you are against assisted suicide, you should be forced to watch a loved one die SLOWLY of an incurable disease like Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS).
My Grandpa died from ALS.....horrible horrible horrible way to go. Two years of slowly dying, and nothing he could do. Horrible till the end.
IF I ever have ALS (it is heriditary), I WILL NOT end up like that. When I get to where I can barely pull a trigger, that'll be the end.
Merc0 -
quote:Experts say that's because abortion opponents, Catholic leaders, advocates for the disabled and often doctors have fought the efforts of other states to follow the lead of Oregon, where the law took effect in late 1997.Of course doctors oppose it - if all chronic cases decided to check out early, they can't bill them as much. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by MosinNagantDisciple
We call ourselves the most free nation on Earth - but how is that true when you can't even (legally) decide to end your own life? Isn't that the most personal choice of all?
Amen!!0 -
quote:Originally posted by ElMuertoMonkey
quote:Experts say that's because abortion opponents, Catholic leaders, advocates for the disabled and often doctors have fought the efforts of other states to follow the lead of Oregon, where the law took effect in late 1997.Of course doctors oppose it - if all chronic cases decided to check out early, they can't bill them as much.
Dammit, mark your calendars, I agree with the monkey[:0]0 -
Shouldent have been in jail in the first place. 0 -
Wow... I don't know why, but I would have thought I would been a lone Jack Kevorkian fan here.. Wrong again!!! 0 -
Isn't it odd that when an animal we love has a terminal/ painful illness or condition, we have them "put to sleep" so they will not suffer? However, if a human falls into that category, they are forced by modern medicine to languish until the bitter end. Animals are allowed to die with dignity but humans are not. And, yes, I know exactly what I am talking about. In 17 years as a paramedic, I have seen it time and time again. Personally, I lost my mother to terminal brain cancer. She spent almost a year in a nursing home deteriorating before she finally died. If I could have ended her suffering, I would have done it in a second. 0 -
When a person wants to die, have at it. You don't really need drugs to do it though, but hey have at it in what ever way you wish. Kevorikan crossed the line when he adminastired the drugs. Thats why he went to prison. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by dheffley
"We need to come up with better solutions to human suffering and human need," Balch said.
I don't want to turn this into a "drug legalization" discussion, but I think that allowing doctors to prescribe cocaine for certain terminally ill and/or extremely old people, could do a lot to eliminate human suffering.0 -
Dr. Death back on the street.... 0 -
I think our State and Federal Governments have way too much power when it comes to meddling in the relationship between doctor and patient. 0 -
Most of the RNs and medics I worked with supported Dr. Kevorkian. 0 -
I'm a long way from being a Kevorkian fan. I think if a person is in possession of their mental faculties, has a terminal illness and wants to end it, they have that right. If they need assistance, that should not be illegal. I don't think people should be encouraged to do it. Kevorkian just seems to enjoy it way too much. 0 -
The government says it is alright to get aide to kill another when in the form of an unwanted child.... but you can't get aide to end the life one's self even though that end is a horrible death that would be considered cruel to let a dog go through....
However the real bottom line here is that so many of these people have children that would be eligable for Social Security benefits that making folks suffer for a year or two is an obvious savings of millions in SS payouts!!!! No brainer! It is better to let the public pay for two yrs of unneccessy healthcare than the gov. paying out SS survivior benefits... even though the cost to you and I would be ten times greater than the cost of raising the SS tax an additional 1%.0 -
quote:JamesRK:
If they need assistance, that should not be illegal. I don't think people should be encouraged to do it. Kevorkian just seems to enjoy it way too much.
... and I disagree.[8D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
I'm a long way from being a Kevorkian fan. I think if a person is in possession of their mental faculties, has a terminal illness and wants to end it, they have that right. If they need assistance, that should not be illegal. I don't think people should be encouraged to do it. Kevorkian just seems to enjoy it way too much.
Agreed.0 -
quote:Originally posted by zipperzap
quote:JamesRK:
If they need assistance, that should not be illegal. I don't think people should be encouraged to do it. Kevorkian just seems to enjoy it way too much.
... and I disagree.[8D]
OK. [8D] [:D]0 -
Agreed[:D][:D][:D] 0 -
Dr. Kevorkian is a hero.
As a nurse, I have seen too many people suffer for far too long. Some people choose to hang on to whatever semblance of physical life they have left. Those who choose to die with dignity when they cannot, or do not wish to continue, need a Dr. Kevorkian.
Now we need a doctor to crusade AGAINST abortions. Terminally ill persons make their choice, these babies have no voice.
Thank you for allowing me to have my say.0 -
In the end my father was blind, couldn't control his bladder or bowells and was totally humiliated. Why shouldn't a man be allowed to die with dignity? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by gipsynurse
Dr. Kevorkian is a hero.
As a nurse, I have seen too many people suffer for far too long. Some people choose to hang on to whatever semblance of physical life they have left. Those who choose to die with dignity when they cannot, or do not wish to continue, need a Dr. Kevorkian.
Now we need a doctor to crusade AGAINST abortions. Terminally ill persons make their choice, these babies have no voice.
Thank you for allowing me to have my say.
Dr. Jack brought the issue to national attention, you may say he enjoyed it, but how else was the issue going to get the exposure it needed? There are a couple of "hemlock societys" in the US, how many times have you read about them before Dr Jack started making waves?
Don0 -
...an obvious tough subject. If one believes the bible, suicide "ain't happening". On the other hand, how "right" is it to keep someone "alive" thru artificial means; and possibly in pain? Against that persons wishes?
...A person in a debilitated/vegetative state for the families "sake", does not seem right to me; or to the poor person in a terminal "bad deal".
...To me, this falls into the same quandary I have about abortion.
IF, all the people decrying abortion would adopt the soon to be baby, maybe there would be no need for abortion, but that will never happen. So, in many cases it's have the baby that the parent is unable to give the child even a half way decent life, or abort it.
...Since I have no answer/solution to abortion or assisted death, I don't have a strong stance either for or against either; to do so would just be biatchin. I don't like abortion, or the idea of assisted death, but you won't ever find me argueing one way or the other about either subject.
...My dad always told me if "you do not have a solution" for a problem", anything you say is just biatchin...[;)]
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quote:Originally posted by rcrxs old lady
I've always been a supporter of Dr. Kevorkian. Medical science has advanced so much that the capacity for the extension of the human boady far beyond the mind or the spirit's capacity to be along with the rest of the ride has gotten way out of hand. All one needs to do is watch an elderly family member in a nursing home, or dying of a terminal illness to realize this. As a person who has benefitted, and is alive today as a result of the advances in medicine, I am thankful. Also, as one who has intimate familiarity with the limits of my immortality and th prospect of dying a slow, painful death, I also feel qualified to say that Jack Kevorkian's "work" is important. It's an ugly job, but somebody has to have the fortitude to stand up and say, "enough is enough".
Jack's biggest problem was that he came off as a bit egotistical, which is understandable coming from someone with a great deal of conviction about what he does.
He is an artist, as well, if you did not know. His paintings are quite good, and quite disturbing.
ROL...it's nice to see you posting![8D]0 -
I have a living will in case I'm injured and comatose. I also have a death machine called a "handgun" that I will use if I find myself in need of Dr Jack.
I have discussed this with my family and they understand.
My late father in law, a proud, brave Marine died of ALS. He was reduced to pain, humiliation until the end. Not me!0
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