Dr. Jack
Kevorkian – For Assisted Suicide
Controversial pathologist, writer and
inventor, Jack Kevorkian was the only son of Levon Kevorkian a former
auto-factory worker who owned an excavating company and his homemaker wife. He
had 2 sisters. Kevorkian's parents were Armenian refugees, whose relatives were
among the 1.5 millon victims of Turkish atrocities in World War I. As a young
boy he quit Sunday school because he did not believe in Armenian Orthodox
teachings. He taught himself German and Japanese in high school during World
War II. Kevorkian graduated from Pontiac High School with honors in 1945 at 17.
He then enrolled at the University of Michigan from where he graduated from
Medical school in 1952. Kevorkian completed an internship in Pathology at Henry
Ford hospital in Detroit, during which period he had an epiphany when he saw a
woman who was dying of cancer. It was then that he began to think of ways to
alleviate suffering in his patients.
In 1989 after reading about a patient who had asked for euthanasia he began working on a lethal-injection machine that would be able to do the task at the flip of a switch. It was called the Thanatron (and later Mercitron). He got a lot of publicity because of this. On June 4, 1990 he performed the first of his 'medicides' as he liked to call physician-assisted suicide. His 'client' was a 54 year old woman suffering from Alzheimer's. She had contacted him herself after reading his ads in the papers. It was performed in the back of his VW van. She received sodium pentothal (an anesthetic) and potassium chloride (to stop the heart). By the time of this 3rd medicide his medical license was revoked for violating Michigan state laws regarding euthanasia. One of his clients was even found on autopsy not to have any major pathology. He continued to do his medicides by giving his clients carbon-monoxide. There were reports that one patient had asked her mask to be removed twice (maybe a change of mind) but Kevorkian had continued with his task. On August 17, 1993 he was formally charged with violating the law. By then he had already helped 20 clients to their deaths. He was jailed first in November 1993 and then again in December 1993. Kevorkian went on a liquid only fast for 18 days and was acquitted in May 1994. By now he had even gained several supporters in the general community. By 1998 he had committed over 100 medicides. Relatives of some of his clients claimed that he had continued despite protests from his clients. He was now charged with 2nd degree murder. During his trial he was defended by the flamboyant lawyer Geoffrey Fieger.
In March 1999 Dr. Kevorkian was sentenced by a Michigan jury to 10-25 years for his crime. On June. 1, 2007 at the age of 79. Dr. Kevorkian was released from prison. He would meet his death a mere four years later June. 3, 2011 only eight days after his 83rd birthday. He died a painless death from thrombosis. No artificial attempts were made to keep him alive. Dr. Jack Kevorkian is perhaps the most known man in the fight to provide patients end of life choices. His lifelong battle with media, courts, medical organizations and the public make Dr. Kevorkian the face of the assisted death movement.
Link to Wesley Smith - Against Assisted Suicide
In 1989 after reading about a patient who had asked for euthanasia he began working on a lethal-injection machine that would be able to do the task at the flip of a switch. It was called the Thanatron (and later Mercitron). He got a lot of publicity because of this. On June 4, 1990 he performed the first of his 'medicides' as he liked to call physician-assisted suicide. His 'client' was a 54 year old woman suffering from Alzheimer's. She had contacted him herself after reading his ads in the papers. It was performed in the back of his VW van. She received sodium pentothal (an anesthetic) and potassium chloride (to stop the heart). By the time of this 3rd medicide his medical license was revoked for violating Michigan state laws regarding euthanasia. One of his clients was even found on autopsy not to have any major pathology. He continued to do his medicides by giving his clients carbon-monoxide. There were reports that one patient had asked her mask to be removed twice (maybe a change of mind) but Kevorkian had continued with his task. On August 17, 1993 he was formally charged with violating the law. By then he had already helped 20 clients to their deaths. He was jailed first in November 1993 and then again in December 1993. Kevorkian went on a liquid only fast for 18 days and was acquitted in May 1994. By now he had even gained several supporters in the general community. By 1998 he had committed over 100 medicides. Relatives of some of his clients claimed that he had continued despite protests from his clients. He was now charged with 2nd degree murder. During his trial he was defended by the flamboyant lawyer Geoffrey Fieger.
In March 1999 Dr. Kevorkian was sentenced by a Michigan jury to 10-25 years for his crime. On June. 1, 2007 at the age of 79. Dr. Kevorkian was released from prison. He would meet his death a mere four years later June. 3, 2011 only eight days after his 83rd birthday. He died a painless death from thrombosis. No artificial attempts were made to keep him alive. Dr. Jack Kevorkian is perhaps the most known man in the fight to provide patients end of life choices. His lifelong battle with media, courts, medical organizations and the public make Dr. Kevorkian the face of the assisted death movement.
Link to Wesley Smith - Against Assisted Suicide
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