Dying 'Dr. Death' Has Second Thoughts About Assisting Suicides

ABC News ^ | May 26, 2006 | LARA SETRAKIAN

[Abathar]

Today, on his 78th birthday, Jack Kevorkian, the man known as "Dr. Death," is slowly dying in prison.

And, according to his lawyer, Kevorkian seems to have second thoughts about helping people die.

For years, Kevorkian was the center of a national debate around the highly controversial questions surrounding physician-assisted suicide or "mercy killing:" Do the terminally ill have the right to choose when and how they die? Do doctors have the ability, even an obligation, to help them die as they choose?

Now, as he sits in jail, Kevorkian may have had a change of heart — not about his dedication to the "death with dignity" movement, but on how he went about promoting it.

Specifically, he questions the more than 100 suicides he said he assisted throughout the 1990s. One assisted suicide — the death of Lou Gehrig's disease patient Thomas Youk, which was taped and broadcast on "60 Minutes" in 1998 — earned him a prison sentence of 15 years to 20 years for second degree murder.

"He did what he did, and it brought it to public awareness [of physician-assisted suicide]," said Kevorkian's attorney, Mayer Morganroth. "He now realizes that having performed it when it was against the law, wasn't the, probably, appropriate way to go about it. … What he should have done was work towards its legalization verbally. … Pursuing that cause, and not performing it because it still was against the law."

'He Gets Depressed at Times'

Less than a week ago, Morganroth publicly stated that doctors had told Kevorkian he had less than a year to live.

Kevorkian suffers from Hepatitis C, which he contracted during service in Vietnam. Morganroth said Kevorkian's liver enzyme levels were three to four times above normal — a clear signal his liver was failing.

[evets]

[Zeppelin]

"He now realizes that having performed it when it was against the law, wasn't the, probably, appropriate way to go about it. … What he should have done was work towards its legalization verbally. … Pursuing that cause, and not performing it because it still was against the law."

So I started reading it thinking he'd had a change of heart. He's not sorry. He's just sorry that he got caught.

[JohnLongIsland]

GOD is waiting for you you pos.

[sageb1]

From the article: "Stands by His Position, but Wouldn't Do it Again

"While Kevorkian stands firmly by the cause of physician-assisted suicide, his lawyer said he would promote the movement by speaking out or writing, not by helping out in any more suicides.

"At this point, he would never perform it again," Morganroth said. "But he certainly would work towards getting it legalized wherever possible."

[2banana]

Specifically, his lawyer suggests, he questions the more than 100 suicides he said he assisted throughout the 1990s. One assisted suicide — the death of Lou Gehrig's disease patient Thomas Youk, which was taped and broadcast on "60 Minutes" in 1998 — earned him a prison sentence of 15 years to 20 years for second degree murder.

Amazing what people will do for their 15 minutes of fame...

[Mazda3Fan]

That's what I got from the article as well.

[sageb1]

"So I started reading it thinking he'd had a change of heart. He's not sorry. He's just sorry that he got caught."

Exactly.

[jazusamo]

Right on!

[Old_Mil]

Dear Jack,

Do try and plan a vacation in Siberia before you go. I hear hell is hot.

[Mazda3Fan]

I thought that doctors took an oath and part of that oath states, "First, do no harm".

[discostu]

So basically what it boils down to is he's figured out why the euthanasia movement hates him.

[Gay State Conservative]

If the Angel of Death wasn't a militant atheist,I'd encourage him to use the time he has left to make peace with his Creator.

Message to Jack: you'd better hope that you guessed correctly regarding the existence of God and judgment in some "after-life",'cause if you guessed wrong,you're gonna have a serious problem in the not-too-distant future.

[mandingo republican]

This creep was in Vietnam? He got HEP C in Vietnam! I wonder if he was a doctor there and if he put any of our boys to death there. Vietnam must of been a joy for him around all that death and dying. I shudder to think of his time in Vietnam!!!

[Siena Dreaming]

One assisted suicide — the death of Lou Gehrig's disease patient Thomas Youk, which was taped and broadcast on "60 Minutes" in 1998

60 minutes...herald of all sorts of morbidity over the years.

Thank God Dan Rather got booted, thanks to FR.

[onedoug]

...the man known as "Dr. Death," is slowly dying in prison.

So?

[Fido969]

Kevorkian seems to have second thoughts about helping people die.

DOOHH!

[FormerACLUmember]

Scr*w you Kevorkian, and the rest of your democrat party death cult. You murdered over 100 people, some of whom had no real physical illness, were not at all terminal or in pain, but suffering mental delusions.

Do me a favor and rot. Too bad your evil mega-crook shyster and leading Michegan democrat Geoffrey Fieger is not yet behind bars with you.

[Antoninus]

He's terminally ill? Sorry to hear that.

I'll pray for him.

[Canedawg]

It's always a problem when some editor chooses a title that is inconsistent with what the author wrote.