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Dr. Death Set Free

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything from Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the doctor known popularly as Dr. Death. You’ll recall that he helped at least 130 terminal patient kill themselves and, famously, he videotaped one such death which was later broadcast on “60 Minutes.” The man even invented his very own death machine to help hasten the deaths of many of his patients. Dr. Kevorkian, however, was imprisoned a little more than eight years ago after helping a Michigan man end his life.

Now, after all that time, Dr. Kevorkian is finally being released from prison (this Friday, June 1st, to be precise). Unfortunately, he’s ailing — the guy is old (79), and I don’t imagine prison has been a particularly healthy place for him to be. Still, as he leaves prison, he has to look around and wonder if it was all worth it. Eight years later, physician-assisted suicide is still only allowed in one state — Oregon — through a law that has been in effect since 1997. Since that time, only around 30 people a year have taken advantage of the law, asking doctors to prescribe medicine that would end their suffering. Most were very old to begin with, and the majority had terminal cancer.

Kevorkian, though he’s promised not to help anyone else end their lives, is going to continue to fight the good fight — he’ll speak out and try to legalize physician-assisted suicide in more states. The Supreme Court has looked at the issue and, in their 1996 decision, Washington v. Glucksberg, the Supremes held that state laws prohibiting physician assisted suicide did not violate the Constitution. The converse, of course, is that state laws allowing it are not illegal, either — the Supreme Court, in 2006’s Gonzales v. Oregon, upheld the Oregon law, over the Bush administration’s protest. So, for Kevorkian’s war to be won, it’s gotta be done on a state-by-state basis.

For the record, euthanasia is supported by 60 percent of Americans, according to a 2006 Gallup poll. California currently has a bill out there which would allow euthanasia — and though the legislation was defeated in 2006, it has since been reintroduced with broader support. Worldwide, euthanasia is still only legal in Belgium and the Netherlands.

I might also add that in Australia New Zealand, the power company has accidentally gotten in to the euthanasia game.

Posted by Dustin on May 30, 2007 | Comments (2)