Jack Kevorkian a.k.a Dr Death has died.

[Beach girl]

A fairly sympathetic article on him:

"‘Dr. Death’ Jack Kevorkian dies at age 83 - The Washington Post"

He was indicted and convicted for having given the final lethal dose himself to someone who was suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease, an invariably fatal disease. The person was too weak to press the button himself, so Kevorkian did it.

Arguably that person requested the suicide assistance in sound mind and good faith; the prosecution argued successfully that this was murder.

I think he was pretty ghoulish, but no question he moved the dialogue along. Three states now permit physican-assisted suicide; Michigan, where Kevorkian lived, specifically does not.

My guess: there are probably a lot of quietly-done physician assisted suicides, where a doctor for the elderly gives just that much more morphine than would be required for pain, and similar things.

We think it's a mercy when we do it for our pets, but elderly, terminally-ill people have no such recourse in most places.

 

[Jiro]

A fairly sympathetic article on him:

"‘Dr. Death’ Jack Kevorkian dies at age 83 - The Washington Post"

He was indicted and convicted for having given the final lethal dose himself to someone who was suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease, an invariably fatal disease. The person was too weak to press the button himself, so Kevorkian did it.

Arguably that person requested the suicide assistance in sound mind and good faith; the prosecution argued successfully that this was murder.

I think he was pretty ghoulish, but no question he moved the dialogue along. Three states now permit physican-assisted suicide; Michigan, where Kevorkian lived, specifically does not.

My guess: there are probably a lot of quietly-done physician assisted suicides, where a doctor for the elderly gives just that much more morphine than would be required for pain, and similar things.

We think it's a mercy when we do it for our pets, but elderly, terminally-ill people have no such recourse in most places.

nobody has rights to tell me how I want it. If I want to die because the pain is just too much for me to live... it's my rights to end my life with whatever dignity I have left. I thank Dr. Kevorkian for waking up America to face the reality and deal with it.

but if a doctor made decision for himself on whether or not if the patient should die... now that's a whole another issue. That is murder.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Good, may he rot in hell....

He should've died in prison, 8 years out of a 25 year prison sentence. The system is a joke.

Yiz

That's a rather callous attitude towards someone who has died, doncha think? You can disagree with what his ethics, but you really shouldn't be so callous. He was a human being after all and was very ill before he passed.

Just think about something... What comes around, goes around. You wouldn't want someone to say such nasty things about you after your death.

 

[Glenn]

nobody has rights to tell me how I want it. If I want to die because the pain is just too much for me to live... it's my rights to end my life with whatever dignity I have left. I thank Dr. Kevorkian for waking up America to face the reality and deal with it.

but if a doctor made decision for himself on whether or not if the patient should die... now that's a whole another issue. That is murder.

Agreed.

But what if it was your spouse who was compromised and/or terminal? Could you make that decision for him or her?

 

[Royale]

He was alot more than just helping people kill themselves/ he aided in the murder by providing materials that enabled them to kill themselves. He's an enabler. Pure and simple.



Source: What Do You Know About Jack Kevorkian aka Dr. Death? (Part 1) - Page: 3

Not surprising how his obsession with death came about from all this........

Yiz

What do those paintings have to do with his death? You have thrown a deck of flying moral cards around here. We are here to talk about his death here, not a moral issue on whether or not to support the assisted suicide or euthanasia. If you want to create one, then do it in a subforum called On-topic Debates.

The last thing that I want to see in this thread is to have this thread been locked up by one of the mods!

 

[Jiro]

Agreed.

But what if it was your spouse who was compromised and/or terminal? Could you make that decision for him or her?

Something like Terri Schiavo? That is rather messed up.

However - it's really of no concern to me because our law and procedure are extremely detailed and thorough to insure there is no wrongdoing or whatsoever. I'm satisfied with it.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

I wonder if he was "assisted" toward his final breath?

I noticed he died in the hospital, so I assumed he just did it the natural way.

If that's the case, I wonder how he felt about that.....

Even in a hospital, there are ways to make your wishes known and have them followed. It's possible he had a living will, so could have guided how he wanted to leave this world. There is something called "Care and Comfort Only", where a person has agreed to no extroidnary measures and a do not resusitate order has been signed. In this incidence, the person is giving care and comfort only. In this day and age, how much care is offered or given is can be dictated by a Living Will.

 

[Glenn]

Something like Terri Schiavo? That is rather messed up.

However - it's really of no concern to me because our law and procedure are extremely detailed and thorough to insure there is no wrongdoing or whatsoever. I'm satisfied with it.

I'll send you a PM.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Agreed.

But what if it was your spouse who was compromised and/or terminal? Could you make that decision for him or her?

Yes, you can. Its called a Power of Attorney document that is signed; which gives the spouse or other designate say in situations where the person themselves cannot speak for themselves.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Something like Terri Schiavo? That is rather messed up.

However - it's really of no concern to me because our law and procedure are extremely detailed and thorough to insure there is no wrongdoing or whatsoever. I'm satisfied with it.

The issue surrounding Terri Shiavo sprang up because there was no documents signed before she suffered episode that left her vegatative. Had she made her wishes known before had, we would have never even known the name "Terri Schiavo".

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Killed people who didn't need killing, in short.

And, you know this... How?

 

[netrox]

News said he died of massive blood clot (PE) - so he probably died suddenly.

He may be hated and his social skills aren't in sync with the "normal" but his ethics and arguments are thought provoking and deserves to be credited for that even though it's NOT a new idea. It's just that he could freely stand up and speak out where so many couldn't. Even doctors who believe in assisted suicide don't want to be associated with him due to his social awkwardness and controversial ideas.

RIP!

 

[Jiro]

So as you can see some glimpse of the mind of JK based from his paintings, it clearly shows his obsession with death and the reason why he used "assistant suicide" to mask his obsession because he wanted to watch people die up close and personal.

He's pretty demented.....

Yiz

actually - your analysis clearly shows how close-minded you are. My opinion on those pictures above is vastly different from yours.

 

[Tousi]

And, you know this... How?

Because he went to prison for it?

 

[Banjo]

If people want to die, let them.

 

[Glenn]

Yes, you can. Its called a Power of Attorney document that is signed; which gives the spouse or other designate say in situations where the person themselves cannot speak for themselves.

Yeah, I know about POA, but there are limitations.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Because he went to prison for it?

In my opinion, he was railroaded.

 

[yizuman]

As far as I understand, he only killed those who asked to be assisted with their suicides.

Except he got nailed from a video that JK made while killing a man.

Previously his past videos showed people "pushing the button" as it were, to kill themselves.

This time, JK did all the work himself and it was featured on 60 Minutes challenging the system to convict him and they did.

That video in of itself is what got him convicted.

(WARNING: THIS VIDEO CAN BE UNSETTLING FOR SOME VIEWERS! VIEW AT YOUR OWN RISK! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!)

Nov. 22, 1998: Kevorkian - 60 Minutes - CBS News

Yiz

 

[TXgolfer]

Wow, I never knew he was talented with paintings! I actually like them - they push buttons on people's comfort level.

Perhaps you should like the art of Yiz's post.....it seems to have pushed some buttons

 

[Jiro]

Except he got nailed from a video that JK made while killing a man.

Previously his past videos showed people "pushing the button" as it were, to kill themselves.

This time, JK did all the work himself and it was featured on 60 Minutes challenging the system to convict him and they did.

That video in of itself is what got him convicted.

(WARNING: THIS VIDEO CAN BE UNSETTLING FOR SOME VIEWERS! VIEW AT YOUR OWN RISK! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!)

Nov. 22, 1998: Kevorkian - 60 Minutes - CBS News

Yiz

and that video itself is what made Americans reconsider about this issue once again. Because of that - we finally passed Death with Dignity Act. More and more states are passing it. Now I can rest assured, knowing that I have the rights to end my life if my pain is too much for me to live on.

You know who is a sick murderer in here? You are. You murdered me with your idealism. and you're a sicko because you enjoy watching me suffering with a tremendous amount of pain and you want me to die with agony. That is sick.

something to consider - if a patient is religious, he/she cannot do it himself. It would be considered as suicide... a sinful act. The law allows a patient to have a designated person to do it for him/her. How merciful this law is....