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25. Jack Kevorkian: Hero or Murderer?
One of the most controversial figures in the
of the United States of America was Dr.
Kevorkian. He was a pathologist, euthanasia advocate, and
, who came into fame during the late 1990s.
died in 2011. Kevorkian was a firm believer
euthanasia for the terminally ill. He designed a
machine that helped 130 people end their lives.
was persecuted throughout his career as a suicide
, and was convicted in 1999 for his involvement
an assisted suicide. He served eight years in
, and was released in 2007 after agreeing to
longer assist with anyone's suicide.
Kevorkian had a
time working as a pathologist at the University
Michigan, where he earned his doctorate degree. He
not see eye to eye with his employers,
chose to leave the hospital to pursue his
interests. In 1987, Kevorkian purchased advertising space in
newspapers as a "death consultant." His first known
suicide was for a 54-year-old woman who suffered
advanced Alzheimer's disease. Kevorkian was not charged in
case because Michigan did not have a law
place regarding assisted suicide. The state did file
charges initially, but those charges were dropped. The
Medical Board, however, did strip Kevorkian on his
practitioner's license.
Kevorkian defended himself at subsequent trials
claiming he took no action to assist in
patient's suicide. He had invented a machine that
designed to be operated by the person using
machine. Therefore, Kevorkian argued he had no hand
causing the death of his patients. His patients
complete control of the suicide from start to
. Kevorkian's role in the deaths was to simply
attach his patients to his machine. The rest
up to them. Some called Kevorkian a raging
who lost his mind, while others called him
angel for helping to end the suffering of
patients.
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