Is Assisted Suicide an act of mercy or a homicide? This question has come up again where I live (Michigan) due to the just announced release of "Dr Death". Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the "suicide doctor" is going to be paroled in June 2007 after spending 8 years in prison. The was the doctor that made international headlines in the 1990s with his suicide machines. These were machines that terminally ill patients could use to kill themselves by "flipping a switch" or "pressing a button". The suicide machine would then dispense drugs into the patient's system ... a quantity large enough to kill them. Kevorkian estimated that he assisted in 130 suicides. He had performed these assisted suicides throughout much of the 1990s, and was always able to evade prison because his lawyer Geoffrey Fieger would always get him off. Then in 1999 Kevorkian dumped Fieger, and promptly proceeded to be found guilty in the newest trial. At approximately age 70, he was sentanced to 10-25 years in prison. I know there are some countries around the world that allow assisted suicide in certain cases. Personally, I believe there are cases where a terminally ill patient should be allowed to end their suffering with the help of others. I don't think the Government has the right to tell me or my wife to continue suffering when there is no hope. What do others think? Thanks.
I cared for my grandmother 24 hours a day the last 4 years of her life 3 of which she never got out of bed and had to be fed and bathed and changed while experiencing suffering every single day for those 3 years. Quality of life = none I was made very aware that folks have the RIGHT TO END THEIR LIFE AT ANY TIME THEY WISH! Period! its not the governments damn business. Its a private decision between themselves and God. Now if you don't believe in God I would say your business here isn't done yet but the same rule applies.
Sticky subject. People that make a business out of killing others...well, they could influence people that would have otherwise chose not to. I think suicide is a personal chose, but you shouldn't have someone looking for the profit in it...otherwise you get nasty things coming-up.