... old age or illness, was considered shameful and was thought to prevent the deceased from entering the sacred Valhalla. More recently, however, this issue was brought to light by Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a retired pathologist, who believed that "people have a right to avoid a lingering, miserable death by ending their own lives with help from a physician who can ensure that they die peacefully" ("Newsmakers ... in over 133 suicides, but in March of 1999, he was found guilty of second-degree murder for his participation in Youk's death. "Jack Kevorkian's actions and advocacy brought new urgenc...

• Word Count: 4057
• Approx Pages: 16
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... saving techniques, such as do not resuscitate directives, that had typically been used in the past to prolong patients' lives. On June 4th, 1990 Jack Kevorkian, who has famously become known as Dr. Death, chose to participate as the first physician to assist in a suicide. He truly believed that ... jail a year later for assisting and in result he had assisted in a total of 130 deaths over an 8-year period. In June 26, 1995, "Kevorkian opens a "suicide clinic" in an office in Springfield Township, Michigan. Erika Garcellano, a 60-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, woman with ALS, ... have...

• Word Count: 5515
• Approx Pages: 22
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate