Culture of Death icon to be released from prison June 1st

Lansing, Mich., May 29, 2007 / 07:49 am

Dr. Jack Kevorkian, an infamous foe of the pro-life movement, is scheduled to be released from prison on June 1st raising questions about his plans once he is back in public. The 79 year-old was sent to prison in 1999 after he was convicted of killing a patient on national television.

 

He was sentenced to serve 10 to 25 years for the second degree murder of Thomas Youk, a Michigan resident who suffered from Lou Gehrig’s disease.  However, according to the rules of his sentencing, Kevorkian is now eligible for parole and will be released June 1st.

 

According to LifeNews.com, Kevorkian plans a change of tactics in his promotion of assisted suicide. The former pathologist will take his cause to the speaking circuit to try and “legally” promote assisted suicide laws around the country.

 

In a telephone interview with Michigan TV station WJBK, Dr. Kevorkian said he would promote making the grisly practice legal in more states other than Oregon, the only one to allow it, but reconfirmed that he won't break any laws.

 

Mayer Morganroth, Kevorkian’s lawyer, is quoted as saying, “the man who once bought his clothes from thrift shops, drove old cars and lived in inexpensive apartments has several offers to speak about legalizing assisted suicide for between $50,000 and $100,000.”

 

Burke Balch, director of the Powell Center for Medical Ethics at the National Right to Life Committee, responded to Dr. Death’s plans saying, "The solution here is not to kill people who are getting inadequate pain management, but to remove barriers to adequate pain management."  

 

"We need to come up with better solutions to human suffering and human need," Balch said.

 

Catholic News Agency also sought comment from the Oregon Catholic Conference on Dr. Kevorkian’s release, but a reaction was not available by the time of publication. Oregon remains the only state in the U.S. with a law allowing assisted suicide at this time.