1997- In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court rules that the Constitution does not guarantee the right to commit suicide with the help of a physician. The decision upholds laws in New York and Washington state making it illegal for doctors to give lethal drugs to dying patients.
1998- In November, Michigan voters defeat a measure that would have made physician-assisted suicide legal.
Michigan Poll On Dr. Kevorkian and Euthanasia22
1. After watching that segment which showed Jack Kevorkian administering a lethal injection of drugs, do you think it was appropriate or not appropriate for “60 Minutes” to show that scene on television?
56%Appropriate
35% Not appropriate
10% Undecided/Don’t know/Refused
2. Did the experience of watching Dr. Jack Kevorkian cause a man’s death influence your opinion about assisted suicide, or would you say that your opinion about assisted suicide was not influenced at all by the “60 Minutes” program?
11%Influenced opinion about assisted suicide
84%DID NOT influence opinion about assisted suicide
5%Undecided/Don’t know
3. Did the experience of watching tonight’s “60 minute” segment on Jack Kevorkian influence you to be more supportive of assisted suicide or more opposed to assisted suicide?
6%Much more supportive of assisted suicide
31%Somewhat more supportive of assisted suicide
13%Somewhat more opposed to assisted suicide
38%Much more opposed to assisted suicide
12%Undecided/Don’t know
4. Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose laws that would allow physician assisted suicide for terminally ill people who are in a sound state of mind?
31%Strongly favor
14%Somewhat favor
10%Somewhat oppose
40%Strongly oppose
5%Undecided/Don’t know
5. Dr. Kevorkian has invited law enforcement authorities to arrest him and charge him with a crime for his actions in the death shown on television. What do you think? Should Dr. Jack Kevorkian be arrested and charged with a crime for his actions, or do you think authorities should do nothing?
50%Kevorkian should be arrested and charged
34%Authorities should do nothing
16%Undecided/Don’t know
6. If Dr. Kevorkian is arrested for his involvement in the death of the man shown on “60 Minutes,” for what crime do you think he should be charged–violating Michigan’s new law banning assisted suicide, for committing a more serious crime, such as murder, or for committing a different crime?
30%Violating law banning assisted suicide
45%More serious crime – such as murder
16%Something else
9%Undecided/Don’t know
7. If he was charged with violating Michigan’s new law banning physician assisted suicide instead of murder, based on what you saw on television tonight, would you find Dr. Jack Kevorkian guilty or not guilty of that crime?
62%Guilty of assisting a suicide
26%Not guilty of assisting a suicide
12%Undecided/Don’t know
8. Dr. Jack Kevorkian has publicly stated that he is trying to force the issue of assisted suicide and euthanasia by his actions, and, if necessary, he will starve himself in prison to become a martyr for his beliefs. Do you believe that Dr. Kevorkian is doing what must be done for the cause of assisted suicide, do you think he has gone too far and is hurting his cause, or, do you think he should do even more to force changes in assisted suicide laws?
28%Doing what must be done
55%Has gone too far and is hurting his cause
8%Should do even more to force changes
9%Undecided/Don’t know
9. In the recent November 3rd election, did you vote YES in favor of Proposal B, the assisted suicide proposal, did you vote NO to oppose it, did you vote in the election but skip that proposal, or were you unable to vote at all on November 3rd?
24%Yes
56%No
5%Did not vote on that proposal
11%Did not vote in the election
2%Can’t remember
2%Refused
1. Dority, Barbara. “The Ultimate Civil Liberty”. Humanist. July/August 1997. p. 17.
2. Emanuel, Ezekiel. “Who’s Right to Die?”. Atlantic Monthly. March 1997. p. 75.
3. Henry, Sarah. “The Battle over Assisted Suicide: A Time to Die”. California Lawyer. January 1996. p. 1.
4. Ubell, Earl. “Should Death Be a Patient’s Choice?”. Parade. February 9, 1992. p. 25.
5. Birenbaum, Arnold. “The Right to Die in America”. USA Today. January 1992 p. 28.
6. Hallock, Steve. “Physician-Assisted Suicide:”Slippery Slope” or Civil Right?” Humanist. July/August. 1996. p. 9.
7. Worshop, Richard L. “Assisted Suicide”. Congressional Quarterly Researcher. February 21, 1992. p. 153.
8. Martinez, Elizabeth. “Going Gentle into That Good Night: Is a Rightful Death a Feminist Ideal?” Ms. July/August. 1993. p. 67.
9. Dority, Barbara. p. 18.
10. Weinstein, Henry. “Assisted Deaths Ruled Legal: 9th Circuit Lifts Ban on Doctor- Aided Suicide”. Los Angeles Times. March 7, 1996. p. A1.
11. Hallock, Steve. p. 12-13.
12. Hallock, Steve. p. 13.
13. Beck, Joan. “Backing Away from a Very Slippery Slope”. Chicago Tribune. June 30, 1997. p. A1.
14. Johnson, Tim. “Legal Eythanasia Unsettles Colombia”. Miami Herald. June 30, 1997. p. 7A
15. Maier, Thomas. “Death By Choice”. Newsday. November 6, 1997. p. A5.
16. Emanuel, Ezekiel. p. 73.
17. Worsnop, Richard L. p. 59.
18. Worsnop, Richard L. p. 59.
19. Bai, Matt. “Death Wish”. Newsweek. December 7, 1998. p. 31.
20. Bai, Matt. p. 33.
21. Frehm, Ron. Newsweek. December 7, 1998. p. 32-33.
22. Detroit Free Press poll of 300 Michigan residents conducted November 22, 1998 by Epic/MRA, of Lansing.