Kevorkian Release Stirs Grief, Gratitude

Famous Pathologist To Be Freed From Prison This Week After Serving 8 Years For Second-Degree Murder

(AP)  Some relatives of people who died with Dr. Jack Kevorkian's help say his release from prison stirs up grief over the deaths of their loved ones. Others are grateful for the services the retired pathologist offered to family members.

Kevorkian, 79, was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of a man with Lou Gehrig's disease. He is scheduled to walk out of a southern Michigan prison Friday after serving just over eight years of a 10- to 25-year sentence. He got a year and nine months off his sentence for good behavior.

"It's like the wound that was starting to heal has been cut open again," said Tina Allerellie, whose sister turned to Kevorkian in August 1997 after suffering for years with multiple sclerosis.

"We all thought that, even if she did contact him, there was no way that he would do what he did," she said. "We were all very, very wrong."

Other family members whose loved ones died with Kevorkian's help insist he should be admired.

Terry Youk, for example, was grateful when Kevorkian helped his brother end his life in 1998 and never thought he deserved a prison sentence for administering the fatal drugs.

"It was a medical service that was requested and, from my point of view, compassionately provided by Jack," he said. "It should not be a crime."

Allerellie, who lives in Elora, Ontario, about 70 miles east of Toronto, became active in Canada's anti-euthanasia movement after the death of her sister, Karen Shoffstall, who lived in Long Beach, N.Y.

Shoffstall's ex-husband, Ed, said at the time of her death that she had lost feeling in her body below the waist and could not tolerate the steroids that might have provided some pain relief.

But Allerellie doubts that her 34-year-old sister really wanted to die.

"My mother and I spoke personally to the coroner who performed the autopsy on my sister, and he said that she could have lived, in his exact words, 'Another 20, 30, 40, even 50 years.' Her thing was depression. Her thing was fear of an uncertain future," Allerellie said.

Shoffstall talked about going to see Kevorkian so often that her friends began answering the phone, "Yeah, Jack Kevorkian here," she added.

But no one really thought Shoffstall would meet Kevorkian at a hotel in the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills, where her body was found with a typewritten note saying Kevorkian and an associate were involved.

The medical examiner said Shoffstall did not administer the drugs herself. She was one of at least 130 people Kevorkian said he helped die from 1990 to 1998. Many who sought his assistance were not terminally ill.

"His intent, I believe, has always been to gain notoriety," Allerellie added. "I'm sure if I was to say to him the name 'Karen Shoffstall,' he wouldn't have a clue who I'm talking about."

For Youk, his brother's death intensified his belief that more states need to have assisted-suicide laws. Oregon is the only state in the nation in which a terminally ill patient with six months or less to live can legally ask a doctor to prescribe a lethal amount of medication.

Since his brother's death, Youk, a filmmaker in Montpelier, Vt., has trained to be a hospice volunteer and made several films about end-of-life care, including one used to train hospice workers.

By the time Thomas Youk met with Kevorkian, he was nearly immobilized by Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS. He could move only the thumb and forefinger on his right hand and often choked on his own saliva.

"He was kind of in the midst of a lot of fear, and feeling like he had lost a lot of meaning and dignity in his life," Youk said of his 52-year-old brother, who lived in Oakland County near Detroit. "He was difficult to understand, but ALS doesn't affect your cognitive abilities. He was very clear about what he wanted to do."

Kevorkian met with Terry and Thomas Youk and with Thomas' wife. He looked over Youk's medical records and tried to talk Youk out of going ahead. Everyone agreed to put off any decision for a couple more weeks.

But within days, Thomas Youk again awakened in the middle of the night choking on his own saliva and unable to breathe.

"He very clearly said he wanted to move the process along," said Terry Youk, who again contacted Kevorkian.

Thomas Youk could not administer the shots he needed to die, so Kevorkian gave him the injections and videotaped the entire process.

Kevorkian then gave the tape to CBS' "60 Minutes" and challenged authorities to prosecute him. Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca had declined to go after Kevorkian for a series of earlier assisted suicides, but he could not let this one pass.

"He got out on national spotlight and videotaped for the world to see an act that didn't involve assisted suicide but euthanasia," Gorcyca said. "He didn't think any jury would convict him of any crime."

[kansas1946]

I have always viewed Jack Kevorkian as a hero, and admired him for bringing to the forefront the deplorable manner in which America treats the dying and terminally ill. The manner in which we choose to die should be between us and our doctor, not the state, or the federal governement. He really never should have spent a day in jail.

[connapa]

Dr. kevorkian did out in the open what is usually done in private between a doctor and patient- thus thrusting the issue into the spotlight. It has been kept in the private realm because anyone who openly admits to it, like Kevorkian, is instantly considered a criminal. If it were not for his taping of that one death, he would have been out helping many more paople to more dignified deaths over the past 8 years. Unfortunately, over the past 8 years, the issue has been on the backburner because of his incarceration. NOW, it is time to start truly discussing the issue- openly and honestly.

[randalds]

Kevorkian's biggest problem is that he is a man ahead of his time. Ending your life must be the single most personal thing a person can decide on and it has never been any governments business to stick their noses in on it. I strongly support the right to die and have no doubt that unless I die suddenly (car accident, heart attack, etc) I'll almost certainly die by my own hand. To me that's the ultimate human right.

[susanhelit]

I am so happy he is freed - it is a horrible injustice, all around - for him to be in jail, for there to be no way to help the terminally ill in pain other than starvation (and once a tube is in, not necessarily even that).

As always, this should be your life, your choice. And if you need help to end it when it is nearly over, and medicine is prolonging suffering rather than prolonging life - I think it's a wonderful thing if someone out there, who knows how to do it, can help you.

It's not as easy as you think to commit suicide - just ask someone who has tried it. I know two of them (neither me). Both failed. One with no ill effects, one with some pretty lousy damage. You really do need a doctor to do it right.




Right now, my grandmother is in a bad state, and her children are having to make some tough decisions. Allow treatment in hopes that she makes a full recovery, which would allow a good quality of life, or remove treatment out of fear of the bad outcome (quite likely), which would put her into a living death she doesn't want. If it were legal to have assisted suicide, they could easily choose to help her, but since it's not an option, they're having to weigh torturing their mother for an unknown number of years versus a low chance of her having a few more years of a good life. With assisted suicide, they wouldn't have to make this difficult choice. Assisted suicide lengthens a lot of lives, because the patient knows they can call it quits if they have to.

[mufuart]

This release is wonderful news. He should never have been prosecuted at all; it should be legal to help people who want to "check out" of life for whatever reason; there are WAY too many people on earth already.

[likeitis5050]

He went to prison for openly assisting in the deaths of those who wanted to die, yet insurance companies deny treatment for people desperate to live...and unless a great deal of publicity results...they die. But that appears to be legal.

[johnshaft4]

Perhaps, Dr. Jack can find work performing competent State executions instead of these botched jobs we read about.

[tnichlsn]

This is one more instance of the 'right to life' a**holes forcing their doctrine on the rest of US.

[gramto7]

I fully agree with the posts that are on here, but I am so surprised that there are not any from the 'other' side! I agree that euthansia should be available to humans just as it is for our pets. In fact, it is criminal to let a pet suffer the same disease/injury processes that it is illegal to help a human get out of. I cannot see the sense of it. Also, I agree with the prior blogger re: insurance companies and their rights to refuse service for illnesses or injuries. Just doesn't compute!!

[creeper00]

Welcome back, Jack. Thank you.

[mikealford3]

Perhaps, Dr. Jack can find work performing competent State executions instead of these botched jobs we read about.
Posted by JohnShaft4 at 12:16 AM : Jun 01, 2007

I AGREE, It would certainly speed up things here in N.C. where a Dr. is required for an execution but the medical board will sanction any Dr. that participates.

Why not let Kervorkian travel state to state administering the death pealty?

[rushman71]

I believe that it is wrong to allow people to suffer in pain and agony until they do die. By their own right, if they wish to be put out of their misery, give them dignity, respect, and compassion, and relieve them of their pain that they have to live with. I'm sure that they all lived wonderful lives, but towards the end, their suffering is filled with humility.
Dr. Jack Kevorkian did this out of the kindness of his heart, not out of the mind of a serial killer. Unfortunately, that was what he was labled.

[smb221]

I believe that if people want it done, then they should let them... like abortion.

[kpokey]

I am very sorry that he went to prison and glad he finally got out. He was helping people by ending the pain and suffering they were going through.
It's a deeply personal decision and should be a decision the patient makes, not "society."

[pudd54]

Her went to prison for helping an ALS, which is just wrong. However, he also helped a fat nurse who's worse diagnosis was fibromyalgia kill herself, which I disagree with. We can't just kill everyone who wants to die or most of us would not make it to 20.

How will we monitor it and what will be the appeal process?

[turtled28]

I don't think it needs to be monitored. As many have said here, that is a private decision. That is what we mortals call "free-will". I was still a young'in when Dr jack was sentanced yet I still felt it was wrong. He has provided a compassionate ear to those who had very little left to them. He helped people make one of, if not THE most important decisions of their life. Anyone who has had a pet knows it is Inhumane to keep them alive when they are in pain. They trust you to give them the best life possible, and though it may be painful for us, we know it is truly what is best for them. We should do the same for any family member or friend who is in a position where they are in pain and come to us seeking a way to regain their dignity and some sense of control over their life. People have an advantage: in most cases, the injured person can SPEAK and seek this out for themselves. Having a pet is more tricky-you have to make a decision, never being able to know if it is truly the right one.

[thgdriver]

The man unfortunately is ahead of his time. The time will come when this is perfectly legal.

We had an elderly couple in town who were very sick, they were in their 80's as I understand, anyhow, they went to a lovers lane that overlooks the city and after he shot her with a shotgun he turned it on himself. Thjey left a note telling of their suffering and decided on this suicide pact.

Now, I ask whats better, the help that Jack offered or the alternative true story above?

[turtled28]

For those patients who had lost the ability to speak, it becomes more squishy for those of us outside to pass judgement. So why try? We all sit here and try to tell one another what is right and wrong, when no one is in the position to do so. I just wish there were more doctors with the desire to truly help people, even if it puts them in a difficult position. None of the people who asked for relief wanted Dr. Jack to suffer for it. The families who say it is "reopening a wound" need to put on the deceased's shoes and see what their life would have been like for the past 8 years.