“Unbearable suffering” questioned in documentary on Belgian euthanasia,

This article was published on September 21, by Careful a blog about end-of-life issues.

By Michael Cook

This documentary from the Australian SBS network is one of the best on Belgian euthanasia that I have seen. Although short on statistics and background, it gives an insight into its disturbing ethical dilemmas. Journalist Brett Mason interviews two patients about their request for euthanasia and asks a number of doctors and public figures whether the increasing number of cases for unbearable suffering can be justified.

Peter Ketelslegers is a 33-year-old father of two who suffers from cluster headaches. This condition – according to Belgian doctors – is untreatable. The pain is so intense that he can no longer work. He feels that he should die so that he won’t be a burden to his boys and his wife.

Simona de Moor is 85, physically fit and mentally sharp. But five minutes after her beloved daughter died, she decided on euthanasia. Mason films her “mundane and unremarkable” last moments as she drinks a lethal potion brought by her doctor, Marc Van Hoey. A dark family problem overshadows her life; she has another daughter from whom she has been estranged for decades and whom she will not inform about her death.

Dr Van Hoey is an old hand at euthanasia. How many has he killed, Mason asks. “To be frank, I don’t know, maybe hundreds, or over a hundred,” he replies. “A lot of elderly people are not really suffering in the narrow meaning of the word, but one plus one plus one plus one makes a whole,” he says. “That in addition to their age gives them no future, there is nothing left any more, and so quite often they say, I’ve had it with my life.”

The documentary touches upon some of the major questions including whether unbearable suffering should qualify people for euthanasia, whether doctors who perform euthanasia should also regulate it; and why no one has ever been investigated for abusing the legislation.

If the content in this article is causing you to have suicidal thoughts contact Your Life Counts.

Well worth watching.

• Study: 100 requests for euthanasia for psychiatric reasons in Belgium.
• A letter of hope to Laura.
• Belgian euthanasia: Treatment for depression.
• More than 1000 deaths were hastened without request in Belgium.
• A plea from a son of a woman who died by euthanasia in Belgium.

Montana death: Murder or Assisted suicide.

Alex Schadenberg

By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Independent Record in Helena Montana reported today on a case of a woman who killed a man, by strangulation, because he had asked to die.

The woman accused of killing a man in Billings on Tuesday night says she strangled the man because he told her he wanted to die and she had wanted to try killing someone with her "bare hands."

Penelope Strong, Haugen's defense attorney was reported to state:

"We're likely looking at an assisted suicide defense for Ms. Haugen,"

Lindsay Haugan

The Independent Record reported:

(Lindsay) Haugen ... and (Robert) Mast had been dating since August, and they were traveling from Olympia, Washington, to North Dakota, but had stopped at a Billings Wal-Mart to eat some pizza and drink some wine. 

The pair were sitting in the parking lot in Haugen's car when Mast told her he wanted to die. 

Haugen said if he was serious, she could make it happen. Mast told Haugen he was serious. 

Haugen climbed into the back of the car and put her arm around Mast's neck as he sat in the passenger seat. She described in detail the process of Mast's death to officers and said at one point he began to foam at the mouth. According to charging documents, she said she held his mouth and nose shut for at least 20 minutes.

If the content in this article is causing you to have suicidal thoughts contact Your Life Counts.

I am interested in this story because Mast's lawyer says that she will use assisted suicide as a defense for murder. Assisted suicide is not legal in Montana, but the Montana Supreme Court, in its Baxter decision, gave physicians a defense of consent. When assisted suicide is legalized, defense lawyer's can defend a murder charge by arguing it was an assisted suicide.

I will continue to follow this case.

Kansas murder trial, defense claims it was assisted suicide (Day 4).

Alex Schadenberg

By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

This week I wrote about the first day of the Heskett murder trial and the second day and yesterday I wrote about the third day of the trial in Eudora Kansas. The trial will continue on Monday.

The trial concerns the death of Vance Moulton (65), who was living with cerebral palsy. Moulton was allegedly murdered by Ronald Eugene Heskett (49), who was his care-giver. Heskett has been charged with first-degree murder, but he claims that the death was an assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is when someone assists the suicide death that is carried our by the person who died. It can be done in many ways. Euthanasia is a form of homicide (murder) that is done when one person directly and intentionally causes the death of another person.

Ronald Eugene Heskett

The fourth day of the trial focused on the discussion between Heskett and fellow care-giver Scott Criqui. The Lawrence Journal-World news reported that:

Heskett called Criqui a short time later to report that he’d found Moulton in his apartment with a towel around his neck, dead of an apparent suicide by asphyxiation.  

... During Heskett’s short visit at Trinity, Heskett told Criqui that Moulton was suicidal, Criqui said. 

“(Heskett) brought up in a humorous fashion that Van wanted Ron to shoot him,” Criqui testified. 

Criqui said that he had never before heard of Moulton having suicidal tendencies, and if he had, appropriate action would be taken to have Moulton assessed for mental health issues. In a recorded police interview shown to jurors earlier this week, Heskett was seen telling investigators that he had told Criqui prior to Sept. 12, 2014, of Moulton’s suicidal comments. 

Criqui said he grew concerned hearing the light-hearted mention of Moulton’s suicidal comments,

The Lawrence Journal-world news continue by reporting on the prosecutions claim that Heskett killed Moulton based on financial gain. The article states:

In the police video shown Thursday, Heskett told police that the $13,000 was once kept in Moulton’s safety deposit box at Bank of America, but was later moved to a dresser drawer in Moulton’s apartment. 

On Friday, Detective Lance Flachsbarth testified that after Heskett mentioned the dresser drawer, Flachsbarth searched the entire apartment but did not find the cash. 

Tonganoxie carpenter Brian Johnson also testified Friday, saying that he had sold Heskett a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle worth $4,900 in late May 2014. Heskett paid cash for the car, Johnson said. 

It was later discovered Heskett “fudged” the purchase price on the car title Johnson gave him. Heskett allegedly put down the price as less than $2,000 — the same amount Heskett told investigators in the video Thursday that he paid for the car. 

Jeff Wolff of Wolff Diagnostic & Automotive in Eudora testified after Johnson, saying that Heskett paid him about $1,884 for work on the Chevelle in June. But this wasn’t necessarily out of the ordinary, as Wolff also said that Heskett had paid nearly $600 in cash in January for work on two pick-up trucks. 

Retired FBI agent and forensic accountant Randall Wolverton testified that Heskett’s bank account records indicate that Heskett maintained a relatively low balance in his checking account for much of its use from June 2013 through September 2014, even being overdrawn by $1 to $5 on several occasions. 

But there was one inconsistency that prosecutors highlighted. Wolverton told jurors that there was an out-of-the-ordinary deposit of $2,000 in June 2014. 

Defense attorney Mike Warner noted, however, that Wolverton could not know the origin of that $2,000, nor did Wolverton know if Heskett was “squirreling away” cash at his home to make the deposit.

If the content in this article is causing you to have suicidal thoughts contact Your Life Counts.

I am interested in this story because Heskett says that the death was an assisted suicide. I am not stating that this didn't occur, but it is possible to cause death and claim assisted suicide as a defense. Further coverage of the case tomorrow.

Kansas murder trial, defense claims it was assisted suicide (Day 3).

Alex Schadenberg

By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Two days ago I wrote about the first day of the Heskett murder trial and yesterday I wrote about the second day of the trial in Eudora Kansas. The trial continues today.

The case concerns the death of Vance Moulton (65), who was living with cerebral palsy. Moulton was allegedly murdered by Ronald Eugene Heskett (49), who was his care-giver. Heskett has been charged with first-degree murder, but he claims that the death was an assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is when someone assists the suicide death that is carried our by the person who died. It can be done in many ways. Euthanasia is a form of homicide (murder) that is done when one person directly and intentionally causes the death of another person.

Ronald Heskett

The third day of the murder trial focused on the second interview with the police where Heskett confessed to assisting the suicide of Moulton. The Lawrence Journal-World reported:

In Thursday’s video, which was recorded during a second police interview on Sept. 22, 2014, Lawrence Police Department detectives Mike Verbanic and Sam Harvey challenged Heskett’s original story. 

“We talked to the coroner. They had some doubts,” one of the detectives said. “This is not a typical case of suicide.” 

After the detectives mentioned the “doubts,” Heskett grew uncharacteristically quiet in the video. 

... But after some time, Heskett eventually incriminates himself, first by saying he rolled up the towel for Moulton because Moulton couldn’t do it himself. Heskett alleged this happened after Moulton asked Heskett to shoot him or smother him with a pillow that morning. 

“I told him I’d roll up the towel and I’d just leave it there, but I wasn’t going to do it,” Heskett told detectives. “He told me to leave and go do some errands. I didn’t think that he’d do it.” 

Later, more of the story came out. After further questioning, Heskett told detectives that Moulton told him that if Heskett was really his friend, Heskett would kill him. 

“(Moulton) said he just wanted to see his mom and be able to walk again,” Heskett said. “He said he wanted to show her what it was like not being crippled.” 

Then, Heskett told detectives he notice a towel on Moulton’s pillow, “flipped it around,” then wrapped it around Moulton’s neck and twisted it tight, giving the ends to Moulton to hold. 

“Van had trouble holding it,” Heskett said. “He told me he kept losing his grip. He wanted me to tie it tighter for him. I twisted it tighter.” 

Heskett said that he kept twisting until he said Moulton’s ears turned purple, then tucked the ends underneath Moulton’s head for Moulton to lie on. Heskett said that it “seemed like forever” before Moulton died, his body “twitching” as his life slipped away. 

Heskett said he then checked Moulton’s wrist for a pulse, found none, and sat in silence for a while in Moulton’s room before reporting the incident to his boss. 

In the video, detectives were seen leaving Heskett in the interview room alone for approximately 15 minutes. During that time, Heskett pulled a pocket knife from his jeans pocket and began slicing and poking his left wrist with the blade. Watching the ordeal, several jurors winced. 

When detectives returned to the room, they immediately disarmed Heskett and called for medics. Heskett had one slice to arm treated, but it was not actively bleeding and detectives described it as “superficial.” 

Heskett is heard in the video telling detectives that he cut himself because he felt “so guilty.” 

But later in the interview, when detectives asked if he was sorry for helping Moulton die, Heskett said, “I regret helping him, but I’m glad he’s not hurting.” 

Harvey said, though, that investigators discovered that about $13,000 was missing from Moulton’s possession after he died. Harvey said he suspected the money may have had something to do with Moulton’s death. 

After Heskett’s confession and suicide attempt, detectives asked Heskett about the money and some of Heskett’s finances. Moulton’s money had come from two government checks cashed in April and May of 2014, and had at one point been in Moulton’s safety deposit box. 

Heskett told investigators that Moulton had withdrawn the money and placed it in a dresser drawer in his apartment because he planned to buy a wheelchair-accessible van. But Harvey said the $13,000 in cash was never found, even after investigators searched the dresser drawer. 

Heskett had some unusual activity in his bank account in June of 2014, when Harvey said a deposit of about $2,000 was made. Harvey said Heskett also purchased a Chevrolet Chevelle around that time, which stood out because Heskett’s family had limited funds.

If the content in this article is causing you to have suicidal thoughts contact Your Life Counts.

I am interested in this story because Heskett says that the death was an assisted suicide. I am not stating that this didn't occured, but it is possible to cause death and claim assisted suicide as a defense. Further coverage of the case tomorrow.

Kansas murder trial, defense claims it was assisted suicide (Day 2).

Alex Schadenberg

By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Yesterday I wrote about the first day of the Ronald Heskett trial in Eudora Kansas.

The case concerns the death of Vance Moulton (65), who was living with cerebral palsy. Moulton was allegedly murdered by Heskett, who was a care-giver. Heskett has been charged with first-degree murder, but he claims that the death was an assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is when someone assists the suicide death that is carried our by the person who died. It can be done in many ways. Euthanasia is a form of homicide (murder) that is done when one person directly and intentionally causes the death of another person.

According to the Lawrence Journal World news, day 2 of the trial focused on the defense, who claim that Heskett did not murder Moulton by asphyxiation. According to the news report:

Heskett said he called his boss to report Moulton had killed himself while Heskett was out running errands for him. Heskett told police that he arrived ... around 10 a.m. Sept. 12, 2014, and found Moulton dead of apparent asphyxiation.

... Heskett told investigators of his daily routine with Moulton. At least four times a week, Heskett said he would tend to Moulton, cooking, dressing and bathing him. Each morning, Heskett said they’d watch the Top 40 Country Countdown together on TV and talk sports. Heskett said Moulton, a St. Louis Cardinals fan, would often kid Heskett about his baseball team, the Kansas City Royals. 

“We were pretty close,” Heskett said. “To me, he was like an older brother or an uncle or something.” 

But about six months prior to Moulton’s death, Heskett claimed, Moulton grew increasingly pessimistic, allegedly asking Heskett daily to “shoot him.” 

... “Every day he was upset about life.” 

Heskett claimed Moulton was especially irritated with his living arrangements ... that Moulton was angry with his landlord because Moulton felt the landlord caused a prior health care attendant to be fired. 

Moulton also was allegedly torn by the thoughts of his medical condition. 

Heskett said that he tried to console Moulton. He said he relayed to Moulton his own prior suicide attempt. ... he told Moulton “things got better” after he survived an attempt ... in the late 1980s. 

Heskett also claimed that he tried to get Moulton to see a counselor, but Moulton wouldn’t have it. 

...  Moulton allegedly asked Heskett to have his son shoot him, but Heskett told him, “You’re not sending my son to prison.”

Ronald Heskett

Heskett claims that the death was a suicide.

“(Moulton) can pull himself around on that bed,” Heskett said. “His cerebral palsy affected his legs … his right arm and hand was just a good as yours or mine.”

But Erik Mitchell, the county coroner, claims that due to his medical condition it was not possible for Moulton to kill himself in this manner:

“It would not be possible (for Moulton) to ... cause suffocation, Mitchell said.

“At the time of death, the right arm is immobile by gravity,” Mitchell said. “He is unable to accomplish strangulation due to his physical deformities.” 

If the content in this article is causing you to have suicidal thoughts contact Your Life Counts.

I am interested in this story because Heskett says that the death was an assisted suicide. I am not stating that this didn't occur, but it is possible to cause death and claim assisted suicide as a defense. Further coverage of the case tomorrow.

Governor Jerry Brown - Veto assisted suicide bill ABX2-15

Direct Contact with Governor's office:

1. Click HERE for the link to Governor Brown's constituent comment page

2. Click the "Have Comment" circle

3. Type your First Name, Last Name, and Email address

4. Under "Choose Your Subject" scroll down to bottom and select: X2 AB00015 

5. Check the "Reply" box

6. Click continue

7. Click the "Con" circle

8. Type in a brief comment 

9. Click "Send Email"

Phone:  916 445 2841, Fax:  916 558-3160, Twitter: @JerryBrownGov

If you phone, be sure that you keep calling to get through. Be polite!  

Dear Governor Brown:

I am asking you to protect Californians. I am asking you to veto the assisted suicide bill ABX2-15. 

Send this online message urging Governor Jerry Brown to Veto assisted suicide bill ABX2-15 petition.

This assisted suicide bill has been sold to legislators as a means of providing greater choice and control over one's death. This is not true. As the national disability rights leader, Diane Coleman stated:

Who actually has choice and control under assisted suicide laws? Anyone could ask their doctor for assisted suicide, but the law gives the authority to doctors to determine who is eligible. Doctors make the determination that a person is terminally ill and likely to die in six months, and that the request for assisted suicide is voluntary and informed. The advertised “safeguards” in assisted suicide bills are entirely in the hands of doctors, from the diagnosis, prognosis, disclosures, request form, decision whether to refer for psychological assessment, prescription and report after death.

Abuse of the law likely, especially with the imprecise language in the bill. Abuse of assisted suicide laws results in death. 

Marilyn Golden, Senior Policy Analyst for the California based Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, stated in an article published in the Los Angeles Times concerning the earlier version of the bill:

“If this bill passes, some people’s lives will be ended without their consent, through mistakes and abuse. No safeguards have ever been enacted or proposed that can prevent this outcome, which can never be undone.”

Please protect Californians. Veto assisted suicide bill ABX2-15.

Send this online message urging Governor Jerry Brown to Veto assisted suicide bill ABX2-15.

The Governor's twitter handle: @JerryBrownGov
The Governor's phone number: 916 445-2841, Fax (916) 558-3160

Euthanasia Symposium 2015

The Euthanasia Symposium 2015 is in Montreal at the Best Western - Ville Marie Hotel and Suites on October 31, 2015 from 9 am to 5 pm.

Book your room at the hotel for $119 single or $149 double by calling: 1-800-361-7791.

The Euthanasia Symposium 2015 is an event of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, the Physicians Alliance Against Euthanasia and the Living with Dignity.

Registration is only $50 and includes lunch and coffee breaks.

Margaret Somerville

Speakers include:

• Dr Margaret Somerville: She will be speaking from her new book: Bird on an ethical wire.
• Dr Margaret Cottle: Palliative care physician and Vice President of EPC.
• Dr Will Johnston: Family Physician, Chair of EPC - BC.
• Dr Patrick Vinay: Former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal.
• Dr Catherine Ferrier: Geriatrician, President - Physicians Alliance Against Euthanasia.
• Amy Hasbrouck: Lawyer and Director of Toujours Vivant - Not Dead Yet Canada.
• Nic Steenhout: Former Director of Living with Dignity Québec.
• Albertos Polizogopoulos: Lawyer, who will be speaking on Physicians Conscience Rights.
• Alex Schadenberg: Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
• Hugh Scher: Legal Counsel - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
• Jen Romnes: Will be sharing her story (book) about caring for her mother.

Register by contacting the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition at: 1-877-439-3348 or info@epcc.ca

Quebec trying to force physician participation in euthanasia

Urgent: we must support our palliative care colleagues

Last week, Dr. Barrette raised the spectre of suspension for physician members of (palliative care) services not wishing to offer euthanasia in hospital. Mr. Ménard, architect of Bill 52, even presses the government to cut subsidies to all palliative care centres in Quebec because they have all decided not to offer euthanasia within their walls, a decision clearly permitted by Bill 52!

Who will bear the brunt of such abuses of power? Terminally ill patients, of course, whose doctor will be suspended or whose palliative care centre will have decreased its services for lack of money. A big mess in perspective.

The population must be aware that these ideologues are about to severely damage, if not ruin, our palliative care network.

We ask all our members to come to the defense of palliative care providers who are currently the target of a true campaign of intimidation that will only increase in the coming months if we do not speak out.

Write massively to the opinion pages of Quebec newspapers and to medical magazines: you will find a list of email addresses to forums and other opinion pages at the bottom of this email.

Speak to politicians and health care administrators in your area.

Show your support for palliative care centres and for your colleagues who give themselves everyday to our weakest and most vulnerable citizens.

Take part in the efforts of the Physicians’ Alliance against Euthanasia to affirm your support for palliative care physicians and end of life patients. This essential and sorely needed service must not disappear.

Catherine Ferrier, MD
President, Physicians’ Alliance against Euthanasia

Political leaders/MNA:

• Dr Gaétan Barette : ministre@msss.gouv.qc.ca
• Ms Véronique Hivon : ministre@msss.gouv.qc.ca
• Mr. François Legault : flegault-asso@assnat.qc.ca
• Mr. Pierre-Karl Péladeau : Pierre-Karl.Peladeau.STJE@assnat.qc.ca

Newspapers / opinions / forums :

• letters@montrealgazette.com
• commentaires@lapresse.ca ; forum@lapresse.ca ; debats@lapresse.ca
• nouvelles@ledroit.com
• opinion@lesoleil.com
• jdm.transmission@quebecormedia.com
• lettres@ledevoir.com
• redaction@latribune.qc.ca
• redaction@lavoixdelest.qc.ca

Physician Alliance Against Euthanasia
1650 avenue Cedar, bureau D17-173 Montréal, QC H3G 1A4 Canada

info@collectifmedecins.org

Kansas murder trial, defense claims it was assisted suicide (Day 1).

Alex Schadenberg

By Alex Schadenberg

Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The murder trial of Ronald Eugene Heskett (49), in Eudora Kansas began yesterday.

The case concerns the death of Vance Moulton (65), who was living with cerebral palsy. Heskett, who was a care-giver for Moulton, has been charged with first-degree murder. Heskett claims that the death was an assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is when someone assists the suicide death that is carried our by the person who died. It can be done in many ways. Euthanasia is a form of homicide (murder) that is done when one person directly and intentionally causes the death of another person.

According to the Lawrence Journal-World:

Prosecutor Eve Kemple stated that Heskett suffocated Moulton for financial gain. 

Moulton, of Lawrence, had cerebral palsy, which restricted his mobility, Douglas County Coroner Erik Mitchell testified Tuesday. Mitchell said he ruled Moulton’s death a homicide by asphyxiation. 

... Moulton was seen hours after he was pronounced dead the morning of Sept. 12, 2014, lying on his right side with a purple towel ... around his neck, the ends extending behind him. 

... Mitchell said he also found petechiae, or dot-like hemorrhages in Moulton’s face and eyelids, plus a rug burn-type scrape beneath his chin. Mitchell said the petechiae and abrasion were consistent with being suffocated ... 

Mitchell said that because of Moulton’s limited mobility — he had control of just his right arm — it would not be possible for Moulton ... to asphyxiate himself.

Ronald Heskett

Lawrence police officer, Dan Ashley, who did the investigation, also took the stand. Ashley stated that Heskett claimed that Moulton had a history of depression, but Kemple stated that evidence would show that Moulton was not taking anti-depressants. The article stated:

Ashley said that while they weren’t talking, Heskett would say things apparently to himself such as, “Why did you do this now? We almost had you out of this place.”

one thing that distressed Moulton in the months prior to his death was that Moulton despised his landlord and wanted to move from his apartment complex. Kemple indicated that Moulton was getting close to being able to move.

If the content in this article is causing you to have suicidal thoughts contact Your Life Counts.

I am interested in this story because Heskett claims that the death was an assisted suicide. I am not stating that this has occured, but it is possible to cause death and claim assisted suicide as a defense. Further coverage of the case tomorrow.

John Kelly to California Governor Brown - Veto the assisted suicide bill.

John Kelly

This message was originally published by Not Dead Yet.

Veto! Veto! Veto!

By now, most of you know that assisted suicide proponents ramrodded a bill through the California special session convened to work on the state’s Medicaid budget, after the bill was killed in the regular session. Too many legislators chose to ignore the documented record of abuses under the virtually identical Oregon and Washington laws. 

 John Kelly has put together the information on what you can do to stop this dangerous bill before it’s too late. And if you’re in need of inspiration and hope, look at what the disability community did to help defeat assisted suicide by a vote of 330 to 118 in the UK, in A Matter of Life and Death.

It’s time for Gov. Jerry Brown of California to veto assisted suicide bill AB2x 15, which passed the State Senate Friday, September 11. 

Governor Brown must veto a bill that tells old, ill, and disabled people that suicide is good for us. He must stop a bill that plays on our huge social inequalities to fully fund the only medical “choice” less well-to-do people and people of color never asked for. Suicide for certain people must never be declared a social benefit!

Now we have the chance to win an historic victory for social justice and disability rights.

So Many Ways We Can Help Stop Assisted Suicide

1. Get out the Word. Talk to, write to, message, Facebook every like-minded person you know, ESPECIALLY CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, and ask them to do likewise.

2. Telephone Governor Jerry Brown’s office at 916-445-2841.

Say something short like “For old, ill, and disabled people, please veto the assisted suicide bill.” Or say “For misdiagnosed people.” Or people without insurance. Suicidal people. Young bullied people. People of color. People abused by family and caregivers. Intellectually disabled people. Autistic people. Native people. Immigrants. Newly injured people.

3. Email Governor Jerry Brown in Easy-to-Follow Steps

Go online to the contact form.

At “Purpose of communication,” click “Need Help.”

At “PLEASE CHOOSE YOUR SUBJECT” click on “Legislation Issues/Concerns.”

Click on the box for wanting a reply to your email.

Ask Governor Brown to VETO the assisted suicide bill AB2x 15 .

A few lines are plenty! Plenty of material at Second Thoughts homepage.. If you are out of state, You can say this bill threatens everyone in the country. Look at Diane Coleman’s letter to the California assembly. And John Kelly’s letter is here.

or Send this online message urging Governor Jerry Brown to Veto assisted suicide bill ABX2-15 petition.

4. Tweet Governor Brown at .@JerryBrownGOV (Remember to put the “DOT first!)

There are plenty of sample tweets at: @AssistedSuicide @BlanketImmunity @NotDeadYetUSA @JohnBrianKelly @2ndThoughtsCT @DREDF @NoSuicideCA @autselfadvocacy @NCILAdvocacy and so many great advocates!

5. Write a Letter or Send a Fax

Governor Jerry Brown
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax: (916) 558-3160

Remember, every message to Governor Brown will be crucial to our victory. Do what is most comfortable!

Canadian Psychiatrists are concerned that they will be required to kill their patients.

B

Alex Schadenberg

y Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Psychiatrists who have worked all of their lives to prevent the suicide of psychiatric patients who are depressed and suicidal are now concerned that the Supreme Court of Canada assisted suicide decision may put them into a place where they are expected to kill their patients.

I have written in the past about the imprecise and dangerous language in the Supreme Court of Canada assisted suicide decision. An article, written by Sharon Kirkey, and published in the National Post outlines the concerns of Canadian Psychiatrists in relation to that decision.

According to the National Post article, Dr Padriac Carr, who is the president of the Canadian Psychiatric Association and professor of psychiatry at the University of Alberta, said that:

“I have been approached by many psychiatrists who have serious concerns about physician assisted death being applied to mental illnesses,” 

Dr Padriac Carr

Dr Carr outlines his concerns with the imprecise language in the Supreme Court decision.

“Legal definitions are extremely important here,” he said. “Remediable” could be defined as treatable, or curable. In psychiatry, he said, “complete cures are quite rare.” Most treatments are directed at relieving symptoms. 

“If ‘remediable’ implies a cure, then almost all psychiatric illnesses could be considered ‘irremediable,’” he said. 

If, on the other hand, “remediable” is defined as treatable, most psychiatric illnesses wouldn’t meet the standard, “because there are almost always treatment options we can try,” Carr said. 

“Intolerable” and “enduring” suffering are also problematic, he said. Symptoms of psychiatric illness can wax and wane over time, Carr said. “For weeks or months, a patient could be suicidal, and yet that situation could change.”

Whether or not psychiatric conditions will be approved for death by euthanasia or assisted suicide in Canada, Dr Carr made it clear that: 

"some psychiatrists want no role whatsoever in assisted suicide or euthanasia."

Dr Romayne Gallagher

At the same time, many physicians want a psychiatric assessment done when a person who asks for euthanasia or assisted suicide. Dr Romayne Gallagher, a leading palliative care physician explained.

“After working in end-of-life care a long time, you realize that people have ups and downs in their mood, in their feelings, in how they see their future,” said Dr. Romayne Gallagher ...

Gallagher explained:

“We often miss things like depression and delirium and even coercion,” she said. 

“If someone comes to emergency and says, ‘I want to kill myself,’ they’re seen by the psychiatrist, and the psychiatrist will always get collateral information from their families in trying to understand what’s going on,” Gallagher added. 

“I think we need to use some of the same approaches” with requests for doctor-hastened deaths, she said.

The National Post article quotes an anonymous psychiatrist who commented at the recent Canadian Medical Association annual general meeting, who stated:

The Supreme Court ruling, she said, “will, from time to time, put psychiatrists in the untenable position of being suicide enablers,” she said, “at the same time mental health acts require us to protect our patients.”

The Supreme Court of Canada assisted suicide ruling was irresponsible and dangerous. The Federal government must invoke the nothwithstanding clause and then bring forth a law with clear and unambigous language that is designed to protect Canadians from euthanasia and assisted suicide and also protecting the conscience rights of physicians.

• Supreme Court of Canada assisted suicide decision is irresponsible and dangerous.
• Supreme Court allows assisted death for depressed patients.
• Opposing the Supreme Court of Canada assisted suicide decision.

Proponents of assisted suicide have lost in Great Britain

Alex Schadenberg

Originally published by on September 14 by OneNewsNow.

The vote was 330-118 against the bill to permit doctors to help some dying patients terminate their lives. Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition tells OneNewsNow that the negative outcome represents an absolute majority of Members of Parliament – and he credits that outcome to two groups: Not Dead Yet, a UK-based disability rights group, and the Care Not Killing Alliance.

"They worked together to effectively accomplish this – and they did so by working with average people," he explains. "There wasn't big money involved in this. They worked with average people to defeat this very dangerous bill."

Liz Carr

Despite the bill's defeat in Parliament, Schadenberg believes supporters could still try to legalize it through the courts, as was the case in Canada.

"They've already tried the way of going to the courts," he shares, "but they might try again with another way of going. So basically speaking, the other side is absolutely committed to being involved with causing people's deaths." 

"I call them the suicide lobby or the euthanasia lobby because they're not about providing choices," he adds. "They're about giving doctors the right in law to cause your death."

According to Schadenberg, proponents of euthanasia were backed by many big names, including stars from the entertainment industry. Opponents of assisted suicide were led by one: Liz Carr, a well-known disabled British actress and comedian.

British Parliament overwhelmingly defeats assisted suicide bill (330 - 118).

Alex Schadenberg

By Alex Schadenberg
International Chair - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Incredible news. The Marris assisted suicide bill in Britain was defeated today by an overwhelming vote of 330 to 118.

This victory is due to the incredible work of the disability rights group, Not Dead Yet UK, and the co-ordinating efforts of the Care Not Killing Alliance.

Not Dead Yet maintained a presence in the media by writing articles and through social media / youtube video's to clearly state why people with disabilities oppose assisted suicide. They also organized successful rallies on several occasions, including this morning, to ensure that Members of the British parliament understood that people with disabilities oppose assisted suicide.

The Not Dead Yet campaign slogan - Assist us to Live Not Die - resonated with the public as well as actress, Liz Carr, effectively countered the message from the "British elite" that assisted suicide is a progressive issue.

BBC News reported:

Fiona Bruce, the MP for Congleton, said the bill was so completely lacking safeguards for the vulnerable that "if this weren't so serious it would be laughable". 

Her impassioned speech concluded: "We are here to protect the most vulnerable in our society, not to legislate to kill them. This bill is not merely flawed, it is legally and ethically totally unacceptable."

Not Dead Yet UK protest

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition urges our world-wide partners to learn from the British campaign.

First: The disability rights leaders were not only front and centre in the campaign against assisted suicide, they also held successful rallies at the British parliament. Those rallies did not require hundreds of people with disabilities to attend, but rather they had a good number of committed disability rights leaders and individuals and they were joined by other supporters.

Second: They communicated within their leadership and consulted other concerned people and designed a campaign with common messages. They did not present themselves as only one voice, but they did maintain message discipline.

Liz Carr in her role as
Clarissa Mullery

Third: They did not have money but they did maintain an effective social media campaign. The suicide lobby featured well known entertainers, while, other than Liz Carr, a well known actress and disability rights activist, the Not Dead Yet campaign featured real people who live with disabilities.

Fourth: All of the groups worked both independently and in unity.

Congratulations to everyone who worked to overwhelmingly defeat the Marris assisted suicide bill. You are responsible for protecting people from assisted suicide.

California assisted suicide bill and World Suicide Prevention Day.

By Alex Schadenberg
International Chair, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Yesterday, California assisted suicide bill ABX2-15 narrowly passed in the California assembly, in-spite of the fact that disability rights group opposed the dangerous bill.

Link to the petition urging Governor Jerry Brown to Veto assisted suicide bill ABX2-15 petition.

This vote occurred on the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10) with the theme of Reaching Out and Saving Lives. The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) brochure states:‘

 

Preventing Suicide: Reaching Out and Saving Lives’ is the theme of the 2015 World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), an initiative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the WHO, a co-sponsor of meetings and events related to WSPD 2015. Since 2003, WSPD has taken place on 10th September each year. It serves as a call to action to individuals and organizations to prevent suicide. This year, the theme encourages us all to consider the role that offering support may play in combating suicide.

Out of concern for people who live with suicidal ideation, the IASP brochure states:

It is hard to imagine the extreme psychological pain that leads someone to decide that suicide is the only course of action. Reaching out to someone who is struggling can make a difference. 

The act of showing care and concern to someone who may be vulnerable to suicide can be a game-changer.

Does legalizing assisted suicide show care and concern to someone who is living with psychological pain?

Recently, Dr Will Johnston wrote about a young adult patient who became suicidal after watching a video about Brittany Maynard, the California woman who moved to Oregon to die by assisted suicide.

A primary risks associated with depression is suicidal ideation. The data indicates that legalizing assisted suicide does not reduce suicide, rather it appears to have a suicide contagion effect.

In the next day, the California Senate will vote on assisted suicide bill ABX2-15. Knowing that the California Senate already passed the previous version of the assisted suicide bill, it is likely that California Governor Jerry Brown will need to veto the assisted suicide bill.

Link to the petition urging Governor Jerry Brown to Veto assisted suicide bill ABX2-15 petition.