This could be very important news. Wye Hale-Rowe, a long time assisted suicide activist and advocate, has entered a guilty plea in Arizona to a charge of “facilitation to commit manslaughter.”
The longest and most detailed coverage of Hale-Rowe’s plea is in the Phoenix New Times, an independent paper that originally broke the story of the investigation that led to the arrests of Hale-Rowe and three other individuals, all “exit guides” in the Final Exit Network. The rest of the media in Arizona has treated this as almost a non-story.
From the New Times blog:
Readers may remember our story on the so-called “assisted case” of Jana Van Voorhis, a 58-year-old Phoenix woman who died mysteriously in her bed in the spring of 2007.
It was a particularly sad and bizarre yarn (even by our standards), and had a slew of dicey legal and ethical issues wrapped inside of it.
One of our key interviews in the piece was with Wye Hale-Rowe, then 79, a retired family therapist and great-grandmother who now lives in Michigan. She was then was a volunteer for the Final Exit Network, an offshoot of the now-defunct Hemlock Society.
Earlier today, Hale-Rowe pleaded guilty in Maricopa County Superior Court to facilitation to commit manslaughter, a felony.
In striking a plea deal with county prosecutors, Hale-Rowe agreed to testify against the three remaining defendants in the case, an aged Scottsdale man who allegedly also assisted Van Voorhis in killing herself, and two senior Final Exit officials from out of state. (emphasis added.)
The other defendants are facing charges of manslaughter and conspiracy to commit manslaughter. This already had the potential of being a very interesting and revealing trial in regard to the Final Exit Network. Van Voorhis had no significant health issues or physical disabilities. I also was looking forward to how the “training manual” would be used as evidence in the trial – the manual allegedly tells “exit guides” they are “special people” and should work to reduce the ambivalence of people who want to commit suicide – and any family members involved.
Now we have Hale-Rowe copping a plea and agreeing to testify against her accomplices.
Question: Will anyone besides the folks from the Phoenix New Times cover this trial? –Stephen Drake
We must be careful not to lose sight of the real issue here (and issues are like sidewwalks): it’s not euthanasia per se that is called illegal, it’s the practitioners outside the profession who must be reined in.
The same was true for midwifery and childbirth.
Government, doctors etc don’t give a flying %$$# about the people. They are only protecting the professional monopoly and the mystique that dizzily empowers.
Dear anonymous,
I don’t know what you were drinking or smoking before writing your comment (issues are like sidewalks???).
You’ve gotten every basic fact wrong. The practices of the FEN are illegal no matter who does it.
Feel free to write again when you have a clear head.
[Hi Steven, Sorry about 2 versions here. This is the actual one, typos and grammar corrected. Thanks.]
Yes, meaning that if one doesn’t stay on track one is in the street.
A clear head is very necessary to make effective use of a sidewalk.
I liked your post on Judi Chamberlin. She devoted her life to making the vital point of not asking other people what they have been drinking or smoking, or calling them nuts, if they add their two cents to a particular stance. (I do admit I was a little casual in saying “flying…”, and apologize).
The issue in euthanasia has to be coughed up for once and for all. Debating it shows unclear thinking and a willingness to keep it as debate rather than an urgent problem to be solved.
My point was only that the true priority among those who actually make the decisions doesn’t appear to be as much about whether euthanasia/organ donation etc is ethical or moral, but more about money. The debate “frill” is added to make it look ethical.
If blogs were more about stating things, they would probably be a lot shorter. I realize this enters the realm of research and conclusions but that’s not such a bad thing. It’s less social but it does take the perpetual anger and whining out of it.
Anonymous,
I am glad you enjoyed our remembrance of Judi.
I still don’t have a clue what you are getting at.