ABC’s GMA Helps Author Promote Memoir and Assisted Suicide

February 4, 2009assisted suicide, Homicide / 'Mercy Killing', media coverage, media issues, Oregon, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality checkStephen Drake

…xhumation and autopsies. Ten years is a long time. Today, GMA has done its best to make West’s memoir financially rewarding. The site has video, a written story and a book excerpt. Makes me wonder if ABC is already in negotiation for film rights. From the story: For attorney and author John West, his parents were lifelong sources of comfort, wisdom and pride. But West has been keeping a 10-year-old secret about his parents from everyone, including…

New Jersey Senate Committee Shuts Out Disability Rights Community from Assisted Suicide Hearing

December 7, 2014assisted suicide, new jersey, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, New JerseyDiane Coleman

…dvocacy organizations opposed to doctor- prescribed suicide in New Jersey. www.NoAssistedSuicideNJ.com ### The uninvited have, however, submitted written testimony, some of which John Kelly has posted on bluejersey.com. One of these is very strongly worded testimony by the former executive director of the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities, Ethan Ellis. Here’s an excerpt: I’m now 81 years old and I’ve come out of retirement to speak out agai…

Follow-up: Writer with ALS Who Penned “The Good Short Life” Considers Hanging Around Longer

July 26, 2011als, choices, Dudley Clendinen, living well, Our News & Commentary Blog, suicideStephen Drake

…d hundreds of letters–including one from a publishing house offering him a book deal. “It’s a really big offer,” says Dudley. “It may be the best deal a dying write has had since Ulysses S. Grant.” Dudley says that makes several things possible that he hadn’t thought were options. “I’ve been broke for 20 years, so the thought of actually being affluent for the last part of my life…is very appealing. I would love to pay my debts. I have considerabl…

John Kelly: Movies Can Send A Dangerous Message About Suicide and Disability

October 14, 2016better dead than disabled, john kelly, Me Before You, Our News & Commentary Blog, suicide, suicide preventionbetter dead than disabled, John Kelly, Me Before You, suicide preventionDiane Coleman

…y-of-life-killing disability. Moyes has Will tell Louisa at the end of the book that his death will free her. “I don’t want you to be tied to me, to my hospital appointments, to the restrictions on my life. I don’t want you to miss out on all the things that someone else could give you.” Will’s death is presented as a sacrifice of sorts, a death that gives life. Will leaves Louisa a lot of money so that she can go forth and “live boldly.” That phr…

Reporter Succeeds in Getting Two Suicide Prevention Organizations to Comment on Final Exit Network Billboard!

June 22, 2010assisted suicide, International Association of Suicide Prevention, lanny berman, media coverage, Our News & Commentary Blog, San Francisco Suicide Prevention, suicide preventionStephen Drake

…outlets included the URL for the Final Exit Network in their stories. The website provided information on obtaining suicide instructional materials and how to get involved with the Final Exit Network. Most of the articles treated the Network and its “work” sympathetically. In case you’re wondering, suicide prevention groups do get involved in media issues. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Suicide and Mental Health Associatio…