NY Times Columnist Promoted Final Exit Network and Gave Contact Info

assisted suicide, final exit network, Jane E. Brody, media coverage, murder, Our News & Commentary Blog

In case you’re wondering, the Final Exit Network and its “work” was never a secret. In fact, they got a big boost of publicity nearly a year ago, from NY Times Health columnist Jane E. Brody.

The column – and her promotion of Final Exit Network – was addressed in this blog:

After laying out the Oregon law and people’s options in terms of limiting life-sustaining treatment, Brody advances down her self-made slope to the advocacy of organizations like the Final Exit Network:

The network’s Exit Guide program accepts members with various incurable diseases that cause intolerable suffering. Members must be “cognitively functional,” “physically strong enough to perform the required tasks” and “able to procure” the needed items. Helium, when inhaled in place of oxygen, results in a loss of consciousness within a minute and heart stoppage in 15 minutes without causing the unpleasant sensation of air hunger, the authors reported.

She gives full contact information.

She didn’t however, say anything about Exit “Guides” holding your hands down so you couldn’t remove the bag.

Have to wonder how many people ended up finding Final Exit Network as a result of this column and her recommendation.

Follow this link for her column sharing info on Final Exit Network.

AP Story Quotes NDY on Final Exit Network

assisted suicide, crime and punishment, final exit network, media coverage, murder, Our News & Commentary Blog

The latest AP story on the Final Exit Network investigation is out. This link is to SignonSanDiego.com:

Barbara Coombs Lee, president of the national advocacy group Compassion and Choices, said prosecuting assisted suicide only drives it underground.

“It’s not the way to make it safe. The plastic bag is sort of the end-of-life equivalent of the coat hanger,” she said.

There’s only one way to interpret this spin by Coombs Lee. The solution to the “coat hanger” was the legalization of abortion. Since the Final Exit Network openly provides “help” to people who are NOT terminally ill, she has to be testing the waters here – and indicating a new willingness to move to a broader agenda in terms of legalization. After all, the kinds of people that Final Exit Network “helps” wouldn’t be eligible in Oregon. It would take a much more expansive law to put them out of business, using Coombs Lee’s analogy, wouldn’t it?

Here’s me:

But Stephen Drake of the group Not Dead Yet, an advocacy group for the disabled that opposes assisted suicide and euthanasia, said he wonders why the Final Exit Network’s activities are not classified as murder.

“It’s like approaching somebody who is on the ledge of a building and giving them a shove instead of pulling them back,” he said.

Unfortunately, this is slightly out of context, since my remarks about “murder” were made in reference to the reports that Final Exit volunteers hold people’s hands down to keep them from tearing the “exit bag” off. The remark about the ledge was when I was asked to provide a general characterization of them.

More later. I’m sure this is just beginning. –Stephen Drake

Four in “Final Exit Network” Arrested in Georgia Sting Operation

crime and punishment, final exit network, media coverage, Our News & Commentary Blog

This story just broke last night, but it keeps growing. I am sure there will be further updates to share in the days ahead:

From the Atlanta-Journal Constitution:

The death had been planned for months, authorities say. Two helium tanks were purchased, along with an “exit bag,” or hood to be placed over the suicidal man’s head.

Thomas “Ted” Goodwin, 63, formerly of Kennesaw, and Claire Blehr, 76, of Atlanta, would observe the death of the man they were told suffered from pancreatic cancer. In truth, the man was a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent conducting a sting operation at a residence in Dawson County.

On Wednesday, authorities say, Goodwin walked the undercover agent through the steps that would have killed him. He demonstrated how he would hold down the undercover agent’s hands to prohibit him from removing the “exit bag.” (Emphasis added)

At that point, other agents moved in and arrested Goodwin, said GBI spokesman John Bankhead. He, Blehr and two men in Maryland were taken into custody on charges they helped John Celmer, 58, of Cumming, commit suicide by the same method last June.

Celmer’s family found his death to be suspicious. They contacted the Cumming Police Department, which led to the GBI’s involvement.

Bankhead said agents found evidence in Celmer’s house linking him to the Final Exit Network, a Marietta-based volunteer organization —- of which Goodwin is president —- supposedly dedicated to serving individuals who are suffering from an incurable illness or intolerable pain.

The detail about holding the hands down to prohibit a “client” from removing the plastic bag opens up the very real possibility that members of this group have slid – from time to time – from “assisting a suicide” to outright murder.

That’s only one of many very good reasons that seems to have sparked a multi-state investigation of the Final Exit Network, who brag about their more or less open-door policy of assisting just about anyone who is old, ill or disabled.

In at least one case, though, they appear to have even crossed that line. Back in 2007, the Phoenix New Times published an investigative report about the suspected involvement of members of the group in the death of Jana Van Voorhis, who struggled with issues related to depression for many years.

Yesterday, the county attorney in charge of the Van Voorhis case announced it is now on the “front burner.” Further, that case is now part of a national investigation spanning six states.

This investigation could get to look like kicking over a rock – lots of ugly crawly things squirming to get away from the light. It looks like this investigation includes search warrants, which could include seizure of computer records, examination of bank accounts, etc. They’d better hope no one in their band of zealots got too sloppy or greedy.

This story isn’t going away any time soon. Back with more as it somes in. –Stephen Drake

Sunday Night Oscar Protests Against Humanitarian Award for Jerry Lewis

Our News & Commentary Blog, pity, protests, stereotypes, telethon

Long-time readers of this blog might remember that Not Dead Yet took part in the blog against the telethon in 2007.

Jerry Lewis and the MDA telethon have been powerful producers and reinforcers of negative stereotypes of people with physical disabilities, all of whom get to be the victim of the negative stereotyping. MDA and Lewis more or less shrug off the criticism with an “end justifies the means” rationale, pointing to the money raised for MDA medical research and clinics. Putting that argument aside, that excuse means absolutely nothing to people with physical disabilities that are affected by the stereotyping but don’t fall under MDA’s target population, research and clinic-wise.

Needless to say, there was quite a reaction when the announcement came out last year that Jerry Lewis would be given a “special” Oscar – to honor his humanitarian efforts – meaning, of course, the MDA telethon.

For anyone interested in the broader construction of people with disabilities as objects of pity, please check out the following links for information on the long struggle with Lewis and the telethon – and last night’s protests:

The Trouble With Jerry gives background and links to news coverage of the backstory and last weekend’s protests.

NDY founder and president Diane Coleman gives her account of the Rochester, NY protest, with links to local coverage. –Stephen Drake

Good News: Hawaii legislature shelves assisted suicide legislation – for now

assisted suicide, hawaii, legislation, Our News & Commentary Blog

In addition to the situations in Montana and New Hampshire, there’s been considerable concern of a renewed effort to reintroduce and pass a bill that would legalize assisted suicide in Hawaii.

According to the Honolulu Advertiser, that isn’t going happen – for now, anyway:

HONOLULU — The Hawaii Legislature will not take up a proposal to allow assisted suicides in the state.

House Judiciary chairman Jon Riki Karamatsu said Wednesday he will not hear a bill that would allow terminally ill adults to get a lethal dose of medication to end their lives.

Karamatsu says advocates of the measure haven’t pushed strongly for the bill to be heard this year. He says he’s open to considering it in the future.

Any day we have one less front we have to fight on is a good day. –Stephen Drake