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Table 4 Extracts from the transcript of Dr. Jack Kevorkian's videotape of his meeting with Marjorie Wantz and Sherry Miller to arrange their physician-assisted suicides [52]

From: Physician-assisted suicide: a review of the literature concerning practical and clinical implications for UK doctors

Dr. Kevorkian begins the meeting by identifying each patient, friend and family member present. He systematically checks with each patient and family member on their wishes, feelings and understanding of the situation. He confirms for the record that the patients wrote to him, that they clearly understand assisted suicide means they will die, that this is what they definitely want and that their wish has been consistent. Each woman is very clear that PAS will result in her death and that she wants to die. The patients and their families recount their struggles with the illness, previous suicide attempts gone wrong, and how they came to ask Dr. Kevorkian for assisted suicide. The general sense from this part of the transcript is that the patients and families are definite about wanting assisted suicide and that they are deeply relieved and grateful that this doctor is going to provide it. Kevorkian repeatedly checks with each woman, "Are you afraid at all? Do you have any fears?"

At this point, there is an abrupt shift when Kevorkian changes the focus of the group by beginning, "I think there should be several options for people...The one option is to humanely, quickly and painlessly to have life ended, that's one option...The second option is for example, let's take Sherry's case. Now Sherry has got a good heart and good organs, except the central nervous system. And I ask patients – I do this routinely because it's just sort of a research project...The second option...which is donating organs. Now, Marge you probably could have that option too. How old are you?" Marge replies, "Fifty-eight." Kevorkian goes on, "Very close to the limit of donating organs, though. And...you have an infectious process, too. Isn't that infected? So you probably couldn't donate organs, but Sherry could." "...Sherry's liver could save two babies...And the third option would apply to you and Sherry...It's a prolonged process in which you're put to sleep under anaesthesia like a hospital operation, routine operation. And you just won't wake up...Option three is to do an experiment and you would get choices there. See, I want to give the patient the maximum latitude in choosing value of life and death. As it is now, none of us really has a maximum opportunity to choose our value of our lives, and our death. Our death is really valueless, it's negative." "...So, these are options that patients should have because that maximizes the self determination."

Marjorie interjects, "What I want to know is..." and asks him a series of intent questions to make sure she will get a very detailed autopsy to find out what a doctor has "done wrong" to her during her pelvic surgeries. Kevorkian quickly brings the conversation back: "Now Marge, what would you pick?" and outlines again the "three options" of assisted suicide only, organ donation or experiments. Marge seems slightly thrown off, "I never have given it a thought, and I'm trying to think – [Kevorkian cuts her off] "You will have to think about it and we'll get back to you later on this. Sherry, what would you pick of the two options?" Sherry says, "I just want out...Although I've never really given it any thought." Others in the group become interested in Kevorkian's organ donation idea and start to ask detailed questions. Specific body parts are discussed in terms of their viability for organ donation: heart, central nervous system, kidneys, lungs, liver, eyes and corneas.

In response to Sherry's and Marjorie's choice of "We just want it quick, you know", Kevorkian several times assures them, "No one judges you that you just want a quick one. No one judges you. I mean, it's just the choice of a person himself or herself." "...Sure, that's understandable. And beside that, some people would say, "What do I owe society? It's done nothing for me." "I don't blame them for that..." "I understand your situation, when it's your own life and your own death, you don't feel an obligation to other people. I can see your reasoning there. There's no judgment at all on my part." Sherry's friend, Karen, now derails Kevorkian: "I'd like to know what's going to happen to Sherry after it's over." And the rest of the meeting moves into planning how to handle the media coverage and the logistics of the suicides the next day.