The Kevorkian File - Recap

Frontline takes a look at Dr. Jack’s Kevorkian use of assisted suicide in the midst of legal cases against the Dr.

The program begins with clips of David Letterman making fun of suicide machine, then moves on to more serious clips of controversial Jack Kevorkian.

Lyman says the Kevorkian story is a story about who should live and die, what is the role of medicine near death, and part of medical establishment in assisted suicide. Frontline then shows a tape with Dr. and one of his clients taken in June 1990. This tape is especially significant because it would lead to murder charges against the Dr. The client is Janet Adkins talks about herself and where she comes from. Adkins had signs of Alzheimer’s disease and has decided to end her life.

We hear from Janet’s own doctor who disapproves of the assisted suicide from Kevorkian. He disagrees with it primarily because Adkin’s case is not a severe case of the disease in his opinion. She can still do her regular duties. However, her memory lapses pose a problem. We hear from another specialist, Dr. Raskin, who agrees but Adkins does not believe the optimistic diagnosis given by them.

We continue to view the tape. The tape shows that Adkins knew exactly what she was asking Dr. Kevorkian. She also explained that she no longer wanted to go on living.

Frontline tells us that Adkin’s husband also disapproved of the assisted suicide. The episode tells us that the Dr. was surprised that he was charged with murder. He actually expected to write a scholarly journal entry about it. However, the murder charges against Kevorkian were soon dropped. We hear from another doctor, Timothy Quill, who like Kevorkian has assisted patients in ending their lives instead of having pain. Quill, however, also disapproves of Kevorkian again because she wasn’t a terminal case.

Lyman says the publicity of Adkin’s case actually led to people contacting Jack Kevorkian for assisted suicide cases. Kevorkian also appeared in the media more often.

The next video shows us more patients with diseases , Cherry Miller, with multiple sclerosis, and Marjorie Watts. Sharon Welch, Cherry’s best friend is also on the tape. We learn that Miller’s husband had divorced her in light of her disease and had gained custody of her kids.

We learn that at first Kevorkian was hesitant to help Miller. Miller actually testified for Dr. at Adkin’s murder case. We learn the Marjorie Watts story which is similar to Adkin’s case. She wasn’t terminal but had severe depression.

We learn about Kevorkian’s career from early 50s. Kevorkian showed at an early age a fascination with death. He wrote scholarly entries asking for organ transplants of dead patients. Later, though, Kevorkian had trouble landing jobs because of his stance.

We see Cherry Miller tape and see Kevorkian asking his patient about organ donation showing that Kevorkian didn’t stand for death but life.

We get an interview from Kevorkian’s sister talking about the suicide machine.

Incredibly, the machine was not working, and Kevorkian tried monoxide poisoning.

We again see the media coverage as Kevorkian is charged with double murders for Miller and Watts. Lyman tells us that Michigan has no laws against assisted suicide, so Kevorkian was free. We hear how the medical establishment has distanced himself from the Dr.

By the Michigan law put a ban on assisted suicide, Kevorkian had already assisted many people with death. We see the tape of Hugh Gale, a lifelong smoker, asking the Dr. for help. We hear from Hugh’s own doctor who echoes what Hugh told Kevorkian about wanting to die. The tape like many other establishes Gale as a willing participant in the assisted suicide without any force by Kevorkian. Gale’s doctor, Karl Emerich, is asked the question if Gale approached him for help in suicide would he help.. The doctor’s response is that he wouldn’t do it, and the medical establishment doesn’t allow it.

Kevorkian tried again carbon monoxide poisoning. The procedure had problems because of Gale’s emphysema. The procedure eventually is continued with expected results. Karl is asked about Gale’s decision. He says while he doesn’t approve of the decision, realize why Gale did it, and why so many people ask for assisted help.

We hear from Kevorkian’s lawyer who talks about the legalities of what Kevorkian does.

We see the tape of Thomas Hyde with ALS. Unlike other clients, Hyde’s case was more severe. Hyde’s own doctor, Louis Rentz, is interviewed and describes the pain his client was in. The format of the tape follows the same pattern of the others with clients establish what exactly they want from Kevorkian, and their decision to end their pain with assisted suicide. Rentz like many doctors disapproves of Kevorkian’s methods. Rentz is asked a hypothetical if Hyde would have committed suicide. He agrees that he would have with another method

We hear from Heidi, Thomas’s . We hear from Kevorkian’s sister talking about the last moments with Thomas and Jack. We see a press conference about Kevorkian talking about helping Hyde.

Rentz is interviewed and is puzzled by people’s interests and need to go to Kerkorkian.

The last minutes of the show deal with opinions of how the cases of Kevorkian’s are more example of the health care industry, and their inability to help their patients.


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