AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-1999
FED: Nitschke says Kevorkian sentence sends warning
(Repeating and inserting dropped words in first par)
CANBERRA, April 14 AAP - Euthanasia campaigner Dr Phillip Nitschke today described the jail
term imposed on his US counterpart Dr Jack Kevorkian as savage and said it sent a strong
message to doctors in Australia.
Kevorkian was earlier today sentenced to between 10 and 25 years in prison for assisting in
the death of a patient in the United States.
A jury had found him guilty of murder.
Dr Nitschke, who is setting up a euthanasia advice clinic in Melbourne, said it was a
savage sentence for a brave man and it may have repercussions elsewhere.
"It's a very savage sentence from the US judge and I guess it sends a very strong message
that the full force of the state is being imposed here," he told Channel Nine.
Asked about the impact of the sentence in Australia, he said: "I guess it's going to send
the same messages.
"I guess doctors are going to be increasingly wary and that makes it harder for those
terminally ill Australians who wish to go down this path to get the sort of help they want."
Dr Nitschke said he had been approached by at least two terminally ill people each week
since the Northern Territory's euthanasia laws were overturned by the federal government.
Doctors who supported euthanasia faced a "very difficult" situation, he said.
"It does I suppose push the limits to some extent because the law is quite clear that
advising, counselling or otherwise assisting a person to end their life is seen to be a
crime," he said.
"So we're trying desperately to be able to give people the sort of advice they need and
tread that very thin, grey line between giving people truthful advice and in some ways
contravening the line.
"It will be for others to decide whether there's a violation of the law."
AAP sc/maur
KEYWORD: US KEVORKIAN NITSCHKE (REPEATING)
1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
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