Jack Kevorkian, an American pathologist and euthanasia advocate, sparked controversy and debate with his advocacy for physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. His provocative actions, including assisting in the deaths of numerous individuals, ignited fierce ethical and legal battles over the right to die and the limits of medical intervention.
"It's the boredom that kills you. You read until you're tired of that. You do crossword puzzles until you're tired of that. This is torture. This is mental torture."
"There is nothing anyone can do anyway. The public has no power. The government knows I'm not a criminal. The parole board knows I'm not a criminal. The judge knows I'm not a criminal."
"Am I a criminal? The world knows I'm not a criminal. What are they trying to put me in jail for? You've lost common sense in this society because of religious fanaticism and dogma."
"All the big powers they've silenced me. So much for free speech and choice on this fundamental human right."
"What are friends? Some people are nice. Some people aren't. There are some I'm fairly close with... we talk."
"As a medical doctor, it is my duty to evaluate the situation with as much data as I can gather and as much expertise as I have and as much experience as I have to determine whether or not the wish of the patient is medically justified."
"She made the decision that her existence had lost its meaning. And you cannot judge that."