Montana Doctors Trying To Recruit Pro-Death Colleagues

There’s a little storm brewing in Montana. Apparently a pro-death doctor is attempting to recruit other doctors to the pro-death cause with the intent of eventually changing Montana law to allow assisted killing. Fortunately, those opposed to the pro-death agenda are responding.

Request to Retract Solicitation Letter

On April 6, 2012, attorney Craig Charlton wrote Dr. George Risi and Dr. Stephen Speckart requesting a retraction of their solicitation letter encouraging other doctors to engage in assisted suicide contrary to state law.

The letter was sent via Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested and Regular U.S. Mail.  To date, neither Dr. Risi nor Dr. Speckart have responded. more

Earth To LA Times: Assisted Suicide Is NOT Legal In Montana

Here's another story about someone who wants the "right to die." The writer, however, lessens his credibility by stating that assisted sucide is legal in Montana - it isn't. At least they could do their homework.

Wishing for the right to make that final exit

Unlike in Oregon, Washington and Montana, physicians in California cannot legally prescribe life-ending medication to incurably ill patients. Aid in dying — once commonly referred to as assisted suicide — is more likely to come through legal action than legislation, a nationwide counseling group says.

Colleen Kegg hasn't worked out the details of her exit plan yet. But about one thing, Kegg is clear: When she can no longer feed herself or go to the bathroom without assistance, she will take steps to end her life. A rare and incurable neurological disease is gradually stealing the things the 60-year-old Santa Barbara-area resident lives for, and she wishes a California physician could legally prescribe life-ending medication, as doctors can in Oregon, Washington and Montana. Instead, she'll have to find another way. more

Montana Lawmakers Drop Discussing Assisted Suicide - Weenies

Yea, well - weenie lawmakers choose to pretend the pro-deathers will go away by shelving discussion of competing assisted suicide bills. Pathetic.

Mont. lawmakers punt on physician-assisted suicide

HELENA, Mont. - Montana legislators had been asked to choose between two paths in creating a physician-assisted suicide law: Ban the practice completely, or else create regulations for doctors and terminally ill patients to follow.

Now it appears they'll do neither. more

Montana Pro-Deathers Slapped Down Over Assisted Suicide

The pro-deathers thought they were well on the way to making Montana the third assisted sucide states in the US. Wrong - they got slapped down big-time. BUT don't relax, they'll be baaaacccckkkk!!!!!

Bill to set rules for doc-assisted suicide fails

Lawmakers tabled a bill Thursday that would have established rules for physician-assisted suicide — setting up a situation where Montana could remain in limbo under a 2009 court ruling that doesn't specifically prevent doctors from getting criminally charged in such cases.

The Montana Supreme Court has ruled that nothing in state law prevents a doctor from prescribing lethal drugs to mentally competent, terminally ill patients. But the court didn't determine if the state constitution guarantees the right to physician-assisted suicide.

Doctors fear they still could be prosecuted in such cases, although the high court ruling said that they could use, most likely successfully, physician-assisted suicide as a defense to homicide charges.

Many were hoping the Legislature would bring clarity to the issue — either by setting up rules or definitively saying it is banned. more

Same Old Pro-Death Spin In Montana Media

So it goes in Montana, where there are dueling for and against bills related to assisted suicide So, here goes the spin - the pro-deathers telling the lawmakers horror stories of death and dying. I hope the other side will also be as forcefully represented.

Legislature Takes on Physician Assisted Suicide

Death can be one of the hardest things to talk about and the Legislature tackled the controversial topic as two physician-assisted suicide bills brought forward emotional testimony.

“And in the end it took three of us to hold her down in a hospital bed so that they could put the needles in to give her terminal sedation rather than let her take medication at home to die where she wanted to,” says Mignon Waterman, a former State Senator who watched her close friend die. more

Dueling Montana Assisted Suicide Bills Head for Debate

Here’s the latest context on the dueling assisted suicide bills being debated in Montana.

State Legislature to take up assisted suicide bills

HELENA — The Legislature has been out of session in the year since the Montana Supreme Court ruled that nothing in state law prevents physician-assisted suicide, leaving doctors and terminally ill patients to operate without regulations or oversight.

Now that lawmakers have convened in Helena, they are being asked to consider two competing measures: one that would create rules for doctors who are asked to write a prescription for a lethal dose of medication and another that would ban assisted suicide altogether. more

Watch The Assisted Suicide Debate in Montana - Very Important

Watch Montana very closely – this might turn into a bigger battle than anyone thinks.

Legislature to take up assisted suicide bills

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The Legislature had been out of session in the year since the Montana Supreme Court ruled that nothing in state law prevents physician-assisted suicide, leaving doctors and terminally ill patients to operate without regulations or oversight. more

Montana Democrat Moves To Legalize Medicalized Killing

Things are hot in Montana. After a judge decided from the bench last year that patients could ask for assisted suicide, here’s a bill introduced by the pro-deathers. How do I know it’s from the pro-deathers? The euphemism “aid in dying” rather than what it really is, medicalized murder.

MT lawmaker sponsors bill to address "aid in dying"

MT State Senator Anders Blewett (D-Great Falls) introduced a bill on Wednesday in the Montana Legislature which would allow terminally ill patients to choose aid in dying. more

Pro-Deathers On The March In Montana

The pro-deathers will tell you that assisted suicide is already legal in Montana – not accurate. But they’re at it in Montana again, to finally make it legal and available upon request. These folks never quit, trust me.

Death penalty, physician-assisted suicide bills planned for 2011 Legislature

HELENA - Montana lawmakers soon will be considering bills to ban the death penalty and to allow or forbid physician-assisted suicide when a terminally ill patient requests it. more

If You're For Legalized Killing, You're Suddenly An Expert

Ah, yes, I get it!! According t the media, if you’re for legalized killing, why, you’re an EXPERT!! Gee, why didn’t I understand this sooner . . .

Oregon end-of-life expert discusses assisted suicide

Nursing students from Montana State University were among a group that met at Parmly Library on Monday afternoon to discuss a topic they may run into while on the job: death with dignity.

A crowd of about 50 listened to Barbara Glidewell, who has been involved in the death-with-dignity topic since it began in Oregon 12 years ago. more

Here's How Murder Gets Morphed Into "An Act Of Love"

Oh, please gag me . . . . man kills “disabled’ wife and himself. Sheriff calls it heroic, pro-deathers jump on board. Wouldn’t surprise me if the Sheriff is a pro-deather – why else take an ultimate criminal act and make it to be a “loving act.”

Libby shooting, arson tragedy puts focus on 'aid in dying'

LIBBY - It was an act of love, Darryl Anderson said, an act of compassion and caring and bullets and arson and it didn't have to be that way.

"Basically," Anderson said, "it was a mercy killing, to end the pain. They were good people, but there was terrible pain."

William "Ted" Hardgrove used to visit Anderson - Lincoln County's sheriff - at work, showing off his inventions or detailing his own detective work on the latest unsolved case. He'd stay and chat and sometimes harangue, Anderson said, "and I thought he was just a super old guy."

Hardgrove was 81, just like his wife Swanie. She was known for her baking, and her gardening and her lace-making, and for the fact that she had cerebral palsy as well as other crippling medical problems. In recent weeks, the increasing pain had completely overwhelmed her medication.

On the last Saturday in August, Ted Hardgrove stopped the pain. He moved their valuables out of the Libby-area house and into the garage, then left a note explaining this final, desperate act of love. more

Montana Seeks To Formally Legalize Assisted Suicide

In Baxter v. Montana, a state judge opened the legal back door to assisted suicide perhaps becoming legal in that state. Predictably, the pro-deathers are at it again. This time they’ve convinced a state senator to introduce formal legislation to completely legalize assisted suicide in Montana. Let’s hope they fail. I’ll keep you up to date on this important issue.

Missoula lawmaker wants to implement court’s physician-assisted suicide ruling

HELENA — A Missoula legislator is having a bill drafted to implement a 2009 Montana Supreme Court decision to allow physician-assisted suicide when a terminally ill patient requests it.

Democratic Rep. Dick Barrett, who is unopposed for re-election, said he will introduce the bill in the 2011 Legislature, which convenes in January. He asked the legislative staff to draft the bill. more

Montana State Senator Seeks To Overturn Court Ruling On Assisted Suicide

Montana state senator Greg Hinkle has introduced legislation that will overturn the backdoor legalizing of assisted suicide that began with the Baxter case. He needs to be applauded and supported fully.

Montana Patient Protection Act

I have introduced the Montana Patient Protection Act which prohibits physician-homicide and physician-assisted suicide ("aid in dying"). The Act is in response to the Supreme Court decision Baxter v. State of Montana. This Act is based on Montana's public policy to prevent elder abuse and to value all citizens. more

Assisted Suicide Is NOT Legal In Montana

The pro-deathers have been spinning a court decision in Montana as legalizing assisted suicide in that state. It’s not, and here’s why:

ANALYSIS OF IMPLICATIONS OF THE BAXTER CASE ON POTENTIAL CRIMINAL LIABILITY

The Montana Supreme Court’s assisted suicide decision is remarkable for what it did not do. In Baxter v. State of Montana, 354 Mont. 234 (2009), the Court did not declare assisted suicide a constitutional right, and it imposed no duty on physicians or hospitals to assist suicides. In fact, the Court’s narrow decision didn’t even “legalize” assisted suicide. The Court merely allowed a possible consent defense if persons continue to be charged with murder for assisted suicide. Because the Court defined the practice of assisted suicide so benignly, it is an open question whether most assisted suicides would even qualify for the defense. more