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http://compassionandchoices.org/blog/?p=957

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Advocates: At least 1 assisted suicide in Montana [The Associated Press]
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gQwmBJyyYS4t1ZFpE2E3bAPlIViQD9EVMLPG0

Advocates say doctors in Montana have helped at least one patient commit suicide since a court ruled it wasn't illegal. But the state has no way of knowing how many others there may be, who is doing it or even how it is being done. Montana became the third state to allow physician-assisted suicide when the state Supreme Court ruled at the end of the year there was nothing in Montana law preventing it. The ruling opened the door for the practice without regulation. Oregon and Washington have laws outlining guidelines and reporting procedures, but Montana authorities say they don't have any such legal authority. Advocacy group Compassion & Choices said Friday that doctors had performed at least one assisted suicide since the ruling, but would not provide details.

Montana organization questions legality of physician assisted suicide [KTVQ]
http://www.ktvq.com/news/montana-organization-questions-legality-of-physician-assisted-suicide

The Montana Family Foundation based in Laurel says a Montana Supreme Court decision last year did not legalize physician assisted suicide. The foundation also says doctors still may be charged for homicide, according to Montana statutes. The foundation hired two attorneys to analyze the decision. Defense attorney Greg Jackson of Montana and Matt Bowman with the Alliance Defense Fund in Washington, DC analyzed the Supreme court ruling in Baxter v. State of Montana.

"The purpose of the analysis is to place the decision in perspective, and to dispel much of the misinformation surrounding the issue," said Jeff Laszloffy, president of the Montana Family Foundation. "Contrary to recent headlines, the Supreme Court did not legalize physician assisted suicide. Medical personnel and institutions must understand that if they participate in assisted suicide they expose themselves to potential civil and criminal liability, and may even be charged with homicide."

"The obvious objective of the analysis is to create fear among physicians," said Kathryn Tucker, director of legal affairs for Compassion & Choices. " This is shameful. It may prevent suffering dying Montanans from having this compassionate option."

Montana: Dying man wants doctor-assisted suicide [The Billings Gazette]
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_4c769118-4446-11df-bb5e-001cc4c002e0.html

Steve Johnson, 72, of Helena, who is now appearing in television ads for Compassion & Choices, a national nonprofit corporation that supports legalized physician-assisted suicide, told reporters that he does not want to "roll the dice" of death. He want the same odds that dying horses have: The chance to have a dignified, medically assisted death.

Montana conference: Opinions diverge on end-of-life choices [The Billings Gazette]
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_af5b1058-4525-11df-95c9-001cc4c002e0.html

The American Civil Liberties Union in Montana sponsored a forum in Helena on end-of-life choices. Compassion & Choices and the Montana Catholic Conference made contributions, as well as the following excerpt:

But the Rev. John Brooke, a retired United Church of Christ minister from California, said he believes helping people die with dignity when they feel their lives have come to an end is an act of compassion and mercy, which are attributes of God that his people should emulate. He said that while life is a gift from God, it is a perishable gift. "When death is imminent, what then?" Brooke asked. "When someone is suffering end-of-life pain and the suffering is unbearable, physician-aided dying is an act of free will and compassion. It isn't suicide, which is usually tragic, isolated and often violent." "Physician-aided dying is a peaceful end to a life already dying. It's a last-resort measure to address the suffering of another."

Rabbi Ed Stafman, of Bozeman, generally agreed with Brooke, saying that while he wouldn't advise a patient to actively seek death, it is ultimately a person's own decision. "I may not do anything to actively hasten death, but may remove obstacles to death to release the soul," Stafman said. "Don't get in the way of dying, but don't cut life short. But of course, that raises lots of practical problems."

assisted suicide

Compassion & Choices

Montana

U.S.A.

Scotland: Vote on MacDonald bill likely today. [politics.co.uk]
http://www.politics.co.uk/news/health/scotland-votes-on-right-to-die-$1354784.htm

MSPs will vote on whether to give terminally ill people the right to die today. The government and the opposition have agreed to allow a free vote on the proposals, from independent MSP Margo MacDonald, who has Parkinson's disease. The Lothian MSP's end of life choices (Scotland) bill would open up the possibility of legitimately asking someone to help end life when suffering from a progressive degenerative condition, trauma or terminal illness. As the law stands, people in Scotland can end their own life legally, but it remains illegal to help someone end their life.

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