Original subtitles

You know, she had that same look of agony on her face.

Just like mother.

The same one mother had, you know?

- Yeah. - You bore witness to it.

Excruciating.

- Awful waiting. - She was struggling to die.

Yeah, well, it's not living, you know.

- No. - It's not being alive.

You know, they started doing this in Europe already...

but not here.

- Really? - Yeah.

- Holland. - Holland.

Never here.

Way too puritanical here.

I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner.

I was limiting myself.

It'll be your own field of specialty, Jack.

You're going to need some business cards, you know?

We'll be swinging singles again.

Just like when we were in our prime.

Remember those two nurses we were dating?

Two nurses?

Oh, that was me, not you. Scratch that.

You know, you could grab a box, Jack.

- It wouldn't hurt you. - Well, I'll get the door...

Then I'll come back out.

Hey, the best thing about living in my storage room? Ain't bad.

It's a short commute.

Ain't bad.

You left your varsity jacket, your grandmother's afghan...

and your nose hair clippers.

That's the last time I'm cleaning up after you, Neal Nicol.

Hi, Jack.

I remember her being much happier at your wedding.

Cut.

- Ante up. - Yes, dear.

I'm in.

Oh, by the way, Neal, mazel tov.

You're going to be an ex here soon. How's it feel?

Like losing 138 pounds without having to diet.

Obitiatry, Stan. The doctoring of death.

What, in suicide clinics?

Really? I'm a doctor. You want me exiled to Boca Raton? Here.

Planned death is gaining acceptance all over the world. Why not here?

Can we, for Christ's sakes, just play cards, please?

Because you can't put those decisions in the hands of patients, Jack.

Whose hands are we going put them in?

Doctoring is a healing profession. I can't even...

Doctoring is a death profession too. Medicine. Medicide.

- Cards, Stan? - Three.

That's 10 in a row. That's 10 in a row he folds.

You know you're allowed to bluff once in a while.

I don't bluff.

The guy is a study in pure non-fiction.

- Let him alone. - Yeah.

You know I love you, Jack...

but most of your colleagues think you're a nut.

Remember they used to call you the "screwball pathologist"?

Would you save me the schpilkas and stay retired for crying out loud?

I'm not retired.

Retired means one is no longer occupied with one's profession.

I may be unemployed, but I am occupied.

- Eight. - King high. It's yours.

- And it's your deal. - I know it.

- What? - My hands are greasy.

- With what? - I have pizza fingers.

- Pizza fingers? - I've got athlete's foot.

"At the Oak Hill Care Center in Farmington Hills...

where David Rivlin, a 38-year old quadriplegic...

who's been confined here for three years...

has asked to be taken off of life support.

The Michigan Courts have yet to make a decision.

Mr. Rivlin, who sustained a spinal cord injury...

during a body-surfing accident almost 20 years ago...

tried desperately to live on his own...

until the cost of live in aides became too much for him.

The state would only offer Rivlin..."

- Yeah? - "Turn on channel 7."

No, I'm watching Sylvester.

- It's the one where he chases the frog. - "Hurry up."

"Do it now."

Why?

You see this man? He's being kept alive against his wishes.

Oh, yeah. Oh, Margo.

- Margo. - Yeah?

Look what we got here.

A veritable gold mine. Here, look.

- Excuse me, I'm sorry. - That's all right.

It's a veritable plethora.

- Look at all this stuff. - Yeah, it's real metal.

- These things too? - Margo.

What does this have to do with Mr. Rivlin?

- What is that? All right. - Okay?

- That's a motor. - Whatever.

- What else? - I think...

- You want those bolts? - Let's take...

- the whole shebang. If it's cheap... - Okay, is this it?

I'll give you the whole thing for 15 dollars.

How's about 10 dollars?

You know...

this is what you do it for.

To be able to put your stamp on medical history.

A word to the wise. Be careful where you're stamping.

That shit'll kill you.

Thanks, Neal.

Groundbreaking. Today we have some...

What we're doing here today is groundbreaking.

It will...

You know a better word for "groundbreaking"?

Why don't you try to relax, Jack?

I mean, he asked to see you, so you could make him understand.

- Oh, for God's sakes. - It's just a demonstration.

So I should go in there and not say anything, baby?

- Is that better? - I didn't say that.

Just stand there, look at him and do a mime show?

He wants to understand how you're going to help him end his life.

I know why we're going to see him, Margo.

I'm asking if you know another word for "groundbreaking".

So, I'm hearing different things.

I have a source that says the Oakland County Prosecutor...

- Is going to intervene. - Seriously Mr. Lessenberry...

they do not pay me nearly enough money...

to comment on local politics.

I understand that. I'm not asking you to comment on politics.

I'm asking you if you've had any communication...

with the prosecutor's office.

We are a hospital. We provide medical care.

My mercitron machine, David.

I built it just for you.

You see...

We have a monumental opportunity here, David...

To not only...

end your own suffering...

but to give your death a meaning.

By providing your organs to more useful citizens...

you will be benefitting society immeasurably.

Just so you know...

we're going to offer them up on a first come, first serve basis.

Now...

I don't know if you know this, but I cannot give you...

the injection myself.

It's illegal.

But you can release these solutions...

on your own.

The saline drip is going to activate the thiopental.

It's going to put you to sleep.

Set off this timer.

You'll fall into a deep coma...

as the lethal dose of potassium chloride...

stops your heart.

I know you have no motor skills...

so I added this.

You can move you head slightly side to side.

Don't do it now, but I'm going to place this...

between your teeth.

Put it in and move your head.

Very simple, move your head side to side...

just a little bit and it goes.

The time comes, you just let your teeth do all the work.

This is outrageous.

- No it's not. - Get that thing out of here now.

He's just receiving new information...

so he's bound to react. Just give him a chance to calm himself.

Could you just give him a chance to calm himself?

Please leave immediately of I'll call security...

and have you thrown out.

- Please leave. - I'm sorry, David.

I don't need your security.

- Certainly don't need that. - Get it out of here.

David, I'm sorry for this upset.

Doctor, please.

- I'm sorry. - And take that thing with you.

It took a couple more months...

but the doctors finally did allow him to be taken off of life support.

And what a brutal way he went.

- Brutal? - Brutal. Think about it.

Is it really any different than what the Germans did? Nazi Germany?

- Want me to print that? - Print what you want.

We're talking about hospitals...

- Not Nazis. - Well, they do the same thing...

starving people to death. They cut off their feeding...

and their water and they let them die.

And it's all legal.

The United States Supreme Court has validated...

The Nazi method of execution.

Excuse me. You obviously don't approve of the current method.

No, I don't. Do you?

Starving people to death? No, I don't think so.

It's inhumane.

If a person's allowed to die...

Then you inject them painlessly, quickly.

You don't let them wither away.

It's inconceivable. It's unspeakable.

What would you charge for this procedure?

You don't charge people...

for something like this, Mr. Lessenberry.

What's wrong with you?

You've really got some story here, doc.

Don't be surprised if this gets picked up nationally.

Is your turkey okay?

I don't like fat.

Selfish bastard.

You hog all the ink in the Dee-troit papers.

Now you're in "Newsweek" and there's nothing about me.

What about me?

Look at this. Man.

"Blunt and feisty, he's the first American doctor...

to advocate physician-assisted suicide."

They're going to have to take me seriously now.

- You're not a local quack anymore. - No.

- You're America's quack. - America's quack!

- Look at this. - You earned it.

Congratulations.

- Neal, congratulations. - "Newsweek" magazine.

So, how are we going to celebrate?

You want a glass of water?

- Yeah, that'd be great. - Great!

"So, when were you first diagnosed with alzheimer's, Mrs. Adkins?"

"About a year ago I think."

"It was three years ago now."

"And what did your doctor say when he told you?"

"Well, it was like a bomb.

He said she had alzheimer's and...

it'd come to a point where she wouldn't be able to...

It was... dress herself.

She wouldn't be able to take a bath."

"What are some of the other fears you have?"

"That I wouldn't know that this is my husband and my children.

Or, who am I?"

"You're sensing the loss of things."

"Loss."

"So, let's talk about that if you could.

What happened today, for instance?"

- "What happened today?" - "You tell him.

I don't even know what happened today."

"She went out into the yard and then...

What I could see was...

she stood there in the yard...

and I could see from behind her...

that she didn't know where she was.

She didn't know to turn around, and that was the backdoor of the house.

And she didn't know that that was the gate to go out to the street.

She just... she didn't know what to do."

"I don't remember."

"When I talked to your doctor, he...

First of all, he would hardly speak with me.

But when he did...

what your doctor was trying to communicate to me...

is that you're not imminently terminal.

Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand. And I understand that..."

Should I make some tea for us? Jack?

"That is frightening."

Jack, do you want some tea?

Margo, I don't know what we're doing.

- Look at her. - "We're in this together."

"That's her decision."

- She looks well to me. - "I will not be put..."

She looks quite capable, no?

She's not the right one.

But she has the right.

As a patient, it's her choice.

"I refuse to die a slow death."

Come on, Jack.

You know how things are going to be perceived.

- I don't care. - The media's going to all over it.

You're going to have to tell her yes.

- I know. - You have to be strategic.

Margo, what do we care about the media?

Who cares?

Look. Sometimes in life...

there are strategies that you have to take...

because we have to be very careful about our purpose.

- Our purpose is important. - Well, what about her?

Who cares what people think?

It's what my patient feels.

She doesn't know each day what she's going to find...

when she looks in the mirror.

She doesn't know if she's going to see herself there anymore.

This is her terror.

This is what she goes through, day in and day out.

The terror of being...

Lost.

- Jack. - She's running out of time.

I understand that.

Look at me.

If it was me, if I was her...

if I was in the same situation, would you do it?

- You, Margo? - Yes, me, Margo.

- Would you do it for me? - Of course I'd do it. Yes.

- You would do it? You know that? - Sure.

If I saw the same look of determination in your eyes...

as I saw in hers, of course I'd do it.

No question about it. My own sister, in truth, I'd do it.

You'd do it?

- That's your answer. - Yeah, I know.

I just wanted to work this through, you know?

Just go through the variables.

Let them come after me.

Let them come after a real physician.

I think I'm going to make us some tea right now.

Make it strong, will you?

Yeah.

- "The word for 'the end of life'." - "Death."

By the way...

- "This is what you wish?" - "Yes."

- Where are we going to do this? - "Yes, I do."

Some people think we brew up poisonous potions...

like witches from gallows hill.

Others think it's take two hemlock pills...

meet your maker in the morning.

Surprise, there's no such thing as a hemlock pill.

We offer assistance...

and advanced directives, DNR's, do not resuscitate...

wills, hospice care...

but we do not dispense drugs. We do not pull plugs.

We started this chapter because we believe...

that to each person, their own way of death.

With dignity.

Miss Good. I can carry that for you.

That would've been nice, Dr. Kevorkian...

but it's a little late now, don't you think?

And it's Missus.

- Missus? - Yup.

Good.

So, you know who I am?

What do I look like, June Cleaver?

What can I do for you?

Well... I...

I have my first patient.

- But what I don't have... - Is a place.

Yes.

And you'd like to use my home?

Well, no. I thought you would know a place...

but if I could use your home, that would be just fine. Sure.

Well, if you're going to come to my home...

You're going to have to dress more cheerfully.

If you've never actually tested that before...

how do you know it's going to work?

Because I made it.

I wish you had a stronger argument than that.

Hey, whatever I can do to lend a hand tomorrow, let me know.

On this one, Neal, this first one.

I want it to be me and Margo.

Just us.

Am I hearing a phone or is it my...

I've got to remember to install one by the couch.

Your house.

Dr. Kevorkian's. This is Debby.

Oh, hang on, Miss Good.

Janet good.

- Oh, there we go. - Hey, Janet.

"I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to say it.

I'm sorry, I know it's the last minute..."

but my husband, Ray, he's a retired police captain...

and he feels very strongly...

that we can't use our house.

He feels that it would put us at risk.

"Lady, are you kidding me?"

I've got Margo at the airport, picking these people up as we speak.

"You can't do this to me."

Yeah, well, I could make some other suggestions.

There's nothing further to be gained by talking to you.

What now?

Call the whole thing off?

Although...

Okay.

I hope she like parks and Volkswagens.

Jack's made all the arrangements.

Good.

Margo's going to take me to the airport shortly.

It's best for me to go home.

Should anything happen with the police later on.

Yes.

Okay.

Our gardener comes on Thursday.

He's going to plant marigolds.

Marigolds protect the garden.

It's not too late, my dear. You know?

We can stop right now.

You wouldn't offend me.

Do you understand? You wouldn't offend me.

Tell me when to flip the switch.

Whenever you're...

Thank you.

When a patient in agony dies...

then a doctor's true calling implies.

One should do what is best, at the patient's request...

for humane, quick and painless demise.

- I told you they couldn't keep me. - Come in.

They've got nothing to charge me on.

All right.

Has he no regard for the sanctity of life?

How dare he call himself a doctor?

What can we charge him with?

The medical examiner said he had no choice but to rule it a suicide.

I just can't stop thinking about yesterday.

How it all went.

I guess somehow I just thought the whole thing would be nicer.

Could be nicer?

- Yeah. - How "nicer"?

Does this look like compassion to you, David?

Compassion?

He kills a woman and he calls it compassion?

If this guy Thompson wants to arrest me...

let him arrest me. I don't care.

I'm not a busy man, you know.

We have to get you a lawyer.

I don't want a lawyer.

Jack, they're threatening to bring you up on murder charges.

- You need a lawyer. - I don't know any lawyers.

There's this one guy I see on TV all the time.

You're going to get him.

He does these medical malpractice commercials.

Is that a new wig?

Yes.

Why? It's rum raisin.

I think it makes me look a little more fetching.

What do you think? Is that silly?

I don't know.

I don't understand wigs, but that's just me.

One day, you know, I'm going to turn around...

Girls, I don't think the good doctor sways to fancy.

Hide the Perrier.

This way.

How good can this guy be if there's no elevators?

Let me tell you something about Dick Thompson.

He may be a card-carrying member of the religious right...

but he doesn't have a pot to piss in, charging Jack with murder.

He didn't kill anyone.

"Nullum crimen, nulla poena sine lege."

- No crime... - No punishment without law.

- Yeah. - The man knows his Latin.

I also know McNally, the District Judge...

and no way in hell is he going to let this move forward.

But understand, these extremists will do...

everything under the sun to stop you from doing this again.

They have no recourse to stop me.

Did you videotape your conversations with Janet Adkins?

- Yeah. - Yes, I did.

- Why? - Good.

Well, you see, courtrooms are theaters of conscience.

If we show your patients pleading for your help...

if we lay out the gut-wrenching emotions of it all...

that's your golden ticket.

No jury will convict you with me at your side.

I simply do not lose.

He's a wolverine.

Wolverine.

Yeah, I was a theater major.

I did an unforgettable Giles Corey in "The Crucible" senior year.

My mother still has the reviews in her pocket.

- Really? - Yeah.

- I can't afford to pay you. - Oh, you don't have to pay me.

I'll do it for free.

Let them keep trying to prove this is a crime...

and we'll keep proving it's a civil rights issue.

So, what do you think?

She's a good judge of character.

That's a wig she's wearing.

Rum raisin.

- Jack. - I like it.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

"The Morning Drive Show"?

"Yeah, he wanted me to ask you if you'd come on as a guest."

It's on 6:00 to 10:00 in the morning. It's got a big audience.

You know, people driving to work listen to it.

He keeps it pretty light.

He might let you pick a record.

Well, I never heard of it, but I'll do it, sure.

Good morning, everybody.

This is The Bob Bender Show, "The Morning Drive Show".

Today it's a special edition.

It's The Morning Die Show...

because of my special guest, Dr. Jack Kevorkian.

He's a local boy from here in Detroit.

You might know him better as Dr. Death.

I like to say he is the last doctor you will ever need.

I actually heard somebody refer to you...

as Dr. Frankenstein the other day...

because of your rather active organ procurement program.

Well, I'm going to take that as a compliment...

because anyone who's read the story of Frankenstein...

knows that he was a benevolent man...

and it was society who made the monster bad.

Well, I find it impossible to believe...

but our lines are lighting up and my producer tells me...

40-50 percent of our callers say, "Hey, you're right."

So maybe I shouldn't go on. Let's quit while I'm ahead.

- Well, don't die on me now, doc. - No.

Sorry, I had to say that. Tell me a little bit about your Mercitron...

- Something I hope the... - See? He's doing good.

What you said before is awfully good.

Sharp as a tack.

"It's good that people realize what's at stake here."

I mean, self-determination is...

a basic human right...

and everyone should have it.

By flipping the switch on your suicide machine...

kind of like hitting this button here.

Well, sure, or carbon monoxide.

"Which actually is a quicker procedure.

And I can assure you as a pathologist..."

gas inhalation always leaves the deceased...

with a rosy, colorful afterglow.

Well, hopefully our listeners aren't listening...

in their garages this morning. If they are, open the door.

We're getting rather ghoulish here at 7:55 in the morning.

You are live with Bob Bender and I hesitate to say live, Doctor...

because we're talking death with Dr. Death.

And if you want to end it, call Dr. Kevorkian.

- "That's K-E-V-O-R-K-I-A-N." - This is not an ad.

"I just don't want to give the wrong impression.

I am not here advertising. I'm..."

Hi, there.

Oh, no. Not you, lady.

- Oh, stop it. I don't bite. - Stay away from me, lady.

I'm sorry I backed out on you that way...

but that's water under the bridge.

I think we need to have a conversation.

- Water under the bridge? - Yeah.

I ended up using my VW van in the park.

- Water under the bridge? - That was very resourceful of you.

Oh, thank you.

I know that you're upset, but you have to let it go.

We need to have a bigger conversation.

And that's a much better sweater.

It's more cheerful.

You know, I don't get many visitors up here.

Women especially.

With your charms, I'm shocked.

I hope you like it.

- I made it just for you. - Thank you.

You know, doc, you have to stop pushing...

for organ donations.

It'd be better if you just focused on one thing at a time.

That sounds like...

it comes straight out of your hemlock society playbook.

I'm the first to admit hemlock has its faults.

That's why I'm here.

I agree...

that it should be self-determination without compromise.

And for the record, I also agree...

That terminally ill is an undefinable term.

So I say, establish your criteria...

multiple doctor examinations, psych assessments.

Make sure that all physical treatments have been exhausted...

and maybe the blessing of a priest or a rabbi would be good.

Funny. My mom used to make these for us, only with a pickle.

And no crusts.

Sorry about the crust. I usually cut them off...

but somehow I thought you'd like crust.

She was tortured in a nursing home until the day she died.

Mind gone, bed sores the size of dinner plates.

If you looked in them, you could see her spine.

Who was it for you? Your mother?

Your father?

I don't see any pictures anywhere of anybody.

You know, maybe you're right, what you said before.

One thing at a time.

Fair enough. So...

I was snooping around a little bit.

- Oh yeah. - Can you tell me...

About Marjorie Wantz and Sherry Miller?

Sure. Miss Miller has MS and has had it for a decade.

She has hardly a motor skill left.

Her husband took off a month after the diagnosis.

And we've got Mrs. Wantz who has severe pelvic pain.

She's had 10 operations, all for naught.

The pain's completely debilitating.

"I've thought about it a long time.

A long time.

Yeah, I have...

and I have no qualms...

about my decision.

I could do it tonight."

"What is it you want? Put it in plain English."

"Yeah, I want to die."

- "That's plain enough." - "Yup."

"You don't want to have one more Thanksgiving...

with your kids?"

"No.

I just want it over quick.

I have no fear."

"I have tried myself three different times...

and I have not succeeded.

I tried it, as you know, with the car.

I put the hose on the exhaust and into the window.

I stayed in the car over three hours...

and I tried it three times.

Nothing happened.

I get a half hour, an hour sleep at night...

with all the pills and sleeping pills I take.

And it's...

When you've got no quality of life left, it's no.

No more."

"If I do one of you...

there's a chance they'll send me to jail.

I won't be able to do the other."

It's right there.

What's going on here?

They're dead. Wait until you see this.

Excuse me.

Two at a time now.

What's next, a baker's dozen?

- Right this way. - Don't touch that.

I'm going to say all you did was drive me up here.

As long as they don't put us in the same cell.

- I'm fine. - You should be so lucky.

No. Sir, it's just him we want.

"Dr. Jack Kevorkian has been involved in a double suicide...

at the Bald Mountain Recreation Area up near Lake Orion.

We're trying to get in touch with our correspondent...

up at the scene there about 40 miles north of Detroit.

Details are sketchy.

Again, it appears that Dr. Jack Kevorkian..."

Fieger!

"has indeed assisted a double suicide this evening.

We're going to go live to the scene now...

and stay on the story."

Bobby!

Where's Jack?

- Can you comment on... - This is ridiculous.

It's absurd. No crime has been committed.

Release him. Release him now.

Everybody settle down.

"Is this live?"

- "Dr. Kevorkian!" - "This better be live."

Two very sick, but wonderful women died here tonight...

by their own choosing.

Dr. Kevorkian was only acting out...

"as their physician.

He did not force anyone to come up here.

Mr. Thompson, if you're watching...

have the gall to charge Dr. Kevorkian tonight.

Bring it on! Do it tonight!"

Don't let them do this to me.

This is how you play the media, Jack.

Get ready to become the most famous doctor in the country.

Isn't this murder? Would you care...

To comment on the religious aspects of this?

What were they suffering from?

I need you to do your job, Dr. Dragovic...

so I can do mine.

Science itself gives us no arguments, Mr. Thompson.

I told you I'm not going to touch your food.

It would be an admission of guilt, you know?

I can go for weeks without food...

Like Ghandi.

You're looking worse than Ghandi, Jack.

- Yeah. - You look like one of your patients.

It's been three days. Come on.

I'm not moving. I'm not paying that bond.

You don't have to. I did.

- Come on, let's go. - You didn't.

You paid my bail?

Yeah, I bailed you out. Let's go.

What kind of lawyer does that?

What the matter with you, Geoff?

Don't you see I'm denying myself nourishment?

I'm starving to death...

for three days to make a point.

- I get it. - This is a protest.

They violated my rights.

You're not supposed to bail me out. It defeats the purpose.

I should fire you, you know?

We're facing an indictment on Wantz and Miller.

Here.

- What's this? - Pie.

This is full of fat and sugar. Are you trying to kill me?

Just eat the fucking pie, Jack.

Oh, and another thing...

the state revoked your medical license.

Good. They took away my career years ago.

It didn't stop me, did it?

Yeah, well, it stops suppliers from providing you with your poisons.

That's what I've got Neal for.

- Where the hell are you going? - Home.

Well, come on, I'll give you a ride. My car's up here.

No, I need the exercise. I need to get the blood flowing.

We've got an offer to fly to New York to do The Barbara Walters Show.

Well, if Barbara Walters wants me badly enough...

she knows where to find me.

Don't make this complicated, Jack.

- Can't do it. - This is important.

One too many passenger rides in a F-86 Sabre...

when I was stationed in Seoul.

Flying scares the daylights out of me, Geoff.

Nighty night!

"Doctor, let me be frank.

You're aware that people think you are a ghoul?"

"It's emotionalism.

When heart transplants first started..."

there was the same prevalent feeling...

even among doctors, that it was wrong.

It was contrary to God's will...

contrary to nature.

Isn't it ghoulish to rip a person's chest open...

and take out a heart or a bypass operation?

"Ether is the same thing.

You have ether, been around for centuries.

It wasn't used.

Not until 1846.

It was discovered in 1543...

and before that...

everybody was being operated on while they were awake!

Surgeons were cutting them open while they were awake.

- Did you know that, Geoff?" - "No."

"Yes. And you know why it was banned?

Because of religious dogma.

Because of the foolish notion...

that there's a God almighty who wills us to suffer."

"Do you turn patients down?"

"I turn 97-98 percent of the patients who contact me.

I turn them down."

"Should there be second opinions?"

"Always a second opinion. A third opinion."

"But there wasn't in your case."

"No, there wasn't because no one cooperates with me."

"What do you say to people who say...

'Dr. Kevorkian, you are playing God'?"

"I say to them...

'So, what?'

When a doctor gives you a pill, he's playing God...

because he's interfering with your natural process.

All doctors believe they're God.

They shouldn't, but they do.

But I prefer that...

than the doctors who are more interested in their stock portfolios...

than they are in their patients."

Did you see the way she looked at you?

She probably thought I was unattainable.

She was very smitten.

I knew I should've called her Barbara.

- Coffee? - Yeah.

- Decaf? - No, decaf's for cowards.

The autopsy proved that Mrs. Wantz...

had no anatomical evidence of disease in her entire body.

It was all in her head and he knows it.

And Mrs. Miller, although she had a terrible disease...

could have lived for many years...

if she had been more willing to participate in her own care.

So you're a doctor too now, Dick?

Your Honor, there isn't one iota...

one scintilla, one speck of evidence...

that he murdered Marjorie Wantz or Sherry Miller.

This is all part of your puritanical persecution...

Enough. I've reviewed the indictment.

I'm dismissing the charges.

The act of assisting a suicide is not a criminal act...

according to our current laws.

But without a medical license, he cannot dispense medication.

- So don't do anything stupid. - He won't, Your Honor.

I'm going to kick your ass until my legs fall off.

It was a clear victory for the most important...

civil rights issue of our time.

So you're obviously not happy with the judge's decision.

Where do you go from here?

Governor engler needs to push a ban through...

the state legislature. Something, anything.

Unless you want Michigan to become the suicide capital of the world.

Michigan residents, by a five to one margin...

said that they'd acquit him of murder if they were on a jury...

and over 70 percent believe that doctors should be allowed...

to help a terminally ill patient commit suicide.

I'm a deeply religious man, Mr. Lessenberry...

and what Kevorkian proposes goes against every fiber of my being.

- If this were accepted... - Room service.

How on God's green earth would we prevent abuse?

Nobody here ordered any room service!

- Who is this? Hello? - Open the door.

- Who is this? - It's the police, Jack.

- We know you're in there. - What is this?

- Get out of the way. - Don't you push me, Sir.

- Where is it, Jack? - Nothing is going on here.

- We're just talking. - Where are you folks from?

- California. - Nothing illegal is going on.

Why are you harassing us? We're not criminals!

- You don't have to say a word. - What's in the case?

I know that too many sick people lack access to care and support...

too many families are saddled with medical expenses...

but if this were legalized, it could lead...

to cost containment strategies.

- We're here to prevent a suicide. - We came to save your life.

- Check this out. - Who the hell asked you to?

- Who the hell ask you? - I'm sorry, Isabel.

Where is the suicide poison? Where do you keep them?

Don't they have to have a search warrant?

That is not the world I raised my three boys in.

It's not a world I'd recognize.

"Not a world I would recognize"?

What is this Dick Thompson bullshit?

"I believe it's called journalism."

Both sides deserve a voice, Geoff.

Fuck that and fuck you!

You think you're hot shit because The New York Times is printing you?

Look. There's only one side to this story, ours.

Don't let me cut off your access to Jack.

I feel for our patients.

- They deserve better. - Yeah.

Someone like Isabel, she deserves respect.

What are we doing sneaking around...

like we're thieves? What is that?

- We're the good guys. - Yeah.

They bust down the motel door.

Crowbars and guns...

like we're some Chicago bootleggers.

We have to hide them in places like this.

We have to handle these things...

in the backs of vans in the middle of the night.

Drop bodies off...

in emergency room parking lots.

We're not criminals.

The criminals are those who are trying to stop us.

Those are the ones that should be ashamed.

"0-1-5-0-6, Saginaw Motel.

Reported assisted suicide. Dr. Jack Kevorkian."

This may count as loitering.

We shouldn't be out here too long without an attorney.

- Let's go. - Yup.

"0-6-1-1-9, suspect not on premises.

- Female, late 50s." - "7-8-5, no resident here."

"R-34, roger.

C-3-3-5, cleared out number 1 to number 3."

Please tell me what it is your daughter has in her brain...

that won't let her accept the fact that you can pay a bill with cash?

- Please. I did. - And the one thing...

- What you don't do... - Calm down.

Is pay with a check.

You don't pay bills with a check.

Why, my dear girl? Because bills paid by check...

leave a paper trail.

A paper trail is something someone can follow...

and just so you know...

Just so you know...

what I predicted has come true.

The cops traced.

- The cops? - They traced it to my storage file.

They broke in and they took... whatever, who knows?

All my personal files to do God knows what with.

- And now they padlocked it... - All right.

- So, I can't get in! - I'm sorry about it, Jack.

- You're sorry? - I'm sorry it happened.

No one would expect this to happen...

and Mr. Fieger can get everything back for you again.

Just calm down.

- I have explained to you. - Nobody's going to put...

humpty dumpty together again. Do you understand? He is gone.

He is finish. They have my files!

I'm sorry about that. There was an overdue bill...

- That's right. - And Ava sent the check in.

- She just wasn't thinking. - She wasn't thinking?

- That's right. - You're being so generous.

It was stupid. It was blatant stupidity...

- on her part and your part. - Keep your voice down.

- Stupid! She was being stupid. - Hold on there.

Don't you talk about my daughter that way.

- I'll talk about her that way. - Do you hear me?

- You calm down. Now stop it! - I am completely calm!

- You're not calm! - I can't trust you.

- I can't trust her. - You can't trust me?

Either one of you. Together. You don't make it easy for me.

You're supposed to make it easy for me, but you don't.

How dare you, Jack? How dare you?

All my life, I've been making it easier for you.

- Yeah, you make it... - All my life! Do you hear me?

- Look who's yelling now. - And it's been no walk in the park!

That's right, it's been no walk in the park!

And I'm going to tell you something else, nobody takes care of me.

I want to ask you, who do you think takes care of me?

- Nobody! Not you, Jack. - I'm going to take care of you.

- Certainly not you! - Right now...

I'm going to take care of you. From now on...

all you're going to do is operate the camera.

That'll take care of you. Believe me.

You'll be fine with that, because you can't screw that up.

- Okay, is that what you think? - As for your daughter...

- I have news for you. - As for your daughter...

the jury is out.

You'll be doing it for yourself, Jack. You're going to do it.

How's that for news?

- You'll do it, Jack! - That's fine by me.

I'm through with you! I'm through with it!

Go ahead, set the alarm. Who cares?

Is this us? Yeah.

You set that off.

Where the hell is she going?

Margo, could you step into my office for a second? I need to talk to you.

My dream was to be an olympic skier.

And after the car accident, there was...

a chance, well, they told me that there was a chance...

that I'd get the use of my legs again, but it never happened.

So...

I doused myself with gasoline one night...

and lit a match.

You know, the only thing worse than this nightmare existence...

is the nightmare of a botched suicide attempt.

I wish I could help you, Son, but it's not possible.

What you're suffering?

What Dr. Kevorkian is trying to say, Glen...

is that you're clinically depressed...

and under these circumstances, we can't help you.

If you deal with your depression...

you can lead a fulfilling and satisfying life.

And we'll help you find someone that will do that.

Parkinson's takes years...

Years before it compromises your daily activities.

I don't think we can help you now, is what I'm saying.

But if and when the time comes, we'll be here for you.

Okay.

You know I've never been one to hold grudges.

And I'd like to let bygones be bygones.

What do you say?

Good.

So, we're reconciled?

- I hope so. - Well, that's good.

Good. It's good to see you.

Good to see you.

You need to get ready.

- Ready for what? - Dinner at Mr. Fieger's.

Very nice.

What's that?

It's a notice of sale.

I mean, this whole building's kaput.

Well, don't worry about it.

We can live together, we'll be known as the unemployed Kevorkians! Yay!

Unemployed? What does that mean?

It means...

- I got fired. - No. When?

A few weeks ago.

- You're just telling me now? - Jack, we had a falling out.

What happened?

I'm your sister.

What else?

Life is God's choice!

- Oh, my gosh. - These are my new daily visitors.

- Life is God's choice! - Are you going to kill...

every single person in a wheelchair?

Disabled people are not worthless. They are not a drain on society.

You cannot rid the world of inconvenience.

- You are worse than an abortionist. - Shut up, you witch!

These are not comparable issues.

Some great minds have died with the assistance of their doctors.

Sigmund Freud, King George.

If it's good enough for the aristoi, it's good enough for the hoi polloi.

He is leading society into an age of enlightenment...

- You idiots! - Only God can create and destroy.

Have you no religion? Have you no God?

I do, Lady. I have a religion.

His name is Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach.

And at least my God isn't an invented one.

Life is God's choice!

Life is God's choice!

- Life is God's choice! - Who do you think you are?

Life is God's choice!

Life is God's choice!

Life is God's choice...

"A fart on Thomas Putnam!"

Of course, that was the lone laugh in the entire play.

"Because it is my name.

Because I cannot have another in my life.

Because I am not worth the dust...

on the feet of them that hang.

How may I live without my name?

I've given you my soul...

leave me my name."

Is there any more to that?

No.

- Oh, Jack. - That was beautiful, Jack.

- Thank you. - I didn't know you knew that.

That's very good. That was great.

- It's all I know. - You didn't like the sea bass?

It was a bit fishy, but...

No, don't worry.

Why did you never marry, Jack?

He was engaged once.

She worked at Hudson's on Woodward, downtown.

- I saw her. - Let's not go there.

- You never even liked her. - No, I didn't like her.

- Let's not go there. - All right, I won't go there.

Oh, come on. Tell me about this fiance.

Come on, Jack. Say a few words.

- A little something? - What can I tell you?

- We broke up. It was... you know. - I think the truth is...

that girls just make you shake in your boots, Jack.

- Okay. Yeah. - All right then.

Somebody needs some coffee.

So come, Margo, come where it's safe.

Governor Engler's going to be signing a ban in a couple of months.

It'll make assisting a suicide a four year felony.

- That's laughable. - It's a fucking charade.

I'll appeal it when the time is right.

In the meantime, if you have anything lined up...

I suggest you get it done pronto.

We'd have been shit out of luck if I hadn't traced those two down...

at a wholesaler in Kalamazoo...

where it just so happens an old flame of mine works.

A couple of "Happy Hour" margaritas sealed the deal.

Then it was worth the drive then?

It's always worth it.

Jack, I just ain't sure these are going to be enough.

I'll make it work. I can ration it.

Anyway, I think I've got an idea, a way to recapture the gas.

Let's stop over at the hardware store.

And that's...

I apologize for putting you through this.

Honey?

- It's the emphysema. - I know. Yes, I know.

We'll just wait for it to pass.

Let him have this one out. Go ahead.

And we breathe.

- Okay. - Okay.

So, we're... I think we're ready for the box first.

Like I said to you before...

because of the circumstances I'm in now...

we have to use this because I'm saving the gas.

You understand? We're going to recapture the gas.

They won't give me more canisters...

and I have other patients to serve.

Two others, and I...

Maybe this isn't such a great idea, doctor.

- I don't think it's going to hold. - I think it's going to be fine.

We're almost there.

Just a little more tape right here...

There. Just to keep it in. Here we go.

Like we talked about before, all right?

What we said Neal is going to turn on the gas canister, okay?

When you are ready.

So we're going to get the signal from you.

- Yes, sir. - Sorry for this.

- This is not usual... - No.

This is not usually what we do, but we've run out of luck here.

- It's okay. - Okay.

Ready.

All right.

Thank you for a great life, Cheryl.

You too.

You're so brave.

Wait. Take it off.

Take it off.

Take it off.

- Getting hot. - Hot?

- Watch his... - Hot.

- Getting so hot. - It's what?

- Getting so hot. - Hot.

- He's burning up. - Okay, maybe we...

this has got to wait.

- I think so. - No, please.

I wasn't prepared for the issue.

- I'm awfully sorry. So let's... - It's all right, doc.

It's all right. Now, please.

Do it now, please.

Do it.

Okay, let's do it this way.

You know, let's get rid of that.

Just let's just put the box on. It'd be better.

This is going to be easier, Hugh.

- This... - Watch your head.

- Down. - Okay.

- Watch your head. - Here it is.

Mind your head.

Just push it, that's it. That's fine.

This is going to be easier now...

because the gas will escape now.

It won't heat up.

Just like that, Hugh. Okay?

Now, air is going to get through, so you'll be all right.

You're not going to heat up.

Let me just get this.

Here we are.

Okay. Once again, when you're ready, Hugh.

We'll have Neal turn the gas on again.

I love you, Darling.

- I love you. - I love you.

It's okay, Darling.

- You... - I love you.

Oh God.

I love you.

I love you, Darling.

I love you.

He's gone, my dear.

I'm going to type out the final action report.

And give it to you tomorrow.

God!

So you ever going to say anything?

Because nothing irks me more than having you sitting there simmering.

God forbid I should irk you.

Well, just spit it out. You've got something to say.

The Great Jack Kevorkian. You know better.

That's right.

Nothing gets in the way of the mission.

The mission? What mission.

Is that what you call rationing?

Taping a fucking sheet of plastic around a poor guy's head?

We should've waited until we had more gas.

Oh, and when would that have been I wonder?

I should've insisted.

He was... done.

Do you understand? He wanted it done.

He was begging for it. We wanted to go.

We were ready to go. He was begging us to stay.

He wanted it done. You saw that.

Yeah, I saw it. It freaked the shit out of me.

Well, it worked out.

It got done.

I knew it would.

We can't be cutting corners anymore.

This isn't the old days.

We're not down in the lab winging it anymore.

Jack, the next time it doesn't feel right...

call it off.

These are my decisions to make, Neal.

Mine alone.

Yes, sir, Kemosabe.

This is the one we got through the search warrant at Kevorkian's...

and you can see where he's whited out a number of lines and typed over.

And this is the one found in Nicol's trash...

by a concerned activist.

Mr. Gale's desperate pleas to take off his gas mask...

were deleted and replaced with the phrase...

"Patient became flushed, agitated. Breathing deeply.

Increased rate of respiration and muscle tension...

with no over action."

This directly contradicts Mr. Nicol's photocopied version...

Saying, "Take it off."

And suggests that...

Dr. Kevorkian was attempting to cover something up.

Saying, "Take it off," once again...

he fell into unconsciousness.

The tragedy is that Mr. Gale did not want to die that day...

but Dr. Kevorkian didn't care.

An inquest will be held.

He lied in his report!

He is the most honest man I know.

- Honest to a fault! - Could we continue please?

Mr. Nicol, when Mr. Gale said, "Take it off"...

he was talking about the plastic tent on his head...

not the gas mask.

And his lungs locked up. That happens with emphysema.

Then why would Dr. Kevorkian feel the need to correct...

You're grasping at straws here.

It was a simple typographical error...

which I had pointed out to him...

and he corrected.

He typed up a new copy which was going to go in our records.

Before you ransacked his apartment!

But this typo, in its original, was four lines long.

Why wouldn't he just rip it up and start again if it was a mistake?

To save on paper.

Dr. Kevorkian is...

incredibly cheap.

It was a very emotional day...

as they all are.

And I'm sure, when he typed it up it was in the middle of the night...

and he was trying to do three things at once...

like he always does.

Mrs. Gale, please.

For your husband's sake.

The truth.

My husband of 22 years...

Faced death so many times from his seizures.

He used to pray not to wake up.

He talked about shooting himself...

but he didn't want to leave me the mess to clean up.

So here's your truth, Mr. Thompson.

As sick as Hugh was...

I begged him not to make the call.

I begged him every night for nine months.

And then before Christmas...

I asked him what he wanted for a gift...

The last gift I'd ever give him...

And he said, "There's only one thing you can get me, sweetheart.

It's an appointment with Dr. Kevorkian."

I find no factual basis to proceed.

Exonerated once again.

Jack, fifteen. Thompson, zilch.

No wonder everyone's drinking at this show.

Is that Santa Claus stepping on a baby?

- Yes. - Tell me about doc's Christmases.

It looks quite morbid.

Well, except for the flower that is.

Thank God I'm not a shrink.

Our grandparents, our aunts, our uncles...

The Armenian Holocaust was the same as the Jews.

Only our parents, barely teenagers...

were able to flee.

Growing up, all we heard were those terrible stories...

of all the bloodshed, and it frightened Jack so.

It's all dealing with the melancholy age-old struggle...

between warmth of life, the iciness of death.

Only I'm sure that theme would be better served...

had a real artist done it.

Many nights he would just sit in his bed...

lights on a must, you know.

Clutching that little dog of ours so tightly.

Wait a minute. He had a dog?

You're looking so intently.

- Yes. - What are you feeling?

- That's what I'd like to know. - Jack, it's...

- Hi. - Hi.

I know what you're feeling. You're feeling it's macabre.

- It is macabre... - Yes, my friend.

But you're looking at it nonetheless.

It's like war.

War, you're drawn to it...

but after you've been through it...

you say, "That was grotesque, macabre, strange, ugly."

That's the feeling I'm trying to convey.

- I'm sold. - I heard "sold".

- How much, Jack? - Whatever you think is fair.

- My patients thank you in advance. - Good.

This is from my private collection.

Hello?

"Dr. Kevorkian, I'm afraid we have some bad news...

regarding your sister."

It appears she had the heart attack...

a couple of hours before she called 911.

Perhaps she thought that whatever it was...

it would just pass.

I'm terribly sorry for your loss.

Wouldn't you like to see her?

No.

By late, much too often deceived.

By too early, a death now relieved...

of the burden she bore...

my sister, Margo gave more...

to my life than she ever received.

The whole question of death and dying...

Involves the most profound and complex ethical questions...

that we must decide as a society.

At no time, have the people of Michigan...

or the Michigan Legislature, granted Jack Kevorkian...

or any other individual the sole right...

to decide who lives or dies in our state.

- Thank you. - Thank you, Governor.

Congratulations.

Over here. Just bring it right over here.

We're going to save some of that stuff.

We all support you, Jack.

Thanks, fellas. Thank you.

- Could I? - Oh, yeah.

Jimmy!

Yeah, give me a hand here.

I'm signing autograph!

Okay? Wait a minute.

I got it in a settlement a couple of years ago.

It beats the hell out of your apartment.

A lake.

- Geese? - Yeah.

Well, it is a bit romantic for my taste.

Well, sue me for trying to put a goddamn roof over your head, Jack.

I'm not letting you live in some YMCA. Come on.

Fine. Only I haven't taken this yet.

And if I do, I'm paying the rent.

No charity case.

Okay, I'll take it.

Okay. Geoff?

- Yeah? - Let's go.

Let's go. Don't you have work to get back to?

Like what?

"Like what?"

Like appealing the 15-month ban that's tying my hands.

What's on your mind, Jack?

They made a law, specifically to stop me.

I want to challenge it.

I want to test it.

What is this?

Thomas Hyde, 30 years old.

Lou Gehrig's disease.

Are you going to go along with me on this?

I'm with you, Jack.

"Okay, don't strain too much. Don't strain.

He's going get a cramp here? Does he? Yes.

All right, that's enough of the physical stuff, Tom."

No more physical.

I just wanted you to move a little for the record.

"So now, Tom, tell me.

What is it you wish?

In plain English."

Bond is set for 50,000 dollars. Are you going to pay that today?

That is beyond egregious, Your Honor.

That is no way I'm going to pay a bond like that, Your Honor.

You can forget it.

- Because this is the last time... - Jack.

You people unjustly take away from me my liberties.

I need a moment with my client, Your Honor.

And I will not... hear me now... I will not eat.

- Jack. - Guaranteed.

- I apologize for my client. - You are assisting in my suicide.

Please. Jack, just come on.

Jack, this is better than I could've imagined.

Every paper is treating you as a victim.

Don't even think about paying my bond.

Let them convict me.

You're not getting convicted on my watch.

Here, Jack. Come on.

Have a bazooka.

- Bazooka? - No, it is not cheating.

It's just a little apple juice.

I put some vitamin drops in, that's all.

Go ahead.

- Vitamin drops? - Yummy. There you go.

I've seen you before, haven't I? What the hell is in there?

You've seen better days, doc. Just drink it down.

I sure have.

That's it.

That's sweet of you, Janet.

- My pleasure, doc. - Share some with me.

No, you have it. I'm on the wagon.

Because it's...

Because it's...

What's this? I know this.

I know this well.

Why can't I...

Because it is my name.

Because it is... My soul.

Because it...

How could I not know that?

Because it is my name.

Because I cannot have...

I cannot have another in my...

Because I cannot have another in my life.

Because it is my name.

I have given you... My life.

I've given you my life.

Because I would... No.

Because I cannot have...

Because I cannot have... let me not...

I cannot have another in my life.

This is make me...

How may I live without my name?

I've given you my soul.

Margo.

Margo.

You were right.

It's nicer.

It is nicer.

Because it is...

Because it is...

Because it is...

It's been 19 days.

I'm granting Mr. Fieger's request to reduce your bond to 100 dollars.

Thank you, Your Honor.

If you want to fire me, go ahead.

"So, is there anything else...

you wish to add, Tom...

or have Heidi tell us?

Or Heidi, is there anything you would add...

before we conclude this discusion?"

"I'm sorry, honey.

That's all I wanted to say.

It's too much for us."

Jail Jack!

Jail Jack!

Mr. Thompson, what happened?

I remind Kevorkian this "not guilty" verdict...

does not change the fact that we still have a ban in effect.

I think mankind took...

took an historic step today out of the dark ages.

It makes me think of the Nuremburg trials.

When a law is deemed immoral by you...

You must disobey it.

- Thank you. - Dick.

The man's invincible. So am I.

I just got word that the court of appeals is...

going to hear arguments on your ban!

Hell, I'm going to win that too!

Why can't we have clinics doing this stuff?

Every city should have a clinic where someone can go to.

As a matter of fact, I just got an idea.

I'm going to have one of my own.

How does it feel to be victorious?

Victorious? I never feel victorious.

I just go ahead and do what I do.

This isn't a victory to me. It's just common sense.

You don't need hardly nothing. The walls are good.

No, they're not. You can't leave it white.

- What's wrong with white? - You want something that's cream...

or robin's egg blue. Something that's warm.

Something that's peaceful.

Should it be higher, you think?

Well, I don't have any window nails on me right now, doc.

Well, you know, Neal, it's not like it's 500 pounds.

You just lift it up, there it is.

That looks good.

It's not centered enough, but who cares, right?

- There you go. - I think it's perfect.

- Yup. - No.

I couldn't tell because I've got to go outside and see it here.

Oh, yeah.

So if you're unconscious...

they have the right to turn off the feeding tube and let you die.

But if you're conscious, rational...

and begging for assistance to be allowed to die...

we refuse.

Now how is it possible...

that a mentally competent adult...

not have the right to look a doctor in the eye...

and say "I've had enough"?

"I can't endure anymore pain.

Help me.

I've had enough."

Do we really want...

government making those decisions for us?

No.

It can't be.

It just can't be.

"In a rented storefront in Warren...

Kevorkian aided the death of a Kansas City, Missouri woman...

who had been inflicted with Lou Gehrig's disease."

Are you trying to say you didn't know who I was?

You didn't really think...

it was going to be an Armenian bakery, did you?

You've got 24 hours to vacate. Not a minute more.

If we can get into another storage unit...

not storage unit, but another place...

We've got a place to move...

move all the crap so we don't have to...

You've got to store it.

Or they're going to throw it out on the street.

Oh, shoot.

- Ray boy. - They shut us down, Ray.

They just shut us down.

You know, the same kind of thing...

spurred the '67 riots, you know.

You remember? Of course you remember. You were there.

You were a captain, weren't you?

What's the matter?

- Hey, Jan. - Janny?

- What's going on? - I've got the cancer.

Pancreatic.

They diagnosed me this morning.

They've given me six months...

but I'm not rolling over like that.

Here, make yourself useful. Put that in the oven.

- Here. - Oh, what you got...

- Pecan sandies here? - No, it's chocolate chip.

- Here, here's another one. - Yeah.

So what's new with you?

They shut us down.

So we're going to have to...

You know, find another place.

We will. We'll find another place.

Don't worry.

Hey, Jack.

Hey, Geoff.

They don't want to eat today.

I'm sorry to hear about Janet.

Here.

The Court of Appeals ruling just came in...

and they ruled in our favor.

They said that the law was so poorly worded...

that it could not be upheld.

Well, I'm glad to hear there's still some smart people in power left.

That was the good news.

They also ruled that there's no constitutional right...

to commit suicide.

I take back what I just said.

And that aiding in one falls under an old common-law definition of murder.

Common law? What the hell is that?

We're going to re-try him on Sherry Miller...

And Marjorie Wantz. Those two weren't terminal.

And it's my job to see they get justice.

- Are you really certain that... - I've got him in my crosshairs now.

The public doesn't want another trial.

From all I hear, they're ready to turn the page.

I stopped worrying about public perception a long time ago, David.

Public crusader, or attention-grabbing egotist...

you be the judge as Dr. Jack Kevorkian...

appears at the courthouse...

locked in an old-fashioned wooden pillory.

Prosecutor Dick Thompson can only hope his roll of the dice...

finally muzzles the maverick physician.

Top defense lawyer Mayer Morganroth has his money on Jack.

- Why the stocks? - This is a clear manifestation...

of the existence of the inquisition in the state.

Medieval punishment for a medieval concept.

- This is not a trial. - Your Honor, please.

What law have I broken? Tell me. What law he I broken?

Some antiquated common laws. Common law.

- Do you know that it's a crime... - You Honor...

To convert from Christianity to Islam?

- Did you know that was a common law? - May I continue please?

It's a crime not to believe in the Bible.

That's a common law. This is not a trial.

- Your Honor... - This is not a trial.

It's a lynching, and I'm not going to participate in my own lynching.

Can we all presume, just for the hell of it...

that we are really in a courtroom, okay?

No, I will not presume.

- That there's a judge, a jury... - I refuse to presume.

And real witnesses. Can we presume that this is a real trial?

No, we can't, because there is no law here.

- Am I wrong? - You're wrong!

Prove it. Cite to me one...

common-law case of assisted suicide.

- One. Go ahead. I'm listening. - I will ask the questions, sir.

- We're all waiting. Cite one. - Do you want to answer my question?

- Smartass. Go ahead and do it. - Your Honor.

Dr. Kevorkian, I'm warning you.

You know, Your Honor, you may cite me for contempt...

but I am finished with this farce.

I'm not going to be a part of it. I just can't.

- I'm so sick and tired of this fusion... - Resume the stand, Dr. Kevorkian.

Of religious dogma and medicine.

Can I ask for a recess, please? Just a couple of minutes, Your Honor.

- Recess. - Thank you, Your Honor.

"Can't, there's nothing anybody can do for me...

and there's certainly no step..."

Time to give it up, Dick.

"Or I would not be here."

Go on.

Jack.

I told you those videotapes were going to be our golden ticket.

We have to take this to the Supreme Court, Geoff.

We have to do it. We've still got to get a law...

- legalizing assisted suicide, no? - Congratulations.

Hey, Jack. Come on. You won. Enjoy yourself.

Morganroth is right, Jack. You'll never see another courtroom again.

The house of cards is falling.

And Engler's going down with it.

- Ladies and gentlemen! - Come on.

Please, I have an important announcement.

I have decided to run for Governor.

Fieger for Governor!

Feiger's your finest!

Next stop, Lansing!

David Gorcyca, Oakland County Prosecutor.

It has a nice ring to it.

You know, you owe me after the way I demolished Thompson for you.

And I know you'll stay out of Jack's hair.

Thomson blew away too many taxpayer dollars...

on these prosecutions.

I've no intention to waste one more nickel.

As long as Kevorkian stays in line...

he can assist as many patients as he damn well pleases.

No worries.

Jack's learned to listen to everything I say.

You know, I'm only operating by the grace of this prosecutor.

Go ahead.

You can go do your thing...

in some dark little corner of the universe...

but do it quietly, you know?

The lingering of death.

What a business. Keep death alive.

Hospitals don't make money otherwise.

Drug companies either.

If you're rich and you have the money...

you can pay to die.

But the poor, they can only afford to stick it out and suffer.

They say complacency is a virtue.

Stop whining.

You make me more nauseous than my chemo.

You have full reign. Just deal with it.

Yeah.

I think the biggest mistake of my life...

was not getting married.

- Excuse me? - I could've, you know.

Procreated.

Kept the family name alive.

- Why not? - Procreate?

You would've made that big a sacrifice...

to keep the family name alive? You would've done that?

Well, sometimes, you've got to get your hands a little dirty.

Well, could you have loved though, doc?

That's the bigger question.

Could you have loved?

You didn't put sugar in here again.

Don't get up.

We need to have a conversation.

You know, I'm not lugging this thing around just because it's sexy.

And you're the only doctor in my neighborhood...

that practices euthanasia.

Oh, we're not there yet.

You've got plenty of time.

"Fieger!"

"Okay, let's keep these signs up.

Let's keep them up there. Don't drop that.

Did you get a t-shirt?

Get those buttons out there. Buttons!"

"What is your official stance on the assisted suicide issue?"

"I give my word to the people of Michigan...

that I will not be supporting doctor-assisted suicide."

"Even with your history with Dr. Kevorkian?"

"What I've always said is I support the individual's right to choose.

But I repeat, I will not be supporting doctor-assisted suicide."

"There you have it, Folks. Now back to you, John.

This is Megan from Channel 4 News."

"There's something happening here, people.

And if you don't know what it is, it's Geoffrey Fieger."

"The 47-year-old Fieger's flare for the dramatic...

has enlivened a campaign that most analysts...

said would be dishwater dull.

No longer advocating for Kevorkian...

Fieger is now advocating for himself...

and campaigning with Michigan voters.

Filling himself as the anti-politician."

"Governor Engler is dumber than Dan Quayle...

and twice as ugly.

He's a racist and he's a liar."

"It's the acerbic tongue of Geoffrey Fieger's...

that Republicans say they'll make the major issue...

of this upcoming race."

God had His chance to come take me.

I'll go to Him instead.

Are you going to look at me, doc?

Or is it an Armenian thing?

- Is what? - You know, keeping it all inside.

Just keep it going. Is that an Armenian thing?

I don't know.

Actually, how could it be an Armenian thing?

Margo was just as Armenian as you are and she talked my ear off.

She told me everything.

She could share. You don't share.

What do you want me to share?

Anything. Everything.

- I'm afraid... - I know.

- No, you don't. - Yes, I do.

I'm not afraid for myself, you dope.

I'm afraid for you.

Your little band of Kevorkians is shrinking into nothing.

Will you come closer? I can't see you right there.

Here.

- Right here. - Yes. Okay.

See, you know Margo and I were the only two...

that could tell you to shut up.

Look, you need more people in your corner...

not less.

People that you can trust.

And the only way people trust each other...

is if they know each other.

And nobody knows you.

Nobody.

How did it feel...

when your mother was dying?

You were a doctor, a healer and you were helpless.

How did that feel?

You know, I failed her.

I failed my mother.

And?

She once said to me...

"Imagine, Jack...

the worst toothache in the world.

Now imagine that toothache...

being in every bone in your body."

That's...

That's what was happening to her.

She was my mother. I devoted my life to her.

So...

So how did you feel?

I remember...

I remember being in this little hospital room...

this cilly little room.

A lone window in the red brick wall.

That's what it faced...

And all these doctors circling around my mother...

trying to keep her alive.

And I was helpless.

I was powerless...

helpless and ineffectual.

And I felt...

lost.

I was lost.

That's how I felt.

Thanks, doc.

Thanks.

- Ray and the kids... - Yeah.

Give my love to Margo.

Yes.

Hey, guys.

Okay.

Your little band of Kevorkians is shrinking into nothing.

Jack! Dr. Kevorkian!

Dr. Kevorkian! Jack, over here!

I'm afraid for you.

You're not the best spokes-person for the cause, really.

We have to take this to the Supreme Court, Geoff.

Because I don't have forever.

Your little band of Kevorkians is shrinking into nothing.

Disappearing.

Dr. Kevorkian, a question!

Dr. Jack Kevorkian was among the who's who on hand...

to celebrate "Time Magazine's" 75th Anniversary Gala...

at Radio City Music Hall.

The big night was attended by many of the faces...

who have appeared on "Time's" covers over the decades.

You need more people in your corner.

I'm afraid for you.

Joe Dimaggio to Jerry Falwell.

To Raquel Welch to Henry Kissinger.

I'm afraid for you.

Your little band of Kevorkians is shrinking into nothing.

I don't have forever.

We have to take this to the Supreme Court, Geoff.

Jack, I'm dealing with the religious right.

My condolences.

And the disability group...

I mean they think you want to kill the whole lot of them.

So? What have we accomplished?

No law has been passed. I mean, this is the prelude.

This is the beginning. The Battle of Concord.

- The Battle of Lexington... - What are you thinking?

I'm thinking of the Supreme Court!

I'm thinking of going all the way.

If they want to silence me, let them prosecute me.

Convict me, send me to jail.

Like Martin Luther King, or Galileo, or...

The Supreme Court has already said...

that the states do have the right to outlaw doctor-assisted suicide!

See, you don't listen!

They also said...

that they would hear a case if the right one came along.

If it was for a particularly suffering individual...

they would hear it.

You don't listen.

"Okay, Tom.

So have you discussed your wishes with your wife and family?"

Do they want you to go on?

Yes.

They understand...

why.

It's my decision.

He's saying, "It's my decision."

Okay.

Now, Tom.

I will be administering direct lethal injection...

what's called "active euthanasia".

"You don't want to wait a month or so?"

"No, I do not."

"How about two weeks? Two weeks?"

"No."

"A week? Can you wait a week?"

- "Yeah." - "Okay."

"We'll stretch it out another week."

You're doing the deed yourself?

This is really crossing into uncharted territory.

Well, so I set sail.

Rudderless, I admit...

but that's the way it goes.

"This is going to allow me to do direct lethal injection."

I'm all alone, Neal.

And I'm running out of time.

That first day, 35 years ago.

You came down to the basement lab...

and talked to all us med techs.

You were the only doctor in our whole hospital...

we didn't think was a pompous son of a bitch.

Well, that was your first mistake.

I let you stick needles in me...

transfuse cadaver blood.

Shit, you weren't the only one that got hepatitis, Jack.

Hell, we have some good times.

You had purpose, Jack.

You had purpose and I guess I needed some too.

And I know that this is your decision.

But if you decide to pull the plug on somebody yourself...

you're going to be flying solo.

- Yes? - This is Melody Youk.

I'm sorry to call so late.

But it's Tom.

"He can't wait any longer. He's terrified."

Okay. I'm on my way.

Just say your goodbyes then, Melody...

because I don't want anyone to be there when I do this thing.

"I'm on my way."

- Jack. - Hey, Jack.

Look what I got.

I want a national debate on this...

because once that happens, they have to charge me.

- They have no choice, right? - With murder, maybe.

I want to put euthanasia on trial.

Let the people decide if it's murder or not.

You want to sacrifice yourself?

Because you'd go to prison for the rest of your life.

You know I know Barbara Walte.

She likes me...

but I want a bigger audience.

You know Mike Wallace, don't you?

No, I... yeah.

I mean if...

If you put him on the air...

will you be dealing with a rational human being?

Well, I can't promise rational with Kevorkian, Mike.

But if you're asking if he's sane...

I'd say yes.

He knows exactly what he's doing.

"Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who has acknowledged...

helping more than 130 patients kill themselves...

tonight reveals that two months ago...

he killed one of his patients himself...

and recorded it on video tape.

Tom Youk led an active life.

He restored and raced vintage cars.

But two years ago at age 50...

he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease...

a devastating incurable illness...

that destroyed his muscles.

He lost the use of his legs and then his arms.

His family says he was in terrible pain...

had trouble breathing and swallowing...

and was choking on his own saliva."

"And we're ready to inject.

We're going to inject your right arm. Okay?"

"First the doctor gave him seconal...

to put him to sleep quickly."

"Sleepy, Tom? Tom, are you asleep?

Are you asleep? He's asleep."

"Then he injected a muscle relaxant...

to stop his breathing.

- And this?" - "Paralyzes the muscles."

- "But he's still alive." - "Well, he's still alive, but that's why.

Now you see, now this lack of oxygen is getting to him now.

But he's unconscious deeply, so it doesn't matter."

"Is he dead now?"

"He's dying now...

because his oxygen's cut off, he can't breath.

So I'll now quickly inject the potassium chloride...

to stop the heart.

Now there's a straight line."

- "He's dead." - "Yeah. The heart has stopped."

"I'm shocked that it's come to this, that in the 90s...

we have to make such an issue out of something...

a person should be in control of their own life and death."

"And those who say that...

Jack Kevorkian, Dr. Death, is a fanatic?"

"Zealot.

I'm fighting for me, Mike, for me. Because this is a right I want.

I might wind up being terribly suffering.

I'd like to know there's a colleague out there...

who will come to me in my time of need.

Now that might sound selfish, and maybe it is...

but if it helps everybody else, then so be it."

This whole thing's making me sick to my stomach.

Well, he admits on national TV that he's a killer.

50 million homes heard him say "Fuck you" to us.

I want that whole interview and I want him convicted.

Let's make it happen, John.

He's gone too far.

I'm going to represent myself.

What, you're firing me?

Finally I get to say what I want to say.

No lawyer, not even you...

can address a jury the way I can.

Skedaddle!

Migrate, will you?

Jack, you don't know shit about law.

Okay? They'll hurt you.

No, I'm going to hurt them.

Because if I lose, I hurt them. If I win, I hurt them.

Well, you're lucky you're in Michigan...

because if you were in some other state, they'd fry your ass.

Here they'll just toss you in a cell and throw away the key forever.

- This is not a game. - No, it's a game.

It's a game that if I lose, I win.

Because I go to the Supreme Court.

I get this debate in front of the people where it belongs.

That's an assumption.

- What if you're wrong? - Never been wrong.

Are you willing to set back the legalization...

of assisted suicide for God knows how long?

- Migrate, will you? - Jack, would you forget the geese?

Migrate! Look at you, hiding behind the boat.

You know, I never minded feeding them...

but look at this. All over there's poop!

Watch where you're stepping. Look at this.

Geoff.

- Yeah? - Your problem...

You don't see the big picture.

My problem is that you're a stubborn fool.

For a brilliant man...

you show an alarming lack of judgment when it counts the most.

I don't care what happens to me.

And I'm not afraid because I'm right.

Thank you very much!

"A grateful John Engler enjoys the thrill of his victory...

for a third term as Michigan's Governor.

He trounced his Democratic opponent."

"Geoffrey Fieger has to feel somewhat humiliated today.

This is a man who is not used to losing.

Not used to losing the big one, certainly.

And The Voters of Michigan have pretty resoundingly said...

'Geoffrey, we might hire you if we had a legal case...

but we don't want you to be our Governor.'"

Death is not welcome here!

Pre-trial hearings get underway today...

on the people of the state of Michigan versus Jack Kevorkian.

Now this is following that controversial broadcast...

of the videotape showing Dr. Jack Kevorkian...

giving a fatal dose of chemicals to Thomas Youk...

on the news program "60 Minutes".

A wide array of protest groups have amassed...

here outside the Oakland County Court house...

contentiously voicing both their opposition and support.

One way or another, this is Dr. Jack Kevorkian's fifth trial...

and it very well may be his last.

I've looked at all the motions, Gentlemen.

Mr. Gorosh, I'm denying your motions...

to quash all the charges against Dr. Kevorkian.

There is no basis to dismiss.

But I do think there is an argument here...

that murder and assisted suicide are...

incompatible charges by definition.

Well, that may be something to be debated in a law school class.

But not in my courtroom.

And, Mr. Skrzynski, I'm granting your motion...

to limit testimony on the murder charge...

but not on assisted suicide.

A person's pain and suffering is very relevant...

when defending an assisted suicide charge.

The trial starts in five days.

Okay, thank you.

It just occurred to me.

Why don't we drop the assisted suicide charge all together?

What are you saying?

I'm saying that what proved lethal...

in all our other cases was...

the family members testifying...

juries hearing about the conditions of the victims.

How much pain they were in.

And all that bullshit.

So if we drop the charge, make it all or nothing on murder...

the widow, the brother...

They won't get to testify.

Precisely.

Just take all that sympathy out of the courtroom.

Do you understand, Dr. Kevorkian...

that you are charged with first-degree murder...

and delivery of a controlled substance...

and that the assisted suicide charge...

has been dropped?

I do. Yes.

You understand that...

you could spend the rest of your life in prison?

Whatever is left of it, sure.

You understand what prison is?

Did you see "The Shawshank Redemption", sir?

No.

Do you understand you may not disrupt or inconvenience the court...

in any way, shape or form?

I will act like the guest that I am.

You're no guest. You're the defendant.

"What do you think of...

Dr. Jack Kevorkian actually helping people kill themselves?"

"Well, my grandma's very sick...

and everyday she asks me...

'Bring me Jack Kevorkian.'"

"Doctors are supposed to uphold the hippocratic oath though...

save lives."

"Some people are dying...

and they should be dying gracefully with dignity and honor.

But I don't think we ought to put them out to pasture this way."

"I think he rocks.

He gives people a choice...

of whether or not they want to suffer...

throughout terminal illnesses or not."

"Dr. Jack Kevorkian is...

one of the most audacious serial killers...

this country has ever known."

"Let's say your mother wanted his help...

wanted to kill herself.

What would you think of that?"

"Well, if she was mentally competent...

I would ask her what she wanted...

and support her."

"The names of dozens of other people...

who have died with the help of Jack Kevorkian...

laid out on the courthouse lawn to make a point."

"Conviction is important...

because Jack Kevorkian is...

the most public symbol of the euthanasia movement...

and we need to stop him."

Please tell us, Dr. Dragovic...

did Mr. Youk's ALS contribute to his death at all?

- "No." - "Then how did he die?"

"He was poisoned by intravenously injected substances."

"Is homicide always murder, doctor?"

- "No, sir." - "When is it not murder?"

"Objection. That's a legal question."

"Sir, you may question him in regard to his autopsy report...

but nothing further that's legal."

"But why? Look, I..."

"If you had consulted your attorney, he'd tell you why."

Okay.

- Is euthanasia always murder? - Objection.

Always homicide?

- Yes, sir. - Yes, it's always homicide.

And you stated...

that homicide is not necessarily always murder.

Therefore...

out of pure logic...

wouldn't you say that euthanasia is not always murder?

Objection. Calls for a legal conclusion.

No, it calls for simple logic.

It's a syllogism.

It calls for nothing but syllogism.

Again, you're asking him to make a legal conclusion.

No, but this is a mathematical conclusion.

It's simple arithmetic.

I don't know shit about the law either...

But I know when I'm watching a train wreck.

Yeah, well, I told him Gorosh is a putz.

"It can't possibly be a fair fight."

You got to do something, Geoff. Anything.

Dr. Kevorkian.

Tom's brother's flight from France got delayed...

but he will be here soon.

Okay, don't worry.

We're going to get you both on the stand to testify.

I know you want to call Melody Youk as your first witness...

but what is it that she's going to testify to?

Well, she's going to testify about my intent.

What she observed and our discussions...

Dr. Kevorkian, that has no relevance here.

I assumed your counsel would've advised you about this...

that once the assisted suicide charge was dropped...

you could no longer put these witnesses before the jury.

Yeah, but I'm talking about what went on...

You know, as to my intent.

Your feeling compelled to help Mr. Youk...

is not a legal defense.

And you're already aware that a person's condition...

has no bearing in a murder case.

But that I didn't kill her husband, you see.

- This is relevant. - Okay.

We'll make a special record outside the presence of the jury.

I will rule on that.

- Okay. - All right?

- Thank you. - Thank you.

Melody, did you tell me it was your intention...

or Tom's intention that I kill him?

No. That was not our intent.

And when I met you, I felt it was not your intent.

It was never your intent or our intent that Tom...

There it is. You see?

Other than released from suffering.

So the word "kill", did it ever crop up?

- Or "murder"? - No.

Ugly words.

Ugly words.

You're talking about mercy killing.

And her statements can't show...

your state of mind. They only show hers.

Therefore, I cannot allow her to testify before the jury.

But wait. I want to say something...

That I have so much I want to say.

I have been waiting for four goddamn months for this opportunity!

You may call it mercy killing.

I call it something else.

I call it a medical service...

for an agonized, incurably suffering patient.

That's what I call it. All right?

Why don't, what difference does it make what you call it?

When you have these fine stipulations of law...

standing in the way of a dedicated physician...

and I am a dedicated physician.

I mean, my integrity would be destroyed...

if I turned my back on that patient.

I would rather be dead.

It's far worse.

You could take my life. It would be worse.

This was a service.

It had nothing to do with "kill" or "murder"...

or... it was a service.

It was a medical service that was being done.

I can't be clearer.

I can't be clearer than that, Your Honor.

I see the emotion, I understand it, but it's not relevant.

Please step down, Mrs. Youk.

"Jessica Cooper has already ruled...

that Dr. Kevorkian's side can't put into evidence...

that there was suffering here by the victim."

"Does that make any sense?"

"No, because I think it's an improper ruling...

both in terms of...

the nature of this trial and criminal defenses in general.

You're entitled to put forward any plausible defense...

to explain the context of your act...

and she's already limited him from doing that."

It's like watching a man hang himself.

I've been watching the television.

Once you knew they were dropping the assisted suicide charge...

- what was your plan? - He doesn't let me help him.

- Hey, what am I supposed to do? - You're supposed to do?

Get creative, that's what you're supposed to do.

Why didn't you argue that Youk's wife and brother...

were eyewitnesses to the event...

that the prosecutor's calling a murder?

Then Judge Cooper would've had to have let them testify.

But that window's closed now.

Did you ever pass the fucking bar exam?

Dave.

"There are those who would say about Dr. Jack Kevorkian...

right message, wrong messenger."

"And who is the right messenger?"

Now I'm confused about this, Dr. Kevorkian.

You said you had another witness.

I'm not allowing his testimony...

on the same grounds I didn't allow Mrs. Youk's.

I'm sorry you flew all this way, Mr. Youk.

Would you like to take the stand...

in your own defense, Dr. Kevorkian?

I'm sorry.

Sir, would you like to take the stand in your own defense?

Oh, I heard you.

I did.

You know, I don't lie...

and I don't exaggerate.

And...

you know, you never said why.

You accuse me of these heinous things...

but you never said why. Did you?

No, just saying. I'm just saying.

You know, just so you know.

Sir, let's keep to the relevance here.

Oh, this is... it's not relevant?

I guess it's not.

It's not relevant.

I will ask you again.

Would you like to take the stand in your own defense, sir?

It's now or never.

Never.

No.

The defense...

rests.

Not since Ruby killed Oswald...

did we see a murder on television.

Jack Kevorkian came like a hit man in the night...

with a bag of poison to do his job.

What would happen if he got his way...

and made the state policy euthanasia?

What could go wrong?

Well, there are 11 million souls buried in Europe...

that can tell you that when you make euthanasia a state policy.

Some catastrophic things can evolve...

- from opening up that box. - How dare you?

- How dare you... - Dr. Kevorkian!

Compare euthanasia with the genocide?

- How dare you! - You have crossed the line!

- Where is your decency and respect? - Order in the court.

We will take a brief recess.

Do you see a criminal?

Do you see a murderer?

If you do...

then you must convict.

And then take the harsh judgment of history.

And the even harsher judgment of your children.

And their children if they should ever come...

to need this choice in their lives.

I just ask you to think about that.

Guilty of the lesser charge of second-degree murder.

And with regard to count two, what is your verdict?

"Guilty of delivery of a controlled substance."

He's out of time. Yes.

"You invited yourself here to make a final stand.

You invited yourself to the wrong forum."

Our nation tolerates differences of opinions...

because we have a civilized and non-violent way...

of resolving our conflicts.

We have the means and methods...

to protest laws with which we disagree.

You can criticize the law.

Lecture about the law.

Speak to the media or petition voters...

but you must always stay within the limits provided by the law.

You may not break the law...

or take the law into your own hands.

No one's unmindful...

of the controversy and emotion that exists...

over end-of-life issues and pain control.

I assume the debate will continue...

in a calm and reasoned forum long after this trial...

and your activities have faded from the public memory.

But this trial was not about that controversy.

This trial was about you, sir.

You've ignored and challenged...

The Legislature and The Supreme Court.

Moreover, you've defied your own medical profession.

This trial was about lawlessness...

about your disregard for a society...

that exists and flourishes...

because of the strength of our legal system.

No one is above the law.

You had the audacity to go on national television...

show the world what you did...

and dare the legal system to stop you.

You publicly and repeatedly announced your intentions...

to disregard the laws of Michigan.

Because of this, I am imposing...

the maximum sentence of 10 to 25 years.

You may now, sir, consider yourself stopped.

Yeah, doc!

You the man, Jack! You the man!

Hey, Jack!

Translator: FRESTO