Original subtitles

‐Watch your hands there. ‐[gurney clatters]

‐Here we go. ‐He was young.

Yeah, I got it.

[grunts] All right.

‐I don't... ‐There we go.

[indistinct radio chatter]

It's Harry Fenwick, the cancer finally took him.

You're supposed to call us when you pick up dead bodies, Sal.

I was going to call from the mortuary.

You were supposed to call from the scene.

Getting calls from neighbors.

‐We want that call from you. ‐[scoffs] Suddenly such a sheriff.

Is there a problem?

Uh, sorry about this.

It was a blessing, really. He was in a lot of pain.

Yeah, Carla, sorry.

Thank you. He's with God now.

Yes, he is.

Excuse me.

Call probate, find out who inherits what.

Tell Carter to get to the mortuary, take a look.

What, why?

Because somebody's dead.

Jimmy, he died of cancer.

We check.

Get a statement from the wife and the son.

Have Kenny run probate and tell Carter to check the body out.

Well, you don't think that's a little, you know, insensitive?

We're no longer a sensitive department, Max.

When somebody dies, we find out why

and we find out for sure.

Like I said,

there's a new sheriff.

I miss the old one.

[theme song starts]

[theme song ends]

Please get out of my face.

A man can't even die

‐of cancer without you? ‐This is just routine, Doug.

‐It was not routine for Carla Fenwick! ‐Jimmy.

Carter called, there needle marks on the guy's arm.

Of course there are needle marks,

I was his doctor, he was on medication.

[Douglas] Jimmy, since we're close friends, let me say this in candor,

I'll sue you for emotional distress and take your house.

The entire estate went to Carla.

About $130,000.

Here's the thing, though.

Insurance only covered 60% of his homecare.

Which means that if Harry had lived another four months,

the estate would have been bankrupt.

So, technically, she did have a financial motive, maybe.

That's absolutely ridiculous.

‐Tell Carter to do an autopsy. ‐[Douglas] What?!

‐Jimmy! ‐Do it!

‐[Douglas] Add two more zeroes to the judgment. ‐Jimmy.

It was natural causes, I was there just this morning,

he was on death's door.

Well, then there shouldn't be a problem, right?

[groans] You're hurting me.

‐[door closes] ‐Why are you doing this?

Why?

Because people in this town end up in freezers.

Because things in this town are never what they appear.

And every time there's a surprise, this sheriff's department

looks stupid, specifically me.

Jimmy, the Fenwick family has just lost a husband and a father

to a very long and a very painful bout

with cancer. [scoffs]

Do you really want to impose your new tough guy policy on them?

[Carter] He didn't die of cancer.

‐What? ‐Freezer?

Quiet, don't bait me during my work.

He died of a morphine overdose.

‐Are you sure? ‐[Carter] Positive.

The guy was on morphine because of pain, Carter, maybe he was...

This was way beyond pain medication.

He was being pumped with more than 40 ccs per hour.

It was all through his blood.

Could he have done this to himself?

Not is he was as weak as everybody says he was.

Somebody had to do it to him.

Um, I wasn't going to mention it, but last Sunday at church,

Carla was overheard wishing that her husband would sort of, uh, die.

You weren't going to mention this?

He was sick, she said it in compassion.

‐Did he die by morphine? ‐Yes, he did.

Pick up Carla Fenwick, bring in the son, too.

You have my orders.

‐What? ‐It's just for questioning.

You can't‐‐ you can't be serious.

We don't mean to be arresting you or nothing, reading your rights,

but you probably shouldn't be saying nothing either.

We'll call Doug Wambaugh, he'll meet us at the station,

we'll ask some questions.

Hopefully this will go away.

In 41 years of practice,

I've never witnessed a bigger atrocity.

Did you turn up the morphine drip?

Don't you answer that.

Be quiet, I didn't hire you.

The morphine was turned up to 40 ccs

with the full knowledge that it would kill Harry.

Hmm, this is a setback.

Which one of you did it?

Neither of us did it, Jimmy.

The morphine was upped by your wife.

[Jill] What do you want me to say?

The truth. Did you do it?

Yes, I did it.

So what?

It's done thousands of times every month

by doctors all over the country.

Not legally, it isn't.

Why didn't you tell me, Jill?

Because you didn't want to hear it

like you never want to hear it.

And I knew it would put you in an awkward position

as the sheriff.

But how naive can you people possibly pretend to be?

Euthanasia is illegal, Dr. Brock.

Well, I certainly know that, Mr. Littleton.

But in cancer cases with extreme suffering,

we customarily increase the morphine level

in order to relieve that suffering

‐even though we know that that increase could possibly... ‐Hold on, hold on.

That's, that's good, now, um...

What you're saying is that you increased the morphine

to reduce his pain.

Unfortunately, by mistake,

he suffered an overdose?

Yes, now, that's what I think happened.

You didn't intend for the man to die,

you were just trying to make him more comfortable.

Is that your statement?

[Jimmy] Jill.

No, that's not my statement.

What happened was I told the family

that I could raise the morphine level and stop the pain,

but in doing so it would probably kill him within six to eight hours.

The family wanted to relieve his suffering

and so I raised the morphine level.

It was not...

unforeseeable that he died, I knew it would happen.

That came out wrong, she didn't mean it that way.

I meant it exactly that way.

This hypocrisy has gone too damn far, when are we going to tell the truth?

[Jill sighs]

It's what doctors do in these situations.

[Jill sighs]

Well...

‐Place her under arrest. ‐What?

Unless you misspoke.

Was it an accident, Jill, is that what you're trying to say?

Then, yes, she misspoke.

No, I spoke the truth.

Miranda. Place her under arrest.

[sighs]

Um, you have the right to remain silent,

anything you say can and will be used against you.

I don't know why you have to be the martyr.

‐Why did you have to investigate? ‐Just change the damn statement.

I told you natural causes.

‐This is no time to stand... ‐I didn't know you had

‐on principle, Jill. ‐to do an autopsy.

‐Jimmy. ‐You can't be serious about prosecuting.

We have to bring her up on charges, all right?

‐She flat out said she killed him. Listen to me. ‐I don't want...

Now, we'll arraign her, all right?

I'll agree to a plea bargain,

we'll send her home with a suspended sentence.

‐For murder? ‐No.

Manslaughter with extremely mitigating circumstances.

Now, Judge Bone happens to believe in euthanasia.

With a joint recommendation from the DA,

I think we can sell suspended.

‐It is my wife. ‐Yeah.

You picked a fine time to be a tough sheriff, Jimmy.

[bailiff] Case number 32222,

the state of Wisconsin versus Dr. Jill Brock

on the charge of voluntary manslaughter.

The honorable Judge Henry Bone presiding.

The court will come to order.

Douglas Wambaugh for the defense.

Your Honor,

in the course of my practice,

I've represented a diverse group of people,

some better than others,

but never have I been privileged with a client

that so personifies

what it means to be compassionate.

And the thought that she could be charged with...

[sniffs] I need a moment.

Denied, you're not getting any moments.

Question of bail?

None, Your Honor, we agree to personal recognizance.

Defense stands ready for immediate trial by jury.

Actually, Your Honor, I'd like to confer with Counsel and offer a plea bargain.

Failing that, the prosecution is ready to proceed.

Tomorrow morning, 10:00.

Proffer a plea or we'll go to trial.

Until then, everybody...

Get out.

If you had told me.

I thought with the possibility the wife did it for the money.

I thought, I would have to investigate.

‐If I had known... ‐Jimmy, we've had this discussion a zillion times.

You've always said to me, if I ever helped a patient die,

whatever I do, don't tell you about it.

[sighs]

What's going to happen now?

Well, Littleton will recommend three years suspended sentence.

You won't go to jail, but you will have manslaughter on your record.

Well, then maybe I should go to trial, Jimmy.

We all know the Rome juries.

The Dancing Bandit was not guilty.

I have to be equally sympathetic.

But suppose they did find you guilty,

jury trial, manslaughter conviction,

you'd have to get jail time.

[sighs] We can't risk it.

Okay.

I'm sorry, Jimmy, maybe I should have just said it was pain medication,

but I didn't want to lie. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Yeah.

‐[keyboard clacking] ‐[male voice] Knock, knock.

[chuckles] Warren, to what do I owe this?

Field check. How are you, John?

‐I'm fine, how are you? ‐Excellent,

except for the fact that I'm in Rome, Wisconsin.

You know, one of the points of my assigning you here

was so that I would never have to show up personally.

I've been following your interesting case load.

Oh, have you? Did you hear about today's?

Yes, that's actually why I'm here.

I'm going to handle the prosecution.

[scoffs] What?

A physician actually caught with her hand caught in the euthanasia jar.

We've been waiting a long time for this opportunity.

[sighs] You actually want to try this case?

Oh, yes.

Kevorkian might make better copy,

but Dr. Brock's conduct

is certainly more prevalent and therefore more dangerous.

Um, I was thinking of offering three years suspended.

Well, it's a good thing I'm here then.

The attorney general wants time served.

She... I'm sorry, Warren,

Jill Brock is a friend of mine.

That's another reason I'm here.

Can you cry on command?

I like my clients to seem contrite.

When I give you a sad little look like this,

that's the signal

for you to let a tear escape, just one.

I like to be subtle.

Oh, yes, I've always admired that about you.

Ah, my worthy opponent.

Two weeks suspended to be served at Club Med

‐and we have a deal. ‐No, we have a problem.

Uh, look, Warren Grier,

the assistant district attorney of Wisconsin, my boss,

he wants to try this case personally.

What are you talking about?

He wants to make an example of you, Jill.

He's, uh, he's very, very good.

Calm down, just relax.

They're‐‐they're seeking jail time, Jimmy.

I can't believe this. I‐‐I did nothing that isn't done routinely.

How can I be on trial for murder?

It's because it's done routinely.

Well, maybe I should change my statement.

No, it's too late for that.

Your statement is already on record, look.

One thing is for sure,

we're not trusting your life to Douglas Wambaugh,

not completely.

I don't understand.

It's nothing personal, Doug, but they brought in this top DA.

We want both of you.

It's been a life goal to work with you.

To see the inner workings of that vacuous mind.

You're a character.

I want you to be my lawyer, Doug,

I just need every resource available to me.

Uh, Mr. Wambaugh, she is facing jail time,

how can you make this about you?

[clicks tongue] You're right. I'm sorry.

I plan to stipulate to the prosecution's case.

It works well for me.

I have no problem with that,

especially since she's already confessed.

As I see it we need to put the law against euthanasia on trial, hmm?

Already, he's taking over.

All right, I need all of Mr. Fenwick's medical records.

We must demonstrate that not only was his death imminent,

with or without the morphine,

but that any lingering would have been with extreme suffering.

‐That's easy. ‐I need Carla Fenwick,

Bruce Fenwick, any other relatives of import sitting with us,

‐testifying for us. ‐They already said they would.

I've been in contact with doctors from various bioethics committees,

they'll testify that what you did with Mr. Fenwick was fairly routine.

Then I want a parade of character witnesses.

Ministers, priests, former patients,

‐former mayors. ‐They're all dead.

Anybody and everybody who can testify as to your integrity,

your morality, your conscience, your compassion.

Get your kids out of school.

I want them sitting in that courtroom,

I want you hugging them and kissing them every day.

You are a wonderful mother

in addition to being a caring physician.

We will defy any jury to put you in a jail cell.

I don't mean to be strict about this, but my needs are strict.

If you're trying this case, Warren, what's the point of me being there?

Your absence from the prosecutor's table

could be interpreted as dissent.

A dissent which could be quite crippling

given your influence in this community.

I therefore want and need you by my side.

You're a district attorney, an officer of the court

and we have a defendant who clearly acted

outside the boundaries of our criminal law.

There should be no professional conflict.

I'll be by your side.

Obviously, I would expect facial expressions,

body language and all subtext on your part

to support the state's position.

Obviously.

She did commit a criminal act, John.

Objection, a change in venue

would cause unnecessary delay with no apparent benefit.

The defendant was the acting mayor of the town, Your Honor.

She continues to be the leading doctor in this community.

Upon cursory review of the witness pool,

I see that she's given physicals to eleven of them.

‐Not to mention the fact... ‐The people of Rome can be impartial.

Certainly, Your Honor, himself,

would not be in favor of a venue

that might be predisposed to an acquittal.

Is that an accusation, Counsel?

I believe it was, Judge.

It was simply an affirmation of my belief

that Your Honor considers the integrity

of the judicial process to be paramount.

That integrity would be best preserved, I believe

by transferring venue of this matter into another county

where the defendant is not quite so familiar

if not popular.

As I said, the people of Rome can be fair.

Motion for change of venue denied.

‐[Judge] Trial date April 4th. ‐[gavel bangs]

[indistinct whispering]

[Jill] It's become a little more complicated than we originally thought, um...

If I get convicted, then I could go to jail.

It'll be on the news, it'll stir up a lot of anger.

[Jill] People will say a lot of things.

We have to stick together, all of us.

It's okay what you did? To play God?

Mr. Fenwick was suffering, Zack.

Eat your dinner.

Now, come on, we have to be a strong family.

[Kimberly] We are a strong family.

[scoffs] No jury's going to put you in jail.

Not for this.

Well, I certainly hope you're right.

I don't care if your feelings are hurt,

‐we need the Wambaugh strut. ‐She hired you to strut.

She hired both of us, now listen to me.

I've tried cases against Grier before,

he's methodical, he's plotting and he is very effective.

One advantage we might have...

although he's been up against plenty of lawyers like me,

he's never seen the likes of anybody close to you.

You have to be your bombastic self.

It's Douglas Wambaugh's showtime,

you have to keep him on tilt.

‐This guy, he's good? ‐This man is very good.

We can't let him get his soft persuasive rhythm.

As soon as he begins, you jump up,

never let him get his stride, never let him up.

You talk like you're scared.

Doug, I look at the facts, I look at the law

and I look at the DA trying the case,

you're damn right I'm scared. You should be, too.

[reporters clamoring]

[photographer] Look this way!

Right from the start.

Don't worry about me,

Mr. Grier, we will hear your opening statement.

[clears throat]

‐Ladies and gentlemen of the jury... ‐Objection!

‐I beg your pardon? ‐I'm sorry,

what I object to is wasting this jury's valuable time.

The defense will stipulate that Dr. Brock turned up the morphine drip.

Mr. Wambaugh, I haven't even introduced myself to this jury.

We'll stipulate to that, too.

Warren Grier, single, never married, no kids.

‐Your Honor. ‐Wambaugh!

Both his parents are in good health.

I hope that they never get sick of something.

‐Wambaugh! ‐I hope if that happens,

that a compassionate doctor wouldn't try to help

‐because you might seek to prosecute that doctor, ‐[Judge] That's enough.

just like you're trying to do to Jill Brock.

Move to strike all of that and ask

that Your Honor take control of this courtroom.

[slams fist]

Counsel, to the bench, now!

You got him mad.

Bad start. I'm not gonna put up with any of your crap.

Since she's got another lawyer, I'll think nothing of holding you in contempt.

And you, I've got control of this courtroom.

You want to see how much control?

Try insulting me one more time.

He objected before I even told the jury my name.

The jury knows all about you.

I had them over for cocktails last night.

Who is this man?

I'm Douglas Wambaugh.

Mr. Wambaugh, this is a court of law.

You're new in town.

He was, um...

losing control of his bodily functions and

Well, we all knew that the time was here.

And you had a discussion with Dr. Brock concerning what to do?

Yes.

Could you relate that discussion for the court?

He was in pain and...

Dr. Brock said that she could increase the morphine and...

take the pain away.

She said this would probably put him in a coma.

What else did Dr. Brock say, Ms. Fenwick?

She said that Harry would not come out of the coma.

The morphine would cause his death?

He was going to die no matter what,

‐she was going to‐‐ ‐From your observation,

Dr. Brock upped the morphine with the knowledge

that the increased dosage would affect the end of your husband's life?

Yes.

[Warren] Thank you, Mrs. Fenwick.

Nothing further.

Your husband had stomach cancer?

Yes.

Could you describe his condition on the morning of his last day?

The pain was excruciating.

Um, he was suffering some dementia.

He was dying, Mr. Dell.

Did you have an opportunity to speak with Dr. Brock

after your husband's passing?

Yes, I did.

And what did you say?

I, uh...

I said "Thank you."

I said, "Thank you for relieving his suffering

and allowing him to die with some dignity."

No further questions, Your Honor.

Redirect, Mr. Grier?

Just one thing, Your Honor.

Mrs. Fenwick, I neglected to say

how deeply, deeply sorry I am for your loss.

I would like you to trust that no matter how difficult

these proceedings may become,

I hope we will never allow the jury

or anyone to lose sight of your pain.

Thank you.

[all chattering]

He came off almost more sympathetic than Carla.

That's exactly his plan, to sympathize with her,

with you, with the whole tragedy.

He's going to share his compassion with the jury

and then he's gently going to ask them to rise above it.

I thought I had him flustered.

For a second, I thought I saw a nostril twitch.

This man is hard to shake.

So what now?

The gloves come off this afternoon.

They're putting up their doctors

and bioethicists to condemn you.

It's critical that we destroy them.

We have just as many doctors on my side.

But they're bringing in Dr. Ellen Smithie from Chicago.

I don't understand this.

Why am I being singled out?

What gives?

Could this be construed as an ex parte communication?

[Judge] I have no intention of discussing the merits of your case, counsel.

But I would like to know.

Lots of doctors do what Jill Brock did,

many of them in big hospitals.

Now why go after a small town general practitioner?

One might also ask, why exempt the small town doctor?

One might even pose the query, why the laws of our nation,

often seem not to apply to Rome, Wisconsin?

I suspect the answer to that question

might be located with the Honorable Judge Bone.

Uh, we probably shouldn't be having this discussion.

You have something to say to me?

There's a little piece of legal vernacular cropping up in Madison these days.

It's called "Bone Law," named after you.

"Bone Law" means...

when you don't like a particular rule or regulation,

you just ignore it.

You've become such a wonderful populist,

defying the Supreme Court,

you've made vigilantism so romantic again,

so contagious,

that a jury here could acquit a guilty defendant like the Dancing Bandit,

simply on the grounds of her likability.

Why Rome?

Because the people here need to know the laws of this country apply to them.

Why Jill Brock?

Because she murdered her patient.

That's kind of a harsh way to put it, isn't it?

You increase the dosage to terminate a patient's life,

murder's the term for it, harsh or not.

So, Dr. Smithie, as the defense correctly points out,

this kind of a thing, with the morphine drip, it goes on all the time.

A lot of people cheat on tax returns, too,

that doesn't make it right.

The fact that a lot of doctors may do what she did,

is all the more need to put a stop to it.

The patient was suffering.

We're not talking about a Labrador retriever.

This was a human being.

We don't put people to sleep when they suffer,

we do everything we can to help them get better.

But this patient wasn't going to get better, death was imminent.

The patient was in extreme pain.

We never know when death will strike.

Miracles happen all the time.

Cancers go into remission some times,

with no medical explanation.

It's not for any doctor to exclude

the remote possibility of recovery,

and that's exactly what she did.

But the patient wanted to die.

‐Wanted to‐‐ ‐Patients want to die all the time.

Some with depression, some with cancer,

some because they've lost a limb.

I don't give a damn, if a patient wants to end it.

Doctors don't help them die.

Do you think it's possible that a miracle was waiting for Harry Fenwick?

I don't know.

Terminal cancer has been known,

to inexplicably go into remission.

Did you look at Mr. Fenwick's medical records?

No, I did not. Nor do I need to. It's beyond the point.

Wait a second,

Mr. Fenwick's health is "beyond the point"?

I'm not disputing her prognosis.

I'm saying whatever the prognosis.

So Mr. Fenwick's pain and suffering

have no relevance in your testimony today?

‐I'm saying in any situation‐‐ ‐It's a yes or no question, Doctor.

Does Mr. Fenwick's suffering carry any meaning for you, in today's testimony?

No.

‐No! Well, it did for Dr. Jill Brock! ‐Objection.

‐Mr. Dell. ‐What do you object to? Her caring?

‐Objection! ‐I'll tell you what I object to.

‐[Judge] Counselor! ‐[Dell] Doctors making million dollar salaries

while serving up bloated platitudes,

without ever getting into the room with the patient.

‐Move to strike! ‐The pain was relevant for Harry Fenwick!

One more word, you see a jail cell!

That's all, Your Honor.

I'm finished with Dr. Smithie's expert testimony.

Certainly you must sympathize with Mr. Fenwick and his family?

Of course, I do. You think doctors aren't human?

It hurts to see a patient suffer,

especially when it's someone you care about.

It's because doctors are so human that the lines have to be well drawn.

Once you step across it and say, "This one, I'll let die.

That one, I'll put out of his misery."

We're all in trouble.

That's the whole point of the Hippocratic Oath!

[Warren] Thank you, Doctor.

Nothing further.

[reporters clamoring]

I'm off this case, Warren.

What?

What Jill Brock did may be against the law,

but this enforcement, is arbitrary!

Now, it's one thing not to make exceptions for friends,

it's another thing to selectively prosecute!

I'm out. I'm not sitting at your table.

I'm disappointed.

[reporters clamoring]

This is a bad dream. I'm gonna wake up any second.

It's in color. Dreams are in black and white.

The trial's been in color.

Let's just go over your testimony one more time.

We've been over it ten times!

‐I can't believe this, we're losing! ‐Why can't we just offer a plea?

‐Because Grier won't take one. ‐Where the hell's the defense? You're not doing anything!

[Dell] I believe we are.

The ethical testimony was a wash.

They put up doctors to condemn her,

we put up doctors to support her.

Most importantly, we've successfully put the law

against euthanasia on trial!

And that's what we need to do!

You don't object? You just let 'em‐‐

‐[Dell] There's no defense. ‐All right, Jimmy. All right.

‐[indistinct whisper] ‐I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I asked them to investigate.

You couldn't know. You couldn't know.

[reporters clamoring]

[Dell] When you turned up the morphine,

was it with intent to end his life?

It was with the intent...

to relieve his suffering.

It was with the knowledge that it could end his life.

Dr. Brock, I'm a little confused.

Three years ago, you took this very stand

to condemn a nun who stood accused of mercy killing.

[Jill] I said that we can't have nuns and philanthropists

running around practicing euthanasia.

I believed then and I continue to believe that

it's the decision that needs to be left up to the family

and to the medical establishment.

Mr. Fenwick, his wife and his doctor

made that decision.

Pretty big decision.

Mr. Fenwick was going to die no matter what I did.

Maybe a day later, maybe three days later.

But he was going to die.

All I did was to make his passing less painful.

You heard the prosecutor's experts talk about cancers

going into inexplicable remission.

None of the prosecutor's experts examined my patient.

None of them made a medical judgment concerning my patient.

My medical judgment, which remains undisputed,

is that Mr. Fenwick was going to die either that day

or a day after.

Just the same. Miracles do happen.

The cancer had eaten away Mr. Fenwick's stomach.

There was no miracle for him.

Dr. Smithie talked about the Hippocratic oath.

Do you believe that you violated it?

The first rule of the Hippocratic oath is "Do no harm."

If a doctor sits around allowing the prolonged suffering

of a death that is sure to happen anyway,

that's harm, that's... that's excruciating harm.

So if had to do all over again, you'd turn up that drip?

It's not an easy thing.

Did Harry say anything to you

before you turned up the morphine?

[scoffs] Uh, yes.

What did he say?

He asked me to let him go be with God. He...

He said that God was waiting.

Thank you, Dr. Brock.

Nothing further.

The autopsy report lists morphine overdose as the cause of death.

Would you agree with that?

Mr. Fenwick was going to die regardless‐‐

[Warren] Yes, I'm not disputing Mr. Fenwick's terminal condition.

But the supervening cause of his death was the morphine.

Yes.

And, according to your own testimony

you increased the dosage with both the knowledge and the expectation

that it would terminate Mr. Fenwick's life. Correct?

Yes, that is correct.

Hmm.

When Sheriff Brock, your husband,

began to investigate Mr. Fenwick's death,

did you try to dissuade him from doing so?

Well, I‐‐I didn't want to put him in a situation...

You told him Mr. Fenwick died of the cancer, natural causes.

Yes.

Yes, I said that.

And that was a lie.

Well, I‐‐I didn't think.

I knew that it wasn't foul play.

I didn't want Jimmy investigating, causing more pain...

So you chose not to tell him the truth?

You concealed from the sheriff,

your own husband of 15 years

that you turned up the morphine drip.

‐True? ‐I already said that was true.

Thank you, Doctor.

Nothing further.

Jill Brock stands on trial today

only because she tried to spare a dying man

a few hours of horrible suffering.

Now make all the speeches you want about policy

and anarchy of vigilantism,

but the simple truth is only that

Harry Fenwick was dying in agony.

Dr. Brock helped him, like doctors do all the time.

Now, it's usually done quietly between family and physician.

Usually, it's kept secret

because this happens to be an area

where the law and humanity are still apart.

Some states are changing this.

In Oregon, euthanasia is now legal.

For other states such as Wisconsin,

the law still lags behind.

So for people like Harry Fenwick,

they have to look to the doctor for compassion.

Harry looked to Jill.

You heard Carla Fenwick thank Jill

for giving her husband peace and dignity.

For ending his sufferings,

she thanks her.

Who are any of us to judge this woman?

How can any judicial system be so perverted

as to subject this doctor to a trial for...

I've never known such a tragedy.

[clears throat]

The arguments for or against

legalized euthanasia are very powerful

and very complex.

It's a debate, no doubt, that could keep you in that deliberating room

for a very long time.

Fortunately, that's not your debate.

At least not today.

For this proceeding, as Judge Bone will instruct you,

euthanasia is illegal.

It is unlawful for a doctor to terminate a patient's life.

The only question before you therefore

is "Did Jill Brock commit this unlawful act?"

By her own admission, she did.

Mr. Wambaugh eloquently argues

the heroic character of Dr. Brock.

I take no issue.

But Mr. Wambaugh's remarks are more appropriately aimed

at a sentencing hearing.

"How shall we punish her?"

That is not today's question.

Today's question is simply,

"Did she commit the unlawful act?"

Once again, she admits that she did.

Whether you accept our position or hers,

there is only one verdict you can return.

Thank you.

I think you like to watch me eat.

Maybe I wonder how you can eat.

Or sleep, for that matter.

You have to know very little is served by incarcerating Jill Brock.

I keep coming back to why.

Evidence is closed, Counsel. It's in the hands of the jurors.

So we can talk about it.

Why take such a tough stance with this crime of all crimes?

The law against Euthanasia.

Mr. Wambaugh had his facts wrong when he provided my introduction,

My brother died of AIDS.

It was a painful, very ungodly end.

So, don't you look at me as if I don't understand.

I understand.

It would have been easy for me to help him die,

but it would have been wrong.

It's unlawful for me and for Dr. Jill Brock.

That's fine, but if you make your point

Dr. Jill Brock goes to jail.

Which as an officer of the court, I am obligated to make happen.

Until the law is changed, I prosecute the Jill Brocks.

You see with me, Your Honor, the "Bone Law"...

was never in effect.

Judge, jury's ready.

Madame foreperson, has the jury reached its verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

[Judge] Will the defendant please rise?

What say you?

On the charge of voluntary manslaughter,

we find the defendant, Dr. Jill Brock...

‐guilty as charged. ‐[audience exclaiming]

[cries]

Your Honor, we ask that you poll the jury.

Members of the jury, the clerk will call your name

at which point you will rise

and state your individual finding.

[clerk] Adams.

Guilty.

‐[clerk] Berluti. ‐Guilty.

‐[clerk] Jallers. ‐Guilty.

‐[clerk] Mendel. ‐Guilty.

‐[clerk] Davis. ‐Guilty.

‐[clerk] Zeidman. ‐Guilty.

‐[clerk] Roberts. ‐Guilty.

‐[clerk] Carrie. ‐Guilty.

‐[clerk] Meghan. ‐Guilty.

‐[clerk] Erin. ‐Guilty.

‐[clerk] Boucher. ‐Guilty.

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