Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Judge Issues Kevorkian Ultimatum > PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) -- A judge gave prosecutors a choice > Wednesday: charge Dr. Jack Kevorkian or give him back > his ``suicide machine.'' > > Circuit Judge David Breck set an April 1 deadline for > Southfield police to bring a case to prosecutors in the > Feb. 26 death of 21-year-old quadriplegic Roosevelt > Dawson, the youngest person to die with Kevorkian's > help. > > The ruling came during a hearing on Kevorkian's lawsuit > accusing the police of improperly seizing his > ``euthanasia device'' and other supplies, including > syringes and chemicals, from the apartment where Dawson > died. > > Police have said they want to keep the equipment until > their review of Dawson's death is complete. > > After Wednesday's hearing, police presented their > findings to Prosecutor David Gorcyca's office without > recommending whether Kevorkian should be charged, > Southfield police spokesman John Harris said. > > ``We just present the facts,'' Harris said. ``It's > (Gorcyca's call) whether the case is prosecutable under > state law.'' > > James Halushka, a prosectutor in Gorcyca's office, said > only that the police file is under review. > > The suicide machine includes a dowel with bottles of > chemicals hanging from it. Once a person is hooked to an > intravenous line, the machine enables him to release the > deadly chemicals by pressing a button or flipping a > switch. > > Kevorkian has been acquitted in three trials covering > five deaths. Another trial ended in a mistrial in June. > > Kevorkian urged authorities to charge him or leave him > alone in Dawson's death, one of at least 100 suicides he > has taken part in. > > ``This playing of games must end,'' he said. ``This > inquisition we're in the grips of must be loosened. > Otherwise, we're in the dark ages.'' > > Dawson had been paralyzed and unable to breathe without > a ventilator after a virus attacked his spinal cord. He > died in his mother's apartment hours after a judge > rejected a hospital's bid to have him committed. -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
