Ex-Doctor Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Connection with Suicide of Upstate New York Woman

BY  MICHAEL HILL 

Updated 2:57 PM MDT, September3, 2024

KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) — An 85-year-old former doctor from Arizona charged for his role in the suicide of a woman in an upstate New York motel room pleaded guilty to manslaughter Tuesday under an agreement that spares him from prison.

Stephen Miller, of Tucson, was arrested earlier this year on a charge of second-degree manslaughter under a provision of New York law that allows the charge for intentionally causing or aiding another person’s suicide.

Under a plea agreement, Miller was sentenced to five years of probation after his guilty plea in state court. His attorney said Miller is infirm and did not want to die in prison.

Anita Cameron: "My Mum Didn't Die"*

Good morning. I’m Anita Cameron, Director of Minority Outreach for Not Dead Yet, a national, grassroots disability organization opposed to medical discrimination, healthcare rationing, euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide laws are dangerous because though these laws are supposed to be for people with six months or less to live, doctors are often wrong about a terminal diagnosis. In 2009, while living in Washington state, my mother was determined to be at the end stage of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. I was told her death was imminent, that if I wanted to see her alive, I should get there in two days. She rallied, but was still quite ill, so she was placed in hospice. Her doctor said that her body had begun the process of dying.

Though she survived 6 months of hospice, her doctor convinced her that her body was still in the process of dying, and she moved home to Colorado to die.

My mum didn’t die. In fact, six weeks after returning to Colorado, she and I were arrested together in Washington, DC, fighting for disability justice. She became active in her community and lived almost 12 years!

Slow Euthanasia: No One to Blame for Andrew Cuomo Putting 6,000+ Coronavirus Patients in Nursing Homes

https://www.frontpagemag.com/point/2020/07/cuomo-no-one-blame-me-putting-6000-coronavirus-daniel-greenfield/

by Daniel Greenfield

"Hi Bob, got a question for you."

"Yes, Andy."

"How many thousands of nursing home patients can you kill before it impedes your presidential chances?"

New York Press Release: Don't Make Yourself a Sitting Duck to Your Heirs and Other Predators

To view as sent, click here.

Attorney Margaret Dore, president of Choice is an Illusion, a nonprofit corporation opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia, made the following statement in connection with the Medical Aid in Dying Act, now pending before the New York State Legislature. (Bills A 2694 and S 3947).

“The Medical Aid in Dying Act is a recipe for elder abuse, financial exploitation and legal murder," said Dore. "Older people with money, meaning the middle class and above, will be especially at risk to their heirs and other financial predators." Dore added, "The poor will also be at risk, but for a different reason.”

“’Aid in dying’ is a euphemism for euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide and assisted suicide,” said Dore.

Reject New York Medical Aid in Dying Act (Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia)

By Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA

Click the links to view a pdf version of this document, consisting of a memorandum and appendix.

I. INTRODUCTION 

The proposed bills amend New York’s public health law by  adding a new article (28F), the Medical Aid in Dying Act.[1] The Act is based on similar laws in Oregon and Washington State.[2]

“Aid in Dying” is a euphemism for euthanasia.[3] The Act, however, purports to prohibit euthanasia.  On close examination, this prohibition will be unenforceable.

If enacted, the Act will apply to people with years or decades to live. It will also facilitate financial exploitation, especially in the inheritance context. Don’t render yourself or someone you care about a sitting duck to heirs and other predators. I urge you to reject the proposed Act.

Join Us in New York on January 14th

Event to be live streamed
To view, click here.

     

ADA Will Trump Euthanasia Prohibition

By Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA

Bills in New York State seek to pass a medical aid in dying act.[1] "Aid in dying" is a euphemism for active euthanasia, meaning the administration of a lethal agent to another person.[2][3]

The act also prohibits euthanasia, stating:

A health care professional or other person shall not administer the medication [lethal dose] to the patient. (Emphasis added).[4]

This prohibition is, however, unenforceable. This is due to the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).

Quick Facts About New York State Euthanasia Bills (Paulin, Savino)

By Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA

For a pdf version, click here.

1.  Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide

The bills, A. 2383-A & S. 3151-A, are titled “Medical Aid in Dying.” This is a traditional euphemism for active euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. The bills seek to legalize these practices.

2.  Definitions (Traditional)

“Assisted suicide” occurs when a person provides the means or information for another person to commit suicide, for example, by providing a rope or lethal drug. If the assisting person is a

physician, a more precise term is “physician-assisted suicide.”

“Euthanasia” is the direct administration of a lethal agent to cause another person’s death. Euthanasia is also known as mercy killing.

Margaret Dore Testifies

Margaret Dore, testifying against Bill A.2383-A, seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in New York State. For more information, see Dore's bill analysis, at these links:  memo and appendix

Margaret Dore Testifies Against New York Bill Seeking to Legalize Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

NEW YORK CITY - Margaret Dore, president of Choice is an Illusion, issued the following statement in connection with her testimony today before the New York Assembly Health Committee in opposition to Bill A.2383-A.

Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

“The bill is sold as ‘aid in dying,’ which is a traditional euphemism for assisted suicide and euthanasia,” said Dore. “The term is also misleading in the context of the bill, which is not limited to dying people.”

New York Debate: Thank you Dawn Eskew and Everyone Else Who Came and Contributed

Dawn Eskew

Thank you to Dawn Eskew and everyone else who helped put on yesterday's debate. 

We had a great turnout and Dawn as the moderator, kept everyone in check, including me.

We had a number of people who came a long way, including Alex Shadenberg from Ontario Canada and Kate Menzia from Missoula Montana

It was also very interesting getting feedback from people on the other side.  

Thank you to everyone who donated their time or money to make the event possible. Donations are still needed to cover expenses and to move forward with future events. 

To make a tax deductible donation, please click here,

To make a non tax deductible donation for political advocacy, please click here.

Thanks again!

Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA, President

Choice is an Illusion, a nonprofit corporation opposed 

to assisted suicide and euthanasia, worldwide

www.margaretdore.org

www.choiceillusion.org

New York Memo Opposing Bills A. 10059 and S. 7579 - Web Version

https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/ny-memo-05-31-16_001.pdf

I. INTRODUCTION

I am a lawyer in Washington State where physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia are legal.[1] Our law is based on a similar law in Oregon.  Both laws are similar to the proposed bills, A. 10059 and S. 7579.[2]

The bills are titled “Medical Aid in Dying.”  There is, however, no requirement that patients be dying. “Eligible” patients may have years, even decades, to live. The bills are also sold as a promotion of patient choice and control. The bills are instead stacked against the patient and a recipe for elder abuse. Finally, the bills are deceptively written; they are not what they appear to be. I urge you to vote “No.”

New York Press Release: "Bills Will Allow the 'Perfect Crime'"

https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/new-york-media-release-06-03-16.pdf

FRIDAY  JUNE 2, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dore:  "New York's new assisted suicide bills, if enacted, will allow the perfect crime. They will encourage people with years to live to throw away their lives."

Contact: Margaret Dore (206) 697-1217

Albany, NY -- Attorney Margaret Dore, president of Choice is an Illusion, which has fought assisted suicide legalization efforts in many states, including New York, made the following statement in connection with bills pending before the New York State Legislature:

“There are new bills seeking to legalize ‘medical aid in dying,’ which is a euphemism for assisted suicide,” said Dore. (A. 10059 and S. 7579)

“A central problem with the bills is that a person assisting a suicide can have his or her own agenda,” Dore said. “For example, if the person will financially benefit from the patient’s death due to an inheritance, he or she will have a motivation to be sure that the death goes through. This may or may not be consistent with the patient’s choice.”

New York: Vote “No” on A. 10059 and S. 7579

New York's assisted suicide bills are deceptively written, stacked against the patient and a recipe for elder abuse. For a one page handout, click here. For more in depth information, click here 

Bill Highlights

1.  A. 10059 and S. 7579 seek to legalize “medical aid in dying,” a euphemism for assisted suicide and euthanasia. There is no requirement that eligible patients be dying.

2.  Patients are instead required to have a prediction of less than six months to live. In real life, such predictions are often wrong.

3.  Predictions are wrong due to misdiagnosis and because predicting life expectancy is an inexact science. See e.g.,  Jessica Firger, “12 million Americans misdiagnosed each year,” CBS NEWS, 4/17/14, at http://www.cbsnews.com/news/12-million-americans-misdiagnosed-each-year-study-says

"Had We Faltered, I Would Have Missed Out on Some of the Best Years of My Life"

Dear Editor:
      
I am a 32 year old quadriplegic who works as a “Systems Advocate” in Rochester, New York. I am a college graduate and currently working on my Masters’ degree. I was disturbed to see Joel Marks’ forum piece, advocating for legalized assisted suicide.  (“Extending life no favor for some”).
        
When I was 19 years old, I was in an automobile accident, which led to my becoming disabled. I subsequently found myself in two different hospitals, where two different sets of doctors repeatedly and sometimes daily pressured my parents and later me directly, to agree to ending my life.  Fortunately, my mother was a strong advocate and refused to listen. Once I was better and recuperated, I was also a strong advocate for myself which helped me to advocate for others. Had we faltered, I would have missed out on some of the best years of my life.
        
Legalizing assisted suicide will expand the ability of doctors to legally kill their patients and/or pressure patients to kill themselves. With the “option” of assisted suicide, family members and others who might benefit from a death will be similarly empowered. Not everyone will have the support that I had. Our most vulnerable citizens will be at risk.

Terrie Lincoln