Michigan v. Kevorkian

639 N.W.2d 291 (2001)

From our private database of 46,500+ case briefs, written and edited by humans—never with AI.

Michigan v. Kevorkian

Michigan Court of Appeals
639 N.W.2d 291 (2001)

Facts

Former race-car driver Thomas Youk suffered from Lou Gehrig’s disease. Youk was confined to a wheelchair, was fed through a tube, and could not breathe without a respirator. On September 15, 1998, Dr. Jack Kevorkian (defendant) went to Youk’s home to discuss Youk’s condition and Youk’s wish to die. Kevorkian videotaped the interview. Kevorkian told Youk that Youk needed to sign a form consenting to direct injection of a fatal drug. Kevorkian read the form to Youk. The form stated that Youk voluntarily and after deliberation consented to active euthanasia, involving direct injection of a drug to be administered by a medical professional, to end Youk’s intolerable suffering. On September 16, Kevorkian returned and again videotaped his interaction with Youk. Youk stated that he wanted to “go through with it.” After connecting Youk to a cardiogram, Kevorkian injected Youk with a drug to put him to sleep and then injected him with potassium chloride to stop his heart. Youk died. Later, Kevorkian appeared as a guest on the television news show 60 Minutes. During the interview, both videotapes were shown. Kevorkian stated that what he had done “could never be a crime in any society which deems itself enlightened” and that the ultimate self-determination lay in determining “when and how you’re gonna die when you’re suffering.” Kevorkian was charged with murder. At a jury trial, Kevorkian asked the jury not to convict him of murder because he had committed a mercy killing. However, Kevorkian was convicted of second-degree murder and of delivering a controlled substance. Kevorkian was sentenced to a prison term of 10 to 20 years. Kevorkian appealed his conviction on constitutional grounds, arguing that euthanasia was legal.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Whitbeck, J.)

What to do next…

  1. Unlock this case brief with a free (no-commitment) trial membership of Quimbee.

    You’ll be in good company: Quimbee is one of the most widely used and trusted sites for law students, serving more than 832,000 law students since 2011. Some law schools even subscribe directly to Quimbee for all their law students.

  2. Learn more about Quimbee’s unique (and proven) approach to achieving great grades at law school.

    Quimbee is a company hell-bent on one thing: helping you get an “A” in every course you take in law school, so you can graduate at the top of your class and get a high-paying law job. We’re not just a study aid for law students; we’re the study aid for law students.

Here's why 832,000 law students have relied on our case briefs:

  • Written by law professors and practitioners, not other law students. 46,500 briefs, keyed to 994 casebooks. Top-notch customer support.
  • The right amount of information, includes the facts, issues, rule of law, holding and reasoning, and any concurrences and dissents.
  • Access in your classes, works on your mobile and tablet. Massive library of related video lessons and high quality multiple-choice questions.
  • Easy to use, uniform format for every case brief. Written in plain English, not in legalese. Our briefs summarize and simplify; they don’t just repeat the court’s language.

Access this case brief for FREE

With a 7-day free trial membership
Here's why 832,000 law students have relied on our case briefs:
  • Reliable - written by law professors and practitioners, not other law students
  • The right length and amount of information - includes the facts, issue, rule of law, holding and reasoning, and any concurrences and dissents
  • Access in your class - works on your mobile and tablet
  • 46,500 briefs - keyed to 994 casebooks
  • Uniform format for every case brief
  • Written in plain English - not in legalese and not just repeating the court's language
  • Massive library of related video lessons - and practice questions
  • Top-notch customer support

Access this case brief for FREE

With a 7-day free trial membership