ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
WHAT:
A nurse whose unjust prosecution was featured on 60 Minutes last month will lead a discussion at Hamline University about the risk for dying patients and family caregivers who live in the 45 states that don't authorize death with dignity for terminally ill, mentally competent adults. The Pennsylvania Attorney General prosecuted Barbara Mancini on a felony "assisted suicide" charge for handing her 93-year-old dad, Joe Yourshaw, his prescription morphine at his request. He drank the partially-filled one ounce bottle of morphine and became drowsy. Despite Mancini's pleas on behalf of her father as his healthcare proxy, the hospice provider ignored his do not resuscitate order (DNR), called 911 and the police arrested her. Yourshaw was revived against his wishes at a local Pottsville hospital, where he died in agony after four days of futile, unwanted medical treatment. Compassion & Choices generated national news coverage criticizing this outrageous case, filed an amicus brief in 's defense and donated $20,000 from its Action Network Legal Defense Fund to help offset her legal fees of over $100,000. A year later, a judge dismissed the assisted suicide charge against Mancini, which could have resulted in a 10-year prison sentence.
WHY:
Death with dignity, also known as the medical practice of aid in dying, is authorized in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and New Mexico. Barbara Mancini's case and the worldwide news coverage of 29-year-old Brittany Maynard having to uproot her family from California to Oregon to access its death-with-dignity law are galvanizing Compassion & Choices' campaigns to authorize aid in dying in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
WHO:
*Speaker: Barbara Mancini, Nurse/Compassion & Choices Advocate
Facilitating Discussion: Thaddeus Mason Pope, J.D., Ph.D., Director, Health Law Institute, Associate Professor of Law, Hamline University School of Law
*opinions expressed by the speaker are not necessarily those of the university
WHERE:
Kay Fredericks Room, Klas Center, Hamline University, 1536 Hewitt Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104 & Live Webcast at: http://bit.ly/1xeVSP0
WHEN:
Nov. 13, 2014, Reception: 5:30 p.m., Presentation 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST
CONTACT:
To ensure prompt security clearance, journalists should RSVP in advance of event to Sean Crowley, 202.495.8520-c, [email protected]
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141112/158203
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140312/DC81938LOGO-b
SOURCE Compassion & Choices
Related Links
http://CompassionAndChoices.org
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