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A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 8 September 2017
Menendez Trial: N.Y. court rules
Judge lectures prosecution on 1st day of testimony against physician

assisted suicide
By DAVID PORTER “Who cares whether the spent time frequently at and intervening in a lucra-
Associated Press senator opted for a more Melgen’s homes in Florida tive port security contract By DAVID KLEPPER
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The expensive room? What is and the Dominican Re- in the Dominican Republic Associated Press
judge in the bribery trial of the point to be made? I public, Ogrosky said, and and a multimillion-dollar ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez don’t think it’s a sin for him Menendez often paid for Medicare dispute. York’s ban on assisted sui-
and his longtime friend cide will stand after the
chastised prosecutors state’s highest court on
Thursday for asking a wit- Thursday rejected argu-
ness “irrelevant” questions, ments from terminally ill
and he cautioned both patients who say they
sides to avoid turning the should have the right to
case into a tabloid trial by seek life-ending drugs
focusing on details about from a doctor.
swanky hotels, limestone The Court of Appeals
baths and rain showers. ruled Thursday that state
U.S. District Judge William lawmakers had a rational
Walls’ admonition came reason for passing a ban
during the questioning of on assisted suicide and
the prosecution’s first wit- that the ban doesn’t vio-
ness, an FBI agent sum- late the state constitution.
moned to authenticate The case was brought
emails between Menen- by three people with ter-
dez and Florida eye doc- minal illnesses. Two have
tor Salomon Melgen about since died. The plain-
a trip to Paris taken by the tiffs had argued that the
New Jersey Democrat in state’s existing ban on as-
2010. sisting a suicide shouldn’t
Melgen paid for Menen- apply to those seeking
dez’s $4,900, three-night merciful ends to incur-
stay with his American While his daughter Alicia Menendez looks on, Sen. Bob Menendez talk to reporters as he arrives able illnesses.
to court for his federal corruption trial in Newark, N.J.
Express points — part of (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) The court disagreed, not-
a scheme, prosecutors ing that while state law al-
claim, in which Melgen to want a limestone bath his own flights to visit Mel- Among the gifts prosecu- lows terminally ill patients
showered gifts on Menen- per se, and if anyone’s gen with family members. tors say Melgen gave to decline life-sustaining
dez to get Menendez to ever been in a rain shower, “That’s a heck of a bribe,” Menendez were flights on medical assistance, it
pressure government offi- he or she would appreci- Ogrosky told jurors. “’I’ll Melgen’s private jet, vaca- does not allow anyone to
cials on behalf of Melgen’s ate one.” bribe you, pay your own tions at Melgen’s private assist in ending patients’
business interests. While Walls warned both way.’ That’s baloney.” villa in the Dominican Re- lives.
The questioning sought to sides, it was a break from Ogrosky also said Melgen public frequented by ce- “The assisted suicide stat-
show that Menendez initial- a pattern in which he has didn’t get any benefit from lebrities like Beyonce and utes apply to anyone who
ly inquired about cheaper clashed on several occa- Menendez’s alleged at- Jay Z, and the three-night assists an attempted or
rooms, then asked Mel- sions with defense attor- tempts to pressure govern- stay at the Paris hotel. Mel- completed suicide,” the
gen to get him the more neys.Earlier Thursday, Mel- ment officials on his behalf. gen also contributed more court wrote in its unani-
expensive room with the gen attorney Kirk Ogrosky The government painted a than $700,000 to Menen- mous decision. “There are
luxury features. told jurors in his opening different picture in its open- dez’s legal defense fund no exceptions.”
Walls interrupted the ques- statement that the gov- ing statement Wednesday. and to entities that sup- The decision disappoint-
tioning and sent the jury ernment’s case was built Justice Department attor- ported Menendez’s cam- ed groups that have long
out of the room before ad- on “corrupt assumptions” ney Peter Koski described paigns. pushed, unsuccessfully,
dressing the attorneys. rather than hard evidence Menendez pressuring gov- “He went to bat when Dr. for legislation that would
“I said before I’m not go- of any bribery arrange- ernment officials to help Melgen asked, and Dr. permit physician-assisted
ing to let this be a tabloid ment. Melgen with securing visas Melgen asked frequently,” suicide as an option for
trial,” he said, adding, Melgen and Menendez for his foreign girlfriends Koski said. q the terminally ill. They’ll try
again in January when
CA judge: Girl deemed brain dead may still be alive lawmakers reconvene in
Albany.
By PAUL ELIAS would increase the amount dead after the surgery and the girl’s mother refused to “We will continue to fight
Associated Press of damages if jurors decide the Alameda County coro- remove her daughter from to establish the right to aid
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A in the family’s favor. ner signed a death certifi- life-support after doctors in dying in the New York
California judge ruled that The family is seeking dam- cate in January 2014. declared her dead. State legislature,” said
a teen girl declared brain ages from Children’s Hospi- Lawyers for the girl and her Her mother has previously Laurie Leonard, execu-
dead more than three tal in Oakland for allegedly family did not immediately acknowledged that her tive director of the group
years ago after a tonsillec- botching a routine opera- return a telephone mes- daughter’s brain is severely End of Life Choices New
tomy may still be techni- tion to remove the girl’s ton- sages left Thursday seeking and irreparably damaged. York. “So that we can join
cally alive, allowing a mal- sils in December 2013. The comment. A lawyer for the But Latasha Spears Wink- the six other states and
practice lawsuit against family is also demanding a hospital, Thomas Still, had field said her daughter is the District of Columbia
the hospital to proceed. ruling that McMath is alive no immediate comment still alive and her Christian in which aid in dying is le-
Alameda County Judge and for the hospital pay for Wednesday morning but belief compels her fight to gal.”
Stephen Pulido ruled Tues- Jahi’s future care. She was said he would comment keep her daughter on life Critics of proposals to al-
day that it’s up to a jury 13 when the operation was later.The case has been at support.Winkfield has re- low physician-assisted sui-
to determine whether Jahi conducted. the center of national de- leased video clips of Jahi’s cide were pleased with
McMath is alive, which Jahi was pronounced bate over brain death since fingers twitching. q the ruling.q