Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 13 June 2019

Maine becomes 8th state

to legalize assisted suicide

By MARINA VILLENEUVE
Associated Press
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) —
Maine legalized medi-
cally assisted suicide on
Wednesday, becoming
the eighth state to allow
terminally ill people to end
their lives with prescribed
medication.
Democratic Gov. Janet In this Dec. 20, 2018, file photo the 1935 statue of Robert E. Lee,
Mills, who had previously right, and a young soldier by sculptor Alexander Phimister, sits
said she was unsure about in storage at Hensley Field, the former Naval Air Station on the
the bill, signed it in her of- west side of Mountain Creek Lake in Dallas.
fice. Associated Press
Oregon was the first state Dallas law firm
to legalize such assistance, In this Feb. 11, 2019 file photo, Maine Gov. Janet Mills delivers
in 1997, and it took over a her State of the Budget address to the Legislature at the State places winning bid for
decade for the next state, House in Augusta, Maine.
Washington, to follow suit. Associated Press Robert E. Lee statue
While still controversial, as- VanWormer, whose breast charges.
sisted suicide legislation is cancer spread to her Maine’s population has the
winning increasing accep- bones, had pushed for such oldest median age, and, as By CLARICE SILBER Holmes’ firm, which was
tance in the United States, a bill in 2015 — two years in other states, the proposal Associated Press identified in the auction as
and this year at least 18 before she died in 2017. has exposed divisions that AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A “LawDude,” did not imme-
states considered such “This is what she wanted,” defied party lines. Dallas-based law firm diately respond to requests
measures. said Fowler, an education- Supporters, including Dem- placed the winning $1.435 for comment on Wednes-
Maine’s bill would allow al consultant in Gardiner. ocrats and a small group million bid for a statue of day.
doctors to prescribe termi- “And now everybody has of Republicans, say the ter- Confederate Gen. Robert Dallas Assistant City Man-
nally ill people a fatal dose the option that she didn’t minally ill should have the E. Lee that the city put in ager Joey Zapata said
of medication. The bill de- have.” right to choose a peaceful an online auction almost the city does not have
clares that obtaining or Maine joins seven other end. two years after removing it any plans to auction other
administering life-ending states and Washington, “Assisted suicide is a dan- from a state park. Confederate symbols and
medication is not suicide D.C., that have similar laws, gerous public policy that Holmes Firm PC made the the money for sculpture
under state law, thereby le- according to the Death puts the most vulnerable top offer for the bronze would go back into its con-
galizing the practice often With Dignity National Cen- people in society at risk for sculpture, according to tingency fund.
called medically assisted ter and the Death With abuse, coercion and mis- documents from the Dallas The assistant city manager
suicide. Dignity Political Fund. The takes,” said Matt Valliere, City Council. It was among said a task force that re-
The proposal had failed states are: California, Col- Executive Director of Pa- several Lee monuments viewed the sculpture along
once in a statewide vote orado, Hawaii, Oregon, tients Rights Action Fund, around the U.S. that were with other monuments and
and at least seven previous Vermont, Washington, and an advocacy group. “It removed from public view places in Dallas named for
times in the Legislature. The New Jersey, whose gover- also provides profit-driven amid the fallout over racial Confederate leaders rec-
current bill passed by just nor signed the legislation insurance companies per- violence in Charlottesville, ommended finding a local
one vote in the House, and earlier this year. verse incentives to offer a Virginia, in 2017. museum or educational in-
a slim margin in the Senate. Montana doesn’t have quick death, rather than The firm, owned by Ron- stitution to take them.
The signing Wednesday a specific law on the costly continuing quality ald L. Holmes, has not said The assistant city man-
was a relief to Mainers such books, but the state Su- care.” what it plans to do with the ager said a Confederate
as Staci Fowler, 47, who’s preme Court ruled in 2009 The bill’s Democratic spon- statue or whether it is rep- monument near the city’s
taken on the fight for such that doctors could use a sor said the latest language resenting someone else convention center that is
laws in honor of her late patient’s request for life- addresses criticism of past who wanted the artwork set for removal will be dis-
friend Rebecca VanWorm- ending medication as a efforts that have failed in depicting Lee and another assembled and put into
er. defense against criminal Maine.q soldier on horses. storage.q