THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 20, 1996 TAG: 9606200453
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: DETROIT LENGTH: 51 lines
Dr. Jack Kevorkian helped a 58-year-old nurse from Virginia with a brain tumor commit suicide, his lawyer said Wednesday. It was the 30th such death Kevorkian has assisted since 1990.
The suicide Tuesday night of Lona Jones of Chester, Va., in suburban Richmond, was the second Kevorkian has taken part in since his third and most recent acquittal on May 14.
Kevorkian's lawyer would not say exactly what role the 68-year-old retired pathologist played in the suicide.
``I can only say that he was present when she ended her suffering,'' Michael Schwartz said. ``She had recurrent and repetitive uncontrollable seizures. She was in terrible pain. She was suffering for a while.''
Jones' body was brought to a hospital in a wheelchair by her husband, Ralph, just before midnight.
She died of carbon monoxide poisoning, Oakland County Medical Examiner Dr. L.J. Dragovic said. Inhaling carbon monoxide is the usual method used in suicides assisted by Kevorkian.
Schwartz would not say exactly when or where the suicide took place. He said Jones had consulted with Kevorkian by phone and mail before traveling to Michigan.
Schwartz said Jones had a malignant brain tumor. The medical examiner said the autopsy revealed evidence of surgery on Jones' brain, but tissue tests to identify any tumors would take days. He said he found no evidence her life had been in immediate danger.
Oakland County Prosecutor Richard Thompson would not say whether he would press charges.
Kevorkian declined to comment.
Friends and neighbors in suburban Richmond knew Jones was ill but expressed shock at her suicide.
One friend, Dr. Ralph Belzile, a retired military physician, said Jones had been in great pain during the past few days and wondered if her nursing background had contributed to her decision.
``I'm sure that having a lot of knowledge about the disease does color the decision,'' Belzile said.
Kevorkian was charged in his first two trials under a temporary law enacted specifically to stop him. He was charged at his third trial under common law, the traditions and legal precedents dating to old England.
After his May acquittal, Kevorkian said nothing short of ``being burned at the stake'' could stop him now. ILLUSTRATION: The suicide Tuesday of a Chester, Va., woman was was
the 30th such death Dr. Jack Kevorkian has assisted since 1990. by CNB