statement of the judge

Jack Kevorkian: It's emotionalism. You know, when heart transplants first started... there was the same prevalent feeling, I mean, even among doctors... that it was wrong, it was contrary to God's will, contrary to nature. Isn't it ghoulish to rip a person's chest open and take out a heart? Or a bypass operation? Ether is the same thing. You have ether, been around for centuries, it wasn't used. Not till 1846. It was discovered in 1543... and before that, everybody was being operated on while they were awake. Surgeons were cutting them open while they were awake. Did you know that, Geoff?

Geoffery Fieger: No.

Jack Kevorkian: On, yes. And you know why it was banned? Because of religious dogma. Because of the foolish notion... that there's a God Almighty who wills us to suffer.

Judge Cooper: You invited yourself here to make a final stand.

Judge Cooper: You invited yourself to the wrong forum.

Judge Cooper: Our nation tolerates differences of opinions, because we have a civilized and non-violent way of resolving our conflicts.

Judge Cooper: We have the means and methods to protest laws with which we disagree.

Judge Cooper: You can criticize the law, lecture about the law, speak to the media or petition voters.

Judge Cooper: But you must always stay within the limits provided by the law. You may not break the law, or take the law into your own hands.

Judge Cooper: No one's unmindful of the controversy and emotion that exists over end-of-life issues and pain control.

Judge Cooper: I assume the debate will continue in a calm and reasoned forum long after this trial and your activities have faded from the public memory.

Judge Cooper: But this trial was not about that controversy.

Judge Cooper: This trial was about you, sir.

Judge Cooper: You've ignored and challenged the legislature and the supreme court.

Judge Cooper: Moreover, you've defied your own medical profession.

Judge Cooper: This trial was about lawlessness, about your disregard for a society that exists and flourishes because of the strength of our legal system.

Judge Cooper: No one is above the law.

Judge Cooper: You had the audacity to go on national television, show the world what you did, and dare the legal system to stop you.

Judge Cooper: You publicly and repeatedly announced your intentions to disregard the laws of Michigan.

Judge Cooper: Because of this, I am imposing the maximum sentence of 10 to 25 years.

Judge Cooper: You may now, sir, consider yourself stopped.