Julie:

Will the jury please stand and

Please rise. The Court of CIS is

raise your right hand? Do each of

now in session, the Honorable

you swear that you will fairly try

Judge Sophia presiding.

the case before this court, and

Please be seated.

that you will return a true verdict

according to the evidence and the

Sophia:

instructions of the court, so help

What is todays case?

you, God? Please say I do.

Julie:

July & _____:

Todays case is about Death with

I do.

Dignity Act in Oregon.

Julie:
Please be seated.
Sophia:
Is the prosecution ready? Is the

Judge: May give instructions to

defense ready?

the jury.
==========================

Monica and Kathy:

=========

Yes, your honor.

Kathy:
Your Honor and ladies and

Sophia:

gentlemen of the jury, my name is

Will the Julie please swear in the

Kathy, and I am against the state

jury?

of Oregon in this case. The

defendant has been charged with

Julie:

the crime of legalizing physicianassisted suicide. The Death with

Dignity Act, which supports

The People call the Doctor Jang,

suicide, should never be legalized

who was the physician of Brittany

under any circumstances, and

Maynard.

therefore, the state must be guilty

as charged.

Julie:
Please stand. Raise your right

Monica:

hand. Do you promise that the

Your Honor, members of the jury,

testimony you shall give in the

my name is Monica, and I am

case before this court shall be the

representing the state of Oregon

truth, the whole truth, and nothing

in this case. The state has been

but the truth, so help you God?

charged with the crime of

legalizing Death with Dignity Act. I
intend to prove that the state of

Harold:

Oregon is free from the guilt of

I do.

legalizing Death with Dignity Act,

because it gives rights to people

Julie:

to end their own lives. Everyone

Please state your first and last

should have rights to end ones

name.

lives, especially if one is under

critical condition.

Harold:
Harold Jang

Judge:
The prosecution may call its

Julie:

witness.

You may be seated.

Kathy:

Kathy:

So, Dr.Jang, please tell us why

Her brain tumor is known as a

you are here today.

glioblastoma brain tumor. Her

tumor was being treated with

Harold:

several prescription drugs

Good evening, ladies and

designed to reduce swelling of the

gentlemen. My name is Harold

brain and to minimize seizures.

Jang, and I am and was the

physician for Brittany Maynard,

I know that her pain is

who passed away in November

excruciating; however, as a

1st, 2014 through physician-

doctor, I dont want to be the one

assisted suicide. I am here today

who decides who lives or dies. I

to prohibit legalizing the Death

shall not have that power. The

with Dignity Act in the state of

Declaration of Independence says

Oregon.

that we should have the right to

pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit

Brittany was one active and lovely

of happiness. Nothing in it says

woman. She was married, had a

we have the right to pursue death.

beautiful family, and was happier

Nothing.

than anyone else in this world

until she was diagnosed with

Kathy:

terminal brain cancer in January

Thank you. I have no further

1, 2014. She had partial

questions, Your Honor.

craniotomy and resection of her

temporal lobe. Her cancer

Sophia:

returned April 2014 which turned

Is the defense ready with its

into stage 4.

case?

Monica:

So, Harry, I know that you still in

Yes, your honor. I call the close

despair for losing your close

friend of Brittany Maynard, Mister

friend, yet you came all the way

Harry Nam.

here for a reason. Please tell us

why you made such decision.

Julie:
Please stand. Raise your right

Harry:

hand. Do you promise that the

Hello, ladies and gentlemen of the

testimony you shall give in the

court. My name is Harry Nam, and

case now before this court shall

I am Brittanys best friend, who

be the truth, the whole truth, and

truly loved her so much. It indeed

nothing but the truth, so help you

is so difficult to even talk about

God?

Brittany, because I still cant bear

the pain. However, I have decided

Harry:

to be here, stand, and share with

Yes, I do.

you one of the most peaceful, yet

saddest story of farewell.

Julie:
Please state your first and last

My friend, Brittany, was a sweet

name.

friend. She was always there for

me, and she loved her life. She

Harry:

was an active member of her

Harry Nam.

community, and she embraced

those who are sick and in need.

Julie:

She was an angel until she was

You may be seated.

diagnosed with brain cancer.

Monica:

I still remember her last words.

Thank you. I have no further

She wanted to live. She was

questions, Your Honor.

newly married and was ready for

the new chapters of her life.

Sophia:

However, excruciating pain

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

brought countless seizures and

I am now going to read to you the

momentarily, she would lose her

law that you must follow in

ability to speak due to unbearable

deciding this case.

pain. As a result, she chose to

move to the state of Oregon to die

First, An adult who is capable, is

in peace. To die in her familys

a resident of Oregon, and has

arms, without any pain.

been determined by the attending

physician and consulting

What is wrong with that? The right

physician to be suffering from a

of a competent, terminally ill

terminal disease, and who has

person to avoid pain and embrace

voluntarily expressed his or her

a timely and dignified death bears

wish to die, may make a written

the sanction of history and is

request for medication for the

implicit in the concept of ordered

purpose of ending his or her life in

liberty. Terminally ill person

a humane and dignified manner in

should have a protected liberty

accordance with ORS 127.800 to

interest in choosing to end

127.897.

intolerable suffering by bringing

about his or her own death.

Second, A valid request for

medication shall be in

Monica:

substantially the form described in

ORS 127.897, signed and dated

by the patient and witnessed by at

According to the witnesses, the

least two individuals who, in the

controversy comes from the

presence of the patient, attest that

legitimacy of the presence of such

to the best of their knowledge and

Act. The legislative bans and

belief the patient is capable,

various forms of the question that

acting voluntarily, and is not being

everyone is asking is that is it right

coerced to sign the request.

or wrong to take someones life

even if the person is consenting it.

If each of you believes that the

Some people believe if a person

prosecution proved all two of

is in pain and he or she wants to

these things beyond a reasonable

die, then one should have the

doubt, then you should find the

right to do so with the help of a

defendant guilty. But if you believe

physician. Others believe another

the prosecution did not prove any

person should not have the right

one of these things beyond a

to take another ones life.

reasonable doubt, then you must

find the defendant not guilty.

Now, the research shows that the

Voluntary Euthanasia Act was

Proof beyond a reasonable doubt

introduced in 1937. In 1977, 8

does not mean beyond all

states (California, New Mexico,

possible doubt. It means that you

Arkansas, Oregon, Idaho, North

must consider all of the evidence

Carolina, Texas, and Nevada)

and that you are very sure that the

adopted Physician-Assisted

charge is true.

Suicide. Finally, in 1977, Oregon

became the very first state to pass

Julie:

Death with Dignity Act.

The number of people who died

through physician-assisted suicide
is constantly increasing. In 2009,
there were PAS deaths, 65 in
2010, 71 in 2011, and 77 in 2012.
This shows that people are
seeking to die in peace. Thats
why so far, we, the members of
the jury, believe that the state of
Oregon is not guilty.

Kathy:
Objection.