Who was Dr. Jack Kevorkian?

Dr. Jack Kevorkian (May 26, 1928–June 3, 2011), also known as "Dr. Death", was an American physician, pathologist, and euthanasia advocate who assisted in the suicides of at least 130 people between 1990 and 1998. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 for the 1998 death of Thomas Youk, and served eight years in prison before being paroled in 2007.

Kevorkian was born in Pontiac, Michigan, the son of Armenian immigrants. He graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1952 and completed his residency at Detroit's Harper-Grace Hospital. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War, and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

After completing his military service, Kevorkian returned to Michigan and began practicing medicine. He became interested in euthanasia in the 1980s, after witnessing the suffering of some of his patients. He began publicly advocating for the legalization of euthanasia, and in 1989 he founded the Hemlock Society, an organization that supports the "right to die."

In 1990, Kevorkian assisted in the suicide of Janet Adkins, a 54-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease. Adkins's death was the first of many that Kevorkian would assist in the following years. He typically administered a lethal dose of potassium chloride to his patients, and he often videotaped the suicides.

Kevorkian's activities attracted a great deal of media attention, and he became a controversial figure. He was both praised by some for his compassion and condemned by others for his actions. In 1993, he was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Thomas Hyde, but the conviction was overturned on appeal.

In 1999, Kevorkian was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Thomas Youk. He served eight years in prison before being paroled in 2007. After his release from prison, Kevorkian continued to advocate for the legalization of euthanasia, but he did not assist in any more suicides.

Kevorkian died in 2011 from complications of pneumonia. He was 83 years old.