Dead Reckoning

Arthur Dale

Age: 61

Resides:: Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

Occupation: Publishing

Did you watch 60 Minutes? Yeah. I thought it was a little appalling. He could have just talked about
it rather than videotaping it. Some people were really emotional about it, like my
mother. He was very in-your-face about it.

Should he go to jail? There should be a trial at least, then see what the jury decides.

Should assisted suicide be made legal? It’s
really a personal thing. But right now,
personally, I don’t feel that I would do that.

Robert Castadi

Age: 53

Resides:: Fordham, Bronx

Occupation: Works in gas station

Did you watch 60 Minutes? Yeah, I saw a bit of it. I wasn’t upset about it. When you’re suffering, hospitals just keep you going for money purposes.

Should he go to jail? No. He’s been in jail
before. This is no different, so I don’t think that needs to happen.

Should assisted suicide be made legal? Yes.
It’s a person’s individual right.

Chin Okigbo

Age: 28

Resides:: Roosevelt
Island

Occupation: Commercial real estate

Did you watch 60
Minutes? This was the only 60 Minutes I missed. It’s a person’s right to die. But 60 Minutes airing the tape, that’s not right. By doing that you make light of it. It should be a private thing.

Should he go to jail? If the person asked him, he shouldn’t go to jail. But he should be reprimanded for videotaping it.

Should assisted suicide be made legal? Yeah. In certain circumstances the pain and discomfort can be too much.

Kevin Scott

Age: 33

Resides:: Binghamton

Occupation: Network technician

Did you watch 60
Minutes? No. I heard about it. It’s kind of
being sensationalistic
to get ratings, it seems.

Should he go to jail? If he broke the law by
actually causing the person’s death.

Should assisted suicide be made legal? My problem with that is people who don’t have full command of their faculties, or who are a burden to their families, may be making the wrong decision.

Kathryn Arizmendi

Age: 63

Resides:: Manhattan

Occupation: Retired teacher

Did you watch 60
Minutes? No. I saw a clip, though, on the news. I’m just wondering why 60 Minutes bought into it. Maybe the show itself can be held accountable in some way.

Should he go to jail? That would boil down to, do I believe in euthanasia. I don’t. Our civil liberties need to be guarded on all counts.

Should assisted suicide be made legal? I don’t know. I haven’t thought enough about it.

Sarah Dombroff

Age: 22

Resides:: Midtown

Occupation: Student

Did you watch 60
Minutes? Yes. He’s
an angel, actually. My grandmother is 82 and
I watched it with her, and my family said, thank God for someone like him, because if she were ever in that kind of situation . . .

Should he go to jail? Oh, no. I hope he doesn’t.

Should assisted suicide be made legal?
Definitely. It’s a personal choice.

Ernie Walton

Age: 34

Resides:: Harlem

Occupation:
Construction

Did you watch 60
Minutes? Yes. If you’re a doctor, you’re supposed to save lives. I don’t agree with his methods.

Should he go to jail? Exactly. He broke the law.

Should assisted suicide be made legal? Why would anybody want to kill themselves?

Lisa Lyons

Age: 19

Resides:: Soho

Occupation: Student

Did you watch 60
Minutes? No. It’s the
patient’s choice,
ultimately. Taping it for publicity is no problem.

Should he go to jail?
No. The patient wanted it.

Should assisted suicide be made legal? Yes. Speaking as a nursing student, I know there are certain illnesses where there is so much pain, and there’s nothing we can do for them.