On August 4, 1993, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a retired pathologist, helped a 30-year-old Michigan man with LouGehrig’s disease commit suicide in a van. Thomas Hyde, Jr. died after inhaling carbon monoxide through a mask designed by Dr. Kevorkian; in doing so, he became the 17th person to commit suicide with Kevorkian’s assistance. They physician was openly challenging a Michigan law (aimed at him) that makes it a felony crimepunishable by up to four years in jailto assist in a suicide. Since then Kevorkian has assisted in numerous other suicides, but it was not until he did it on television in 1998 that charges brought against him resulted in a guilty verdict (see Box 12-3).