NATION IN BRIEF : GEORGIA : Quadriplegic Pleads for Better State Care

A quadriplegic who won court permission to shut off his life-sustaining ventilator told lawmakers in Atlanta that the state’s way of caring for the severely disabled was a big reason behind his wish to die. Larry McAfee, 34, appeared before the Georgia Senate to plead for changes in care for the disabled, which he called obsolete and cruel. Although he has changed his mind and decided to live, McAfee said the quality of his life since he was paralyzed in 1985 has been poor, primarily because he has been in institutions. McAfee said the state should adopt programs of independent living for the disabled and should not send them to out-of-state nursing homes.