Kevorkian Takes Part in 30th Suicide

Retired pathologist Jack Kevorkian helped a 58-year-old nurse with a brain tumor commit suicide, his lawyer said Wednesday. It was the 30th such death Kevorkian has assisted since 1990.

The suicide Tuesday night of Lona Jones of Chester, Va., was the second Kevorkian has taken part in since his third and most recent acquittal on assisted-suicide charges, on May 14.

Kevorkian’s lawyer would not say exactly what role his 68-year-old client played in the suicide.

“I can only say that he was present when she ended her suffering,” Michael Schwartz said. “She had recurrent and repetitive uncontrollable seizures. She was in terrible pain. She was suffering for a while.”

Jones’ body was brought to a hospital in a wheelchair by her husband, Ralph Jones, just before midnight.

She died of carbon monoxide poisoning, Oakland County Medical Examiner Dr. L.J. Dragovic said. Inhaling carbon monoxide is the usual method used in suicides assisted by Kevorkian.

Schwartz would not say exactly when or where the suicide took place. He said Jones had consulted with Kevorkian by phone and mail before traveling to Michigan but wasn’t sure how long their relationship had lasted.

Schwartz said Jones had a malignant brain tumor. The medical examiner said the autopsy revealed evidence of surgery on Jones’ brain, but tissue tests to identify any tumors would take days.

Kevorkian declined to comment.