On Monday April 4, 2011 the Phoenix trial against two volunteers of the Final Exit Network (FEN) started with jury selection. The case concerned allegations as would the two FEN volunteers had conspired and aided in the suicide of Jana Van Vorhis in April 2007 (!). The session would take 14 days, before the jury gave a verdict of innonence (“not guilty of conspiracy to commit manslaughter by aiding in a suicide”) on one of the volunteers (FEN medical director Dr Larry Egbert) and a deadlock (“7:1 to acquit of conspiracy and 4:4 to acquit on aiding in a suicide”) on the other (exit guide Frank Langsner). The case is of importance to further trials in other states of teh USA against FEN volunteers, still under way.
Faye Girsh attended the whole trial and wrote a very readable report on the proceedings. It can be read by clicking here.