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We really haven't heard Judge Sonia Sotomayor talk at all about her views as a judge on end of life issues. Well, The Brody file has some video to share with you.
I noticed that on her official questionairre it listed the following appearance:
September 19, 2000 - Federal Bar Council Inns of Court, Panel Discussion on End-of-Life Issues (video filed with the Committee)
The Brody File has obtained the video. The full 45 minute panel discussion will be posted later this afternoon but The Brody File has decided to break up the clips for you.
The clip below shows her discussing a patient's medical rights as it relates to end of life issues. (By the way, when you hear the name "George" in this clip, that is a fictional person who is being used in an example of someone who is near the end of his life) A fuller version that runs three minutes and provides more context is here.
Partial transcription:
"Ultimately the law says the choice is the patient's. My own feeling the reality is it's what the doctor's pitch is." (full disclosure: it is not 100 percent clear what she says at the end of this quote)
This next clip below shows Sotomayor talking about assisted suicide. The judge starts speaking about 2:40 into the clip.
Key transcription:
"It is a clearly fine line. It is illegal in New York to assist suicide. The Supreme Court has said that that law is enforcable and so the issue of how fine you want to walk the line depends both on your conscience as a doctor and your desire as to how much risk you want to take."
Finally, have a look at this video of Judge Sotomayor from the end of life discussion. The exchange with Sotomayor comes one minute in.
This video was submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee but had not been shown until now on The Brody File.
Print Email to a Friend posted on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 1:59 PM