Crime Time

Arizona jury acquits doctor in Phoenix woman's suicide

A doctor was acquitted of manslaughter charges in the suicide of a Phoenix woman who authorities say had assistance in her death.

The Associated Press reports that Dr. Lawrence Egbert was one of four people charged by Arizona authorities in Jana Van Voorhis' death, who prosecutors said was not terminally ill but suffered from mental health issues and depression.

The four are involved with the Georgia-based right-to-die organization called the Final Exit Network. Jurors could not reach a verdict for a co-defendent named Frank Langsner but the other two defendents - Wye Hale-Rowe and Roberta Massey - pleaded guilty to a charge of facilitation to commit manslaughter.

Van Voorhis was found dead in her Phoenix home in April 2007 and an investigation into her death revealed her involvement with the organization. Police believe that Van Voorhis died afater a plastic hood was placed over her head was hooked up to helium tanks.

An initial autopsy appeared to show she had died from natural causes but another autopsy showed her death was a result of helium asphyxiation.

Egbert and Massey were accused of processing applications to the organization while Langsner and Hale Rowe were accused of showing Van Voorhis how to use the hood and tank.

Egbert has also been in indicted in the state of Georgia on charges that he helped a man with cancer kill himself.

-Chance Welch

Man faces assisted suicide charge in his mother's death

A man in El Paso has been indicted on a rare assisted suicide charge that alleges he helped his 81-year-old mother kill herself at their family's ranch -- once a popular venue for children's parties in the El Paso area.

The man, Travis Bob Kirchner, 56, was originally arrested on suspicion of murder in the death of his mother, Patricia Janice Krichner.  Prosecutors -- who pursued the lesser charge -- say that he helped her axphyxiate herself in a garage on Sept. 17.

Their Poki Roni ranch was a popular location for kids' event and offered a menagerie, pony rides and riding lessons, the El Paso Times reported.

-- Lance Murray