ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Alaska Supreme Court granted an Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney’s motion for stay and signed an order Friday that will keep Providence Hospital from removing a woman’s life-support tubes. Ending her life support could result in her death within minutes or days.
“No one should be allowed to decide that an innocent life is worthless. A man is caring for the wife he loves; it’s not the hospital’s job to end her life,” said ADF Senior Counsel Joe Infranco. “We are pleased with the court’s decision to allow this woman to continue receiving her treatment, respecting the wishes of the patient and her husband over those of hospital bureaucrats.”
Providence Hospital asserts that the woman’s medical treatment does her no good and that keeping her alive violates its “ethical” standards. The woman’s husband filed suit against the hospital and a doctor on May 16 to keep medical staff from removing his wife’s life support, which would inevitably terminate her life.
“Having severe medical problems shouldn’t be a death sentence,” said ADF-allied attorney Kenneth Kirk. “Judging a patient’s worth by subjective ‘quality of life’ standards is dangerous. The decision on whether to remove life support for this woman rests with her and her husband alone.”
As a result of the high court’s decision in P.C. v. K., a temporary restraining order against the hospital entered by the superior court on May 20 will remain in effect pending appeal and further order of the court.
ADF is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith. Launched in 1994, ADF employs a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family.
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