Prof. Jane Kirtley Quoted in Washington Post About Reporter Who Involved Himself in Assisted Suicide Story

Professor Jane Kirtley was quoted in the Washington Post about a reporter who may have had a conflict of interest in a major news feature he wrote for the Boston Globe. The reporter signed a letter attesting to the sound mind of the story’s subject, who was terminally ill and wanted to end her life. The Globe said that while the reporter violated the publication’s journalistic standards, it published the story. Professor Kirtley questioned these decisions. “He did not need to be the one to sign it. They could have gotten someone else to sign it. And by signing it, he became complicit in the outcome.” Regarding the Globe’s decision to publish, Professor Kirtley added, “I think it's a valuable story to tell, and I think it’s a shame that they made this one decision that I think really does taint the story, because it raises the question of how independent and detached the reporter really was.”