Mocobizscene- An 85-year-old retired doctor from Arizona has recently been taken into custody and is facing charges of manslaughter. He stands accused of allegedly assisting an individual in committing suicide at a motel in New York last November, as per the authorities.
Stephen P. Miller, a resident of Tucson, Arizona, appeared in court on Friday and entered a plea of not guilty to charges of second-degree manslaughter, as well as first- and second-degree assault, according to court records.
According to a statement released by Kingston police on Friday, the investigation was initiated after authorities received a report about an individual who was found unconscious and unresponsive at a Super 8 hotel located on Washington Avenue in Kingston. This incident occurred around noon on November 9th and the city is situated approximately 100 miles north of New York City.
The police discovered a person in the motel room who, at first glance, seemed to have died by suicide.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that there was another individual present who had played a role in “contributing to or assisting in the suicide,” as stated in the official statement.
Police and the Ulster County district attorney’s office conducted an investigation, which resulted in the issuance of an arrest warrant for Miller. The charges against Miller include second-degree manslaughter under the state penal code. This charge is related to a person intentionally causing or aiding another person to die by suicide.
The identity of the deceased individual was not disclosed by authorities, but it was confirmed that Miller was not related to them.
Miller’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, has not yet responded to a comment request.
Lichtman, in an interview with The Times Herald-Record of Middletown, New York, emphasized that the process of providing guidance on end-of-life decisions was carried out meticulously, with empathy and extensive study. He further asserted that offering advice on the topic does not necessarily violate any legal regulations.
Miller is a member of the advisory board for Choice and Dignity, a nonprofit organization in Arizona that is dedicated to upholding the rights of individuals to have their end-of-life plans respected and honored.
Medical aid in dying has been a topic of controversy for a long time. According to Death with Dignity, an end-of-life advocacy and policy reform organization, it is currently legal in 10 states, including California, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.
New York state currently does not allow it, although there have been proposals to legalize it in the Legislature that have not made progress.
New York is currently considering the implementation of the Medical Aid in Dying Act, also known as Senate Bill S2445A. This proposed legislation follows a similar framework that has been adopted in other states. Under this act, a terminally ill patient who is mentally competent would have the option to request medication that would allow them to hasten their own death, subject to specific conditions. The bill was introduced in January 2023 and is currently being reviewed by a Senate committee.
Miller was sent to the Ulster County Jail with a choice of either posting $500,000 in cash bail, $1 million in bond, or $3 million in partially secured bond. However, inmate records reveal that he was able to secure his release on the same day.
Dr. Miller, a former family practice doctor, graduated from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Sciences in Chicago in 1964. Arizona Medical Board records indicate that he obtained a license to practice in Arizona in 1994, which expired in 2005.
According to board records, Miller obtained a medical license in California in 1969, but it was later revoked in 2009. This revocation was due to his conviction for tax evasion in Texas in 2006. As a result, he was sentenced to nearly four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
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