The Poll
Kevorkian 60 Minutes poll results
November 24, 1998
Here's what Michigan people said about CBS and Jack Kevorkian after watching Sunday's "60 Minutes" episode, which showed Kevorkian administering a lethal injection to 52-year-old Thomas Youk of Waterford Township.
1. After watching that segment which showed Jack Kevorkian administering a lethal injection of drugs, do you think it was appropriate or not appropriate for "60 Minutes" to show that scene on television?
56% |
Appropriate |
35% |
Not
appropriate |
10% |
Undecided/Don't
know/Refused |
2. Did the experience of watching Dr. Jack Kevorkian cause a man's death influence your opinion about assisted suicide, or would you say that your opinion about assisted suicide was not influenced at all by the "60 Minutes" program?
11% |
Influenced
opinion about assisted suicide |
84% |
DID NOT
influence opinion about assisted suicide |
5% |
Undecided/Don't
know |
3. Did the experience of watching tonight's "60 minute" segment on Jack Kevorkian influence you to be more supportive of assisted suicide or more opposed to assisted suicide?
6% |
Much more
supportive of assisted suicide |
31% |
Somewhat
more supportive of assisted suicide |
13% |
Somewhat
more opposed to assisted suicide |
38% |
Much more
opposed to assisted suicide |
12% |
Undecided/Don't
know |
4. Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose laws that would allow physician assisted suicide for terminally ill people who are in a sound state of mind?
31% |
Strongly
favor |
14% |
Somewhat
favor |
10% |
Somewhat
oppose |
40% |
Strongly
oppose |
5% |
Undecided/Don't
know |
5. Do you consider the actions of Dr. Jack Kevorkian in this television segment the appropriate assistance to a dying man who wished to commit suicide, or the wrongful taking of a life?
|
Appropriate |
Wrongful |
Undecided/ |
Overall |
49% |
41% |
10% |
By gender |
|||
Female |
51 |
40 |
9 |
Male |
47 |
43 |
10 |
By religion |
|||
Protestant |
54 |
35 |
11 |
Catholic |
36 |
56 |
8 |
Other |
53 |
37 |
10 |
By region |
|||
Outstate |
48 |
41 |
11 |
Wayne County
|
62 |
29 |
9 |
Oakland |
56 |
44 |
0 |
Macomb |
17 |
67 |
16 |
6. Dr. Kevorkian has invited law enforcement authorities to arrest him and charge him with a crime for his actions in the death shown on television. What do you think? Should Dr. Jack Kevorkian be arrested and charged with a crime for his actions, or do you think authorities should do nothing?
50% |
Kevorkian
should be arrested and charged |
34% |
Authorities
should do nothing |
16% |
Undecided/Don't
know |
7. If Dr. Kevorkian is arrested for his involvement in the death of the man shown on "60 Minutes," for what crime do you think he should be charged--violating Michigan's new law banning assisted suicide, for committing a more serious crime, such as murder, or for committing a different crime?
30% |
Violating
law banning assisted suicide |
45% |
More serious
crime - such as murder |
16% |
Something
else |
9% |
Undecided/Don't
know |
8.If you were serving on a jury, based on what you saw on television tonight, would you find Dr. Jack Kevorkian guilty or not guilty of murder if that was the crime he was charged with?
|
Guilty |
Not guilty |
Undecided |
Overall |
37% |
50% |
13% |
By gender |
|||
Female |
35 |
54 |
11 |
Male |
39 |
47 |
14 |
By religion |
|||
Protestant |
35 |
49 |
16 |
Catholic |
44 |
42 |
14 |
Other |
31 |
62 |
7 |
By region |
|||
Outstate |
36 |
48 |
16 |
Wayne |
25 |
67 |
8 |
Oakland |
44 |
50 |
6 |
Macomb |
58 |
33 |
9 |
9. If he was charged with violating Michigan's new law banning physician assisted suicide instead of murder, based on what you saw on television tonight, would you find Dr. Jack Kevorkian guilty or not guilty of that crime?
62% |
Guilty of
assisting a suicide |
26% |
Not guilty
of assisting a suicide |
12% |
Undecided/Don't
know |
10. Dr. Jack Kevorkian has publicly stated that he is trying to force the issue of assisted suicide and euthanasia by his actions, and, if necessary, he will starve himself in prison to become a martyr for his beliefs. Do you believe that Dr. Kevorkian is doing what must be done for the cause of assisted suicide, do you think he has gone too far and is hurting his cause, or, do you think he should do even more to force changes in assisted suicide laws?
28% |
Doing what
must be done |
55% |
Has gone too
far and is hurting his cause |
8% |
Should do
even more to force changes |
9% |
Undecided/Don't
know |
11. In the recent November 3rd election, did you vote YES in favor of Proposal B, the assisted suicide proposal, did you vote NO to oppose it, did you vote in the election but skip that proposal, or were you unable to vote at all on November 3rd?
24% |
Yes |
56% |
No |
5% |
Did not vote
on that proposal |
11% |
Did not vote
in the election |
2% |
Can't
remember |
2% |
Refused |
Source: Detroit Free Press poll of 300 Michigan residents conducted Nov. 22 by Epic/MRA, of Lansing.