Indiana Gazette from Indiana, Pennsylvania • 13

Elie (gazette Thursday, September 3, 1987 Poge 13 'Jane Doe7 dies after 'right-to-diey ruling the "rights and personal dignity of Jane Doe." "Her vital rights are intermingled with the public interest and the interest of liberating physicians and hospitals 'from the shackles of the subtle influences of self-interest and self-protection in exercising independent medical Lehrer wrote. The judge said the woman expressed a wish not to be kept alive by artificial means as early as her diagnosis in March 1966. She lost the ability to speak, then lost the use of her legs and arms and by October was confined to a wheelchair. She was admitted to the hospital last Jan. 2 and had to be fed through a tube.

She was put on a ventilator when she could not breathe. Doctors said in April that she would die if taken off the ventilator. In June, the woman and her family hired an attorney, and on July 20, they filed a petition to take her off the life-support system. After several hearings, including a session at the woman's bedside, Lehrer granted the request. The state attorney general's office observed last month's private hearings and decided not to object to the court's findings.

District Attorney Ronald D. Castille also was notified and decided not to intervene. 'The only reason to have become a party would have been if we were going to object to the request, and there was no reason to Gentzel said. Philadelphia widow suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. The woman, called Jane Doe in legal papers, died about five hours later.

The names of the woman and the hospital, which sought court guidance on her request, were withheld in the formal opinion issued Wednesday. "The right of a competent individual to refuse medical care or have it withdrawn is a right under the common law doctrineof self-determination and a constitutional right to privacy," Lehrer wrote. Linda R. Rosen, chairman of the right-to-die subcommittee of the Philadelphia Bar Association, said the case demonstrated the state's need for right-to-die legislation. "If we had appropriate legislation, it could prevent having to go to court every time you have (such) a situation," she said.

"It will obviously have influence on the court and It might help us to obtain the appropriate legislation." Lehrer said his ruling guaranteed PHILADELPHIA (AP) A terminally ill patient died within hours after shedding her life-support systems with permission of a Common Picas judge in Pennsylvania's first right-to-die ruling, officials said. Although Common Pleas decisions are not binding on other judges, the decision by Judge Samuel M. Lerner will influence future cases in the absence of rulings by the state's higher courts, said Robert Gentzel, spokesman for the state attorney general's office. "It is unprecedented," Gentzel said Wednesday. "When other cases arise, as they're sure to do, the lawyers will undoubtedly look to this opinion.

No other judge is obliged to stay within the parameters of this decision, but it is something they will look to." The case also was exceptional because the woman was fully alert and able to decide her own fate, Gentzel said. Lehrer permitted a local hospital last month to withdraw the life-support sytems at the request of a south UTlTTmniTffi mEW. GO, TEAM The first football games for area high school teams are scheduled this weekend, and this 6-monlh-old Airsdoli. miv America's Finest Income Tax Course Learning income taxes now could offer you money-making opportunities and save you money on your return at tax time. Enroll today! Classes start Sept.

1 0 Uniforms For Women Men WHITE TIT SWAN BLOCK For More Information CALL NOW PINO BLJP'P'cai-T-r hoes 463-3231 STOP SHOE jfiTAHD IN UNIFORM'S i Phone 463-6290 1 Indiana, Pa. 26 N. Fifth Street wants to be sure of getting a place in the stands. The fuzzy, faced fan would prefer to attend a game in the company of a new owner. A number of dogs and cats are always available for adoption at the Indiana County Animal Shelter, for more information on adding a new player to the family team, phone 349-5566.

(Gazette photo by Campisano) 'Baby M' attorney gets sued LANSING, Mich. (AP) The lawyer who arranged the "Baby surrogate mother contract is being sued by another woman who wants to keep the twins she is carrying un- der contract. The lawsuit filed by Laurie Yates alleged coercion and contends the surrogate agreement amounts to "involuntary servitude." Attorney Noel Keane, based in Dearborn, said Wednesday he welcomes Michigan's first court test of such agreements. "We get to test, maybe, the constitutional right of procreation. We get to test the public policy issue of the state of Michigan.

This may be Michigan's 'Baby M' case," Keane said in a telephone interview from New York. Keane specializes in matching surrogates with childless couples willing to pay to have an infant conceived through artificial insemination. He arranged the contract with surrogate Mary Beth Whitehead. 7 ALL OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, SEPT. tfti First Federal; iS All offices of Laurel Bank will be closed Labor Day, September 7.

1987, so that our employees may share in this day of rest and recreation for America's working people. Please use any of our seven convenient CashStream locations for your routine banking needs on this day. savings and loan association of indiana Phone 349-2810 CIRRUS. Labor Day -jc CathStniiarnM itr Moin Office, 935 Philadelphia St. and -jC Branch Office at Shop 'n Save, Route 422 West SEE I UNDER National Bank of the Commonwealth state SmmA OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ALL DAY LABOR DAY, SEPT.

7TH PHONE 412 354 2111 ELOERTON. PA 15736 You can take advantage of 24 hour -banking convenience at any of our Local AdvantageCashStream Banking Centers. Member F.O.I.C. lobby Open Monday thru Thursifay 9 o.ni.3 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-l 2 Drive-Up Window Optn Monday thru Thursday o.m..e p.m.; Friday a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday a.m.-l 2 Regency Mall IUP Hadley Union Conemaugh Valley Office, Blairsville Shop 'n Save Supermarket, Fit. 422 W.

Riverside Maiket, Wayne Ave. South who lost a highly publicized custody battle in New Jersey over the child she bore who was dubbed "Baby Keane was named earlier this year in a lawsuit filed by a Lansing woman who contended she was coerced into surrogate motherhood, but a judge dismissed that case. Michigan has no law covering surrogate arrangments. The suit filed Aug. 19 by Laurie and Richard Yales of Ithaca seeks to cancel the contract Keane arranged with Mrs.

Yates and an Arkansas couple. The suit says Mrs. Yates was coerced into submitting to two inseminations after a July 1986 miscarriage that should have voided the contract. It also contends she was threatened "with financial loss to her and her husband if she did not continue to perform." Barry and Glinda Huber counter-sued this week, seeking custody of the children when they are bom about Oct. 1.

Keane said Mrs. Yales intially was an enthusiastic surrogate who couldn't wait to tell the Hubers an ultrasound test showed she was carrying twins. But "at some point in the pregnancy she kind of withdrew from the couple," Keane said. He declined to give out the Hubers' hometown in Arkansas. State Sen.

Connie Binsfeld, an anti-surrogacy crusader, described Mrs. Yates as "just a wisp of a little person" and said Mrs. Yales doctor 'has prescribed almost constant bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. "Any stress at this lime would certainly not be in her best interest," said Mrs. Binsfeld, of Maple City.

"She can't stand much." Mrs. Binsfeld said Mrs. Yates called her after having a change of heart, but she declined to discuss details of the case. The lawsuit doesn't disclose the terms of the surrogate contract. In most surrogate agreements the mother receives $10,000 plus payment of all medical expenses.

Another 810,000 usually is paid for legal fees, psychological and medical screening, and insemination costs. Keane said he has not been served with any court papers, and suspects the delay was related to story being prepared by CBS-TV's "60 Minutes." Keane and Mrs. Binsfeld said the network interviewed them for a segment to be broadcast Sept. 20. Attorney Robert MacAlpine, who represents Mrs.

Yates, refused to discuss the suit, saying "all of this will break the 20th. 21st of September. I will comment after that." ALL OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED SEPT. 7TH Formers Office Philo St. Ken Fremiti in Office, Ben Franklin Rd.

Indiana Mall Office LOBBY AND AUTO TELLER WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH REGULAR HOURS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH FOR YOUR BANKING CONVENIENCE OUR CASHSTREAM BANKING CENTER IS AVAILABLE AT THE INDIANA MALL the bank thalUSJENg Gib KEYSTONE NATIONAL BANK PITTSBURGH NATIONAL BONK Were a bank that believes in performance. 501 Philadelphia St. Indiana. PA Ph. (412) 349-6990 Off ices will be closed on Monday, Sept.

The Marion Center in observance of Labor Day. NationalBank Your friendty. independent community bank. MARION CENTER, PA. CLVMER, PA.

MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION First United Federal ALL OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON SEPT. 7 Johnstown Richland Westmont Somerset Barnesboro Ebensburg Indiana OPEN REGULAR HOURS ON SEPT. 5.