Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Dr. Larry Egbert arrested, charged with homicide; Nick Sheridan being sought

Friends,

 

Larry Egbert was arrested today in the PSR office, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218, around 3:30 PM. According to Susan Goering of the ACLU, he is charged under the RICO act with homicide.  Susan indicated it had to do with assisted suicide.  See the press release below.

 

A bond was set, but the amount is unknown at this time.  The ACLU has retained two attorneys to represent Larry.  It is assumed he was taken to Central Booking.  I presume there will be an extradition hearing before he is released or sent to Georgia.

 

At 3 PM, the police coordinated raids at the Peace Center at 325 East 25th St. and at 814 Powers St., Baltimore, MD 21211, Larry’s home.  His wife Ellen Barfield was home, but not allowed to leave until 4:30 PM.  The Georgia Bureau of Investigation coordinated the raids, but Baltimore City Police were involved. 

 

After Larry was arrested, the police conducted an extensive search of the third floor at 325.  When I left at 6:30 PM, the search was still going on.  From the outside we could see that all three windows on the third floor facing 25th Street were open.  I do not know why.

 

According to Fox 45 at 10 PM, Larry was arrested for "involvement” in the assisted suicide of a man in Georgia.  However, three others are allegedly involved.  One is still not in custody, Nick Sheridan from Baltimore.  I do not know if that is the Nick I know who lives in the Govans neighborhood.

 

Kagiso,

 

Max

 

Arrests Made, Search Warrants Executed in Assisted Suicide Investigation into Final Exit Network

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 

 

Contact: John Bankhead - 404-270-8330

 

DECATUR - As result of an ongoing investigation into the Final Exit Network, agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested two people today in North Georgia for their involvement in the June 19, 2008 assisted suicide of a 58-year-old Cumming man.  Two others have been charged in Maryland in connection with their involvement in this death.

 

The GBI began its investigation into the Final Exit Network on June 30, 2008 at the request of the Cumming Police Department after the Forsyth County Coroner, a detective with Cumming PD and relatives of the deceased had suspicions that the death was an assisted suicide.

 

As part of the investigation, the GBI set up a sting operation today at a residence in Dawson County where an undercover GBI agent posed as a Final Exit Network member to obtain their assistance with his "suicide".    At this location, agents arrested Claire Blehr, 76, of Atlanta, and Thomas E. Goodwin, 63, of Punta Gorda, Florida and Kennesaw, Ga. 

 

In addition, authorities in Maryland, assisted by GBI agents, have arrested Dr. Lawrence D. Egbert, 81, of Baltimore.   Nicholas Alec Sheridan, 60, also of Baltimore,  has been charged but is not in custody.

All four have been charged on warrants out of Forsyth County with Assisted Suicide (Ga. Code 16-5-5), Tampering with Evidence (Ga. Code 16-10-94) and violation of the Georgia RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act (Ga. Code 16-14-4).    

 

The investigation revealed that the method used in the Cumming assisted suicide involved helium inhalation.    A brief summary of the final exit process follows: After paying $50 for membership in The Final Exit Network and going through an application process, the member is visited by an "Exit Guide" assigned to his case. During the visitations, the member is instructed to purchase two helium tanks of a specific size and brand and a specific type of hood known as an "exit bag".     On the day of the event, the member is visited by the "Exit Guide" and a "Senior Exit Guide".   The Senior Exit Guide instructs the member through the process. 

 

This assisted suicide process was confirmed during today's sting operation. After the member succumbs, all evidence is removed from the scene by the "guides" and discarded, as evidence indicated happened in the Cumming case.

 

Georgia Code 16-5-5 on Assisted Suicide reads in part:

 

"Any person who publicly advertises, offers, or holds himself or herself out as offering that he or she will intentionally and actively assist another person in the commission of suicide and commits any overt act to further that purpose is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years." 

 

Following the arrests, law enforcement in Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Colorado, and Montana began executing search warrants and conducting interviews in order to locate and obtain evidence relating to the investigation of the Final Exit Network.   GBI agents are in each of these states except Colorado to assist in this effort.

 

Other Law Enforcement Agencies participating in this investigation include:

 

Forsyth County District Attorney's Office

Dawson County Sheriff's Office

Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Cumming Police Department

Michigan State Highway Patrol

St. Louis Police Department

Baltimore Police Department

Maricopa County Attorney, Arizona

Warren County Ohio Prosecutors Office

Aurora, Colorado Police Department

 

Also providing assistance are the Phoenix Arizona Police Department, the Ohio Attorney General's Office, the Forsyth County Coroner and the GBI Medical Examiner's Office. 

As the investigation continues, other arrests are possible.

 

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net

 

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs

 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are there any updates on this? Larry and Ellen are old friends from when they were in Dallas.

Anonymous said...

My mother just died at 96; miserable cannot begin to describe her final year as she was torn between life and death. I so wished for a "Final Exit" alternative. I will have one in place before my time comes!

By whose self-assumed authority anyway are people not allowed to call their own endgame? And I'm not referring to law enforcement and its officials. This must change -- and will someday.

I hope you are faring well, Nick Sheridan.

The girl with the New York connection -- almost.

Anonymous said...

My mother just died at age 96; miserable is not a strong enough word to describe her existence the year she was literally town between life and death. I longed for a solution like Final Exit.
I will certainly have one in place before my time comes.

I'd just like to know by whose self-assumed authority people are denied the right to call their own endgame! and I'm not referring to law enforcement officials. This must change -- and I'm sure it will in time.

Nick Sheridan, I hope you are faring well. Your commitment was daring and brave.

Signed: the girl with the New York connection -- almost.