The assisted-suicide law has been struck down once, by a Wayne County judge in May.

"Don't say that too loud or people will start going after us under the assisted-suicide laws."

Prosecutors are protesting the Appeals Court's overturning of the assisted-suicide law.

But an appeals court stayed that decision, so for now, the assisted-suicide law remains in effect.

Mr. O'Hair said the continuing uncertainty over the legal status of the assisted-suicide law had created a problem for him.

If there had been an assisted-suicide law in Michigan, this would have been a crime.

Oregonians approved the assisted-suicide law narrowly in a referendum in 1994 and reaffirmed it in 1996 by a 60-to-40 margin.

He voted to overturn Oregon's assisted-suicide law.

Mr. Fieger said today's decision "drives a stake" into the heart of the assisted-suicide law.

In a report on the first year of its assisted-suicide law, Oregon said that 15 people ended their lives with lethal medications in 1998.