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Death under suicide law

OLYMPIA (Washington): Linda Fleming (66) was diagnosed with terminal cancer and feared her last days would be filled with pain and ever-stronger doses of medication that would erode her mind.

With late-stage pancreatic cancer, she wanted to be clear-headed at death, so she became the first person to kill herself under Washington state’s new assisted suicide law, known as “death with dignity.”

With family members, her physician and her dog at her side, Ms. Fleming took a deadly dose of prescription barbiturates and died on Thursday night at her home in Sequim, Washington. — AP

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