Judith Curren

American suicide, the 38th assisted suicide of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Judith was overweight and depressed, 5' 1" and 260 lbs; she claimed to have chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. She was overmedicated, possibly with meds prescribed by her husband, psychiatrist Dr. Franklin D. Curran. While working as a nurse, she met Frank when she went to him as a patient. He testified that they began a relationships after she left his medical care; they married in 1984. Their daughters, Catherine and Kristen, were born in 1986 and 1989. Judith and Frank had several separations and she filed a restraining order in 1993 in which she claimed to have a long history of marital physical and emotional abuse. She claimed that Frank had fractured her ribs in 1988 when she was pregnant and had punched her and threatened her. On 8/15/1996, Judith ended her life with the aid of Dr. Jack as Frank stood by. It was the most controversial of his 38 assisted euthanasia cases inasmuch as Judith did not have a terminal disease and her depression and medications suggested that she was not making decisions with rational judgment. There was a distinct cloud over the ethical landscape with questions about her mental competence, possible drug abuse and accusations of spousal abuse, including drugs. At the time of her death, Judith was 42 and Frank, 57. She left two daughters, ages 10 and 7.