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Date: 04 Oct 90 01:37:58 EDT
From: STEPHEN BRIDGE <>
To: KEVIN <>
Subject: ALCOR WINS BIG!
Message-Id: <"901004053758 72320.1642 EHI57-1"@CompuServe.COM>

ALCOR WINS BIG!
A News announcement from Steve Bridge

     October 3 will be a holiday for the Germans, but for cryonicists
October 2nd will be independence day.  On that day, a California judge
agreed with Alcor in its suit against the California Department of Health
Services, effectively making cryonics OVERTLY legal in California.

     Among other points, The DHS is now prohibited from denying completed
death certificates and other forms (including the infamous VS-9, the
disposition of human remains permit) to Alcor and other organizations, at
least on any basis that cryonics is somehow improper or illegal.  In
addition, DHS is enjoined from making statements to hospitals, coroners,
physicians, the press, etc., to the effect that cryonics is illegal or
improper.

     I do not have a list at the moment of the eight specific points 
which Alcor had asked the judge to rule on, but Carlos Mondragon, Alcor's 
President, told me that the judge sided with Alcor on each point and that 
the judge was very careful to address each issue.  The DHS could possibly 
appeal but our attorneys say that the odds on DHS winning the appeal are 
microscopic.  Apparently the Attorney General's office even told the DHS
people to settle with Alcor on this, because Alcor was in the right.

     It is my impression that cryonics in California will come under the
legal umbrella of the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, although I have not
seen that in writing yet.  If so, it would be a great step toward
legal acceptance in other states.  All fifty states have the UAGA, so
local attorneys and cryonicists would have a framework for persuasion
provided by the California ruling.  Creating new law at this stage
could be chaotic, but merely following the set-up of an existing law 
may ruffle fewer bureaucratic feathers.

     Alcor has asked informally (and will file the formal request soon)
that the judge additionally require the state to pay the legal fees and
court costs of the lawsuit.  The judge has said he will accept the matter
for consideration, and Alcor's attorney feel we have a good chance to
win this point, as well.  Such a victory would put some teeth in the
decision and perhaps make other hostile governmental entities think
twice before launching ill-conceived and illegal attacks on Alcor.  Not
to mention that it would save us a TREMENDOUS amount of money.

     Of course, CRYONICS magazine will eventually have a fuller and more
authoritative report.  It is likely to pop up in your local newspapers
this week and in some national publications.  Within the next few months
I would not be surprised to see it written up in publications for the 
legal field, as well.  Please send Alcor copies of any coverage you see.

Alcor Life Extension Foundation, 12327 Doherty Street, Riverside CA 92503

     This is not the last legal battle by any means; but this should
open up a lot of doors for us.  It should mean easier cooperation from
hospitals, coroners, and physicians, which is no small thing.  It will 
also go a long way toward pacifying the Riverside County Zoning Board, 
which has been awaiting the outcome of this suit before acting on our 
request for a "conditional use permit" for storing frozen patients in 
our facility.

     We have a long way to go; but it is always nice to win a big one.
Go ahead and celebrate!

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