OREGON'S ASSISTED-SUICIDE LAW GAINS EXTENDED REPRIEVE

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A federal judge on Tuesday extended a court order
that blocks the U.S. government from dismantling Oregon's
physician-assisted suicide law.

U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones gave the state of Oregon and the U.S.
Justice Department up to five months to prepare their arguments.

The state of Oregon has asked Jones to permanently block a Nov. 6 order by
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft that effectively halted the
physician-assisted suicide law, the only one of its kind in the nation.
Ashcroft's order tries to prohibit doctors from prescribing lethal doses of
federally controlled drugs to terminally ill patients.

Jones on Tuesday extended a Nov. 8 temporary restraining order that has
prevented the federal government from taking action against doctors who
help patients commit suicide under Oregon's "Death With Dignity" law.

Jones emphasized that the Oregon law remains in effect pending his final
ruling.

Under Jones' schedule for hearing arguments in the case, he will issue a
ruling on Ashcroft's order within five months.

Jones stressed that his order "nullifies giving any legal effect to the
directive issued by John Ashcroft."