Assisted Suicide Advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian Dead at 83

Dr. Jack Kevorkian died early this morning at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. According to his long-time associate, Attorney Jeffrey Feiger, Kevorkian died of a pulmonary embolism around 2:30am at the age of 83.

Beaumont nurses played classical music by Johan Sebastian Bach, Kevorkian’s favorite, before he died.

Sources say Kevorkian was conscious Thursday night, and was planning to leave the hospital to prepare for rehabilitation after being admitted last week with kidney and respiratory problems.

Kevorkian earned the nickname “Dr. Death” in 90s, after admittedly assisting in the suicides of more than 130 terminally ill patients.

He was convicted in 1999 and spent more than eight years behind bars for the death of a Lou Gehrig’s disease patient, an assisted suicide that was seen around the globe on CBS’s “60 Minutes.”

The Associated Press and CBS News contributed to this report.