It has been three weeks since Catherine Kassenoff announced on Facebook she planned to die that day – May 27.
Frank Report wrote to Colin Brewer, the psychiatrist who did three mental competency evaluations for Catherine for her planned assisted suicide, the last of which was dated April 9, 2023.
FR asked Dr. Brewer if he had “any evidence to support that [Catherine] went through with the procedure.”
Dr. Brewer replied today:
“This is an unexpected question! I wasn’t there at the time but I have absolutely no reason to think that Mrs. Kassenoff is not dead and is actually hiding out in a remote Alpine hut, making plans for a dramatic reappearance or making a new life for herself under an assumed name. Nor can I imagine that Pegasos would risk its reputation and perhaps even its continued existence by facilitating such a deception.”
Pegasos Clinic
Photo from Pegasos website
Dr. Brewer’s mention of Pegasos suggests Catherine had arranged an assisted suicide with the Pegasos Clinic in Basel, Switzerland.
Pegasos, established in 2019 as a Swiss voluntary assisted dying (VAD) association, provides dying services for “approved adults of sound mind” regardless of their country of origin or where they live.
Pegasos uses intravenous transfusion. A doctor inserts the cannula into the person’s arm, but the person seeking death must activate the drip delivering the drug.
Pegasos posts about the law in Switzerland.
Swiss Law & Requirements
The Swiss Penal Code requires the person seeking suicide assistance to have “decision-making capacity” and “ownership of the action” over their death (‘Tatherrschaft’ in German).
Pegasos says: “If a neurological or mental health diagnosis is present, a consultation with the Pegasos psychiatrist will be required.
“The…person, themselves… must push the button… This is what makes a death at Pegasos a Voluntary Assisted Death (VAD), rather than doctor-administered ‘euthanasia’.”
Dr. Brewer
Dr. Brewer made two earlier reports in September 2022 and January 2023. He said Catherine‘s Medically Assisted Suicide (MAS) in Switzerland was originally scheduled for October but was postponed twice for administrative reasons. Based on his first examination of her, Catherine contemplated assisted suicide at least as early as September 2022.
Dr. Brewer wrote Catherine had an April 2023 appointment for assisted suicide, which she did not attend.
Dr. Brewer’s April 9, 2023, report does not mention cancer as a contributing cause of Catherine’s desire to die.
He examined her by Zoom for more than half an hour on April 6 and concluded that her lack of “access to her children… is one of the major factors in her request for MAS.”
Dr. Brewer also wrote in his April 9 report: “As before, there was no sign of guilt, low self-esteem, retardation, delusions or other classic features of a severe depressive illness… “Mrs. Kassenoff is not suffering from a psychiatric illness and continues to understand the nature and purpose of MAS. She has considered alternative ways of dealing with her situation and continues to have full Mental Capacity….”
Catherine told Dr. Brewer about an email from Allan Kassenoff, the father of her children, that revealed he would fight to the death to keep her from the children. At Dr. Brewer’s request, Catherine sent the email to him.
Catherine’s psychiatrist for the last two years is Stephanie Brandt, M.D. of New York City. Dr. Brandt wrote to Judge Susan Capaci on May 9, 2023 – 18 days before Catherine’s alleged suicide.
Dr. Brandt made no mention that Catherine had a terminal illness and contemplated suicide for eight months before her letter.
Catherine bought a house in Larchmont, a mile from her children’s home on April 18, 2023, for $897,000.00, in cash – nine days after her evaluation with Dr. Brewer and 39 days before her purported suicide.
Confirmation
Some news reports claim they have confirmation of her death, but have not provided details. Two of her attorneys said they have no confirmation yet, but “believe” she is dead.
According to one source, “it may take up to a year” to get proof.
FR is awaiting return calls from friends, a family member, and her executor, attorney Wayne Baker, who earlier told media that confirmation takes up to six weeks.
FR will continue to update its reporting on this matter as more information becomes available.
