Mercy Killing?

So I logged into MSN yesterday afternoon and saw this interesting little article. After reading it I figured I would post it here too see some opinions about "mercy kills" do you agree with the concept, disagree or what.

From a moral stand point, I don't see anything wrong with it.

From a legal stand point. Don't break the *** law if you want to keep your dumb *** out of jail.

This basicly

I don't think he cares if he goes to jail. He just wanted to end his wife's suffering.

They aren't going to throw the book at him--so to speak. But he probably will be charged in one way or another; if only to make an example of him.

Euthanasia should be legal in all countries to avoid the need for people like this man to take matters into their own hands. It would need to only happen after the patient fulfilled some strict criteria though.

if I was an 70 year old veggie who couldn't take care of myself, I would want a mercy killing.

I mean, which one of you dickless nothings wants to live like a vegetable. Having to be cared for day and night and being a heavy burden on pretty much everyone?

If she wanted him to do it, after 70 years of devotion, love, and commitment, he did the right thing.

I often time think we treat our pets better than we do our elderly.

Love how family members always lose rationality in the face of tragedy.

The killer's daughter says "it was a mercy killing" ... give me a f*ckin' break. It's pre-meditated murder, plain and simple. Guy is going to spend the rest of his life in jail.

This reminds me of the story about the mentally-ill dialysis patient from Colorado that went to Afghanistan by himself with a gun and a sword on a personal "mission" to find Osama Bin Laden.
His stateside brother went on record in the press saying things like "he's perfectly sane" and "he's an American patriot". GIVE ME A BREAK. The guy's a lunatic seeking vigilante justice against an invisible enemy in one of the most inhospitable and dangerous places in the world, without his kidney dialysis ... with a pistol and a sword.
Yeah, that's sane and patriotic, yeah.

This.

Are you HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE?

Seeing things in only black and white is very ignorant you know (not saying you have to aggre with what he did but the way your talking about makes this man look like he's equal to a Serial killer).

You have to look at the gray areas as well.

Sure it was pre-meditated. No one is going to argue that. However if we had medically sanctioned euthanasia, this probably wouldn't of happened in the first place. The man obviously did it because that's no way to spend one's life. Who wants to go through the rest of their days barely clinging to memories and cohesive thoughts; unable to take care of themselves or even sit up for that matter? No one in their right mind would want to spend the rest of their life like that. Yes he did kill her. Yes he will go to prison. I seriously don't think he cares at this point. He sees what he did as a good thing and he'll find peace until his time comes.

As for your thoughts on the other guy, let the man go for it. So what if he's a little crazy. The best people usually are. Hell the man should have a movie deal for his efforts.

this is true

This is why I have a document, in hand-writing, signed and notarized in a sealed envelope what is to happen to me if I'm ever in a vegetative-state or coma: 4mos on life-support to recover/miracle out, then plug pulled.

Though I do agree, criteria-based euthanasia as a medical procedure would keep ***like this from even passing into peoples' thoughts. He could've at least done it in a less messy manner. OD her on painkillers or something, not splatter her brains on the bed.

A living will and I, too, have one made out.

Thanks, couldn't remember the name for the life of me as I was typing lol.

Person X thinks about killing someone. Then, person X thinks about the consequences of killing someone. Person X mulls over the pros and cons of killing someone. Next, person X selects a means of killing someone, and then a time and place to commit the act. Person X voluntarily and willingly commits the planned act of violence, ending another human being's life without the victim's consent.

This is murder. People get locked up for life for committing pre-meditated murder. I didn't say burn him at the stake or publicly execute him. I did not equate him to a serial killer.

I do see the gray areas, probably better than you do. Yes, the victim was suffering, and yes, she had a very low quality of life prior to her murder. I've worked in nursing homes for years, and I've witnessed similar suffering and pain, and I know (as a witness) how horrible life can be for the terminally ill.
I also know, based on these experiences, that (much) more likely than not, the murderer acted primarily to placate his own suffering and pain, rather than his victim's suffering. It was a selfish act, and a criminal act.

The backlash from this incident will be (justifiably) stressful, expensive, and over-the-top for FAR more people than this murderer and his delusional daughter. The other tenants of the nursing home, their families, the employees, and others will be the ones to suffer for this man's selfish crime.

Act of mercy, my ***.




Missed my point. I'm not gonna stop the guy. I think/know he's an ill, delusional, incompetent man, but I have no authority or desire to stop him.
The entire point of my point was not to judge the validity of so-called "mercy killings" or the Colorado sword-guy's sanity. My point was to mock their family members who lose rationality in the face of intra-family tragedy. It bothers me that people try to confabulate a justification the absurd (or criminal) actions of their family members.
I love my family as much as anyone else, but if my brother goes to Afghanistan with a sword, I'm gonna call him insane and ill. If my Dad shoots my Mom, I hope he rots in jail.

I always thought murder was a flock of crows? :/
A murder of crows.
See it makes sense.

The problem with Euthanasia is, how do you regulate it? Theres going to be accidents and mistakes and murder that comes along with it. Atleast currently, when you die of natural causes you die of natural causes.

I understand the cruelty of suffering but somebody whom is alive is going to get blamed for unnatural deaths and is it fair to that person?

and pet euthanasia...ee...people euthanize their pets from anything because they cant afford them anymore to behavioral issues.

atleast in this case they're both really old. The woman was demented, she probably had no idea she'd been shot and I bet the old man goes here soon anyway. But not all cases are going to seem that easy to justify.

Anybody see that movie Million dollar baby? My brain cannot comprehend the ending. Ive seen bad pressure ulcers from immobile people before but she has a working brain and with technology could lead a productive life still...I could not morally support her point of view even if its what she wanted D: how do I know in 1 hour she wouldnt have changed her mind...

What most people don't realize there is a way to a peaceful passing. It is a legal directive written BEFORE someone is taken seriously ill. Their wishes are documented, witnessed and notarized so it is beyond refute at a later date. They also contacted Hospice to help them put everything in place, and to sort out each person's feeling about the decisions that were made.

Dad, had dimentia, he no longer recognized anyone and would sit on his bed and just cry for hours. He was prone to kidney infections that would begin suddenly and take months to go away. He and mom had gone to a lawyer 2 years before he fell ill and agree'd that if he got to the above situation that with pain management,(kidney infections are incredibly painful) he was to be kept comfortable and the infection was allowed to run it's course. Over the next 2 years he gradually declined and after 3 infections in 6 months it was decided that he would be allowed to pass. The next infection took over his body, he fell into a coma and died peacefully.

My mother was different, she had been having strokes, during one she fell and broke her hip. This led to a rapid decline and she was bed-bound in a matter of 8 months. Being an insulin dependent diabetic and having high blood pressure she choose to stop her medications and any kind of food or liquids. She laid down, and went to sleep...and died several days later. peacefully.

But here is the sticky part... the family members have to be willing to let them pass. They have to be ready to let go. My parents set up a key phrase. All they had to do was say to either myself or my sister was "i'm ready" and we knew to put things in place.

Some will call this suicide..my parents felt this was more of letting go and being allowed to die.

who are you to judge?

Elanabelle is the great prophet of our generation. Do not dare disagree.

You're a moron, he sat there after he had killed her, I highly doubt he gave a ***about the consquences, I know if I ever end up in a decrepid state I'd want my family to end that, mostly for their sake than mine. I don't think he should've used a gun though.


Doubtable. Quite recently I looked after my grandmother who developed serious dementia, put my life on hold to do so, then when she moved into a home it became a lot easier for me. But she didn't know who she was or where she was, or who I was, couldn't get out of bed at all. She died a few weeks ago, but at least I know she doesn't have to live like that anymore.

Don't try pushing your *** up logic onto people you don't know anything about.

... his own suffering? what experiences have you had? Where has it been impiled that this man was selfish? Granted I don't know this person so I can't make the call but it doesn't make sence to me that a person's suffering because of another person's condition would be the motivation to kill a lover.

Then again as you have said I haven't experienced what you have. What have you seen that lead you to this conclusion on mercy killing as a whole?

Elana is the judge and the jury!

That sounds so sad :( I really feel bad for you (and not in a pity kind of way). Life can be so pitiless.

If its murder to kill someone who is terminally ill and suffering, then is it not torture to keep them alive and in pain?

Good question, kind sir.....good question.

to answer your question, it would be considered torture to keep a terminally ill person alive because they would be in suffering under your care, which is a very nice way of calling it TORTURE.