Debate, and discuss, just dont Bore me.
Who decides?
Published on July 15, 2005 By Dr Guy In Current Events

An 84 year old man is being sentenced to 10 years in Jail for killing his wife who was suffering from Alzheimers.  This sentence, due to his age, is essentially a life sentence.

After killing her, he tried to kill himself and failed.  It is apparent from the testimony of friends and relatives that the man loved his wife very much, an did not kill her out of expedience.  Indeed, if that was the reason for it, I doubt he would have tried to kill himself after the fact.

While the judge in the trial says it was the hardest case he ever had to adjudicate, one wonders why he gave the man a 10 year sentence.  The man did commit a crime, but it was a crime of love, not hate.

I dont think the man should have gotten an innocent verdict, but one has to question why the long sentence.  The Death penalty in this case would have been more welcome for a man who killed his life long companion.  IN giving the man a prison sentence, he did give the man the worse possible sentence.

I do not beleive in euthanasia, but I hope I am never in this man's shoes.  I know it is murder, but it was done out of love.  When the reason is so obvious, perhaps the judge should take into consideration the fact that the man is not a menace to society.  Indeed he is only a menace to himself.  Why are we wasting taxpayer money to put a man in jail that will not commit the crime again.

It makes one wonder about the 'wisdom' of judges at times.


Comments
on Jul 16, 2005
Nothing is so straightforward in such a case (i.e., doing good for evil, or doing evil for good). But whatever the case, someone has to make a decision. Here we have a problem where someone took it upon himself to decide whether to die is better than suffering and dying. But here's the problem:

We see red and blue. By experiencing both, we can easily determine which is the better color (at least from our point of view). But what about red and ultraviolet? We've never experienced the look of ultraviolet.

red = suffering life
blue = the good life
ultraviolet = death

That's what we have here. No one reading this, including that old man, has experienced death. Yet he biasedly decided that because he hated red, that it would be better to go with ultraviolet.

One last thought: it's been my experience that people, when they experience a lot of pain so far as to ask for death and then survive, are relieved that they lived through it and regret wishing for death. People are not of sound mind when suffering, but that does not necessarily mean not existing is better.
on Jul 16, 2005

Nothing is so straightforward in such a case (i.e., doing good for evil, or doing evil for good). But whatever the case, someone has to make a decision. Here we have a problem where someone took it upon himself to decide whether to die is better than suffering and dying. But here's the problem:

We see red and blue. By experiencing both, we can easily determine which is the better color (at least from our point of view). But what about red and ultraviolet? We've never experienced the look of ultraviolet.

red = suffering life
blue = the good life
ultraviolet = death

That's what we have here. No one reading this, including that old man, has experienced death. Yet he biasedly decided that because he hated red, that it would be better to go with ultraviolet.

One last thought: it's been my experience that people, when they experience a lot of pain so far as to ask for death and then survive, are relieved that they lived through it and regret wishing for death. People are not of sound mind when suffering, but that does not necessarily mean not existing is better.


I'm sorry but unless you have watched a loved one going through the last stages of Alzheimers, you have no right to pass judgement on this man. The latter stages of this desease would be quite painfull to you to watch someone you love going through. And in the end it kills the patient. Did you know that? Can you honestly say that you could stand by and watch unaffected as your mother,father, brother, sister, wife or child go through that? I don't think you could. And just an FYI....you do NOT recover from Alzheimers!
on Jul 16, 2005
This is a delicate and important issue to face, made stickier because the wife didn't ask for help in suicide, (ala terminal cancer patients,) but had the death decision made for her. I think death is a part of life, and being able to face it with dignity, and yes, with choice is an important cornerstone of civilization.
on Jul 16, 2005
This is a delicate and important issue to face, made stickier because the wife didn't ask for help in suicide, (ala terminal cancer patients,) but had the death decision made for her. I think death is a part of life, and being able to face it with dignity, and yes, with choice is an important cornerstone of civilization.


It is and you put it very well. I myself will not go looking for death but if it comes looking for me I'll meet it face to face, unafraid. To me how you face death is as important as how you've lived your life.
on Jul 16, 2005

One last thought: it's been my experience that people, when they experience a lot of pain so far as to ask for death and then survive, are relieved that they lived through it and regret wishing for death. People are not of sound mind when suffering, but that does not necessarily mean not existing is better.

That is very insightful.  I dont know either.  But I do know the man is no menace.  Why waste the money on jail time?

on Jul 16, 2005

And just an FYI....you do NOT recover from Alzheimers!

I dont think he was indicating one would recover, only that suicide attempts who survive dont want to really die.  That may be true.

on Jul 16, 2005

I think death is a part of life, and being able to face it with dignity, and yes, with choice is an important cornerstone of civilization.

I actually had not thought to go that deep into the question, but thank you for answering with kindness and dignity.  It is a tough decision even for those who are not involved, such as I.

on Jul 16, 2005

It is and you put it very well. I myself will not go looking for death but if it comes looking for me I'll meet it face to face, unafraid. To me how you face death is as important as how you've lived your life.

Very good. And insightful as well.