Mom Kills Son - No Jail

[FastFokker]

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/01/27/suicide-helper060127.html
A 60-year-old woman in Montreal who helped her ailing adult son commit suicide won't be going to jail.Houle's son, Charles Fariala, a playwright and former nurse at a Montreal chronic-care centre, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002 and believed the degenerative disease was advancing rapidly.

He decided to kill himself at age 36, using a method he found on the internet.

[mart242]

If my son was seriously ill and always suffering, I'd do the same. If I was seriously ill, always suffering and I'd ask my mom to help me kill myself, I'd hope that she'd do the same.

So why did you post that here?

[gordholio]

This sets a bad precedent. What if someone had a disabled child and the parent said that the child wanted to die (but he never really said that)?
I think the woman should have to pay some sort of penalty for killing her son.

[FastFokker]

So why did you post that here?
Curious to hear yours and others opinion on the case.

I personally agree, I think we need some reform on the assisted suicide legislation. You should be able to choose to die, if you are capable of making that choice (IMO).

If I was sick and so chose to pick my method of passing on and required help, I don't feel anyone else should be held criminally accountable for their compassionate help.

There must be some people who disagree and probably have valid reasons why, I'm interested to hear them to help refine my stance on the issue.

[FastFokker]

This sets a bad precedent. What if someone had a disabled child and the parent said that the child wanted to die (but he never really said that)?
But what if in the same manner you can legally make a living will, you could make a legally accepted document which specifically stated your choice of death under specific instances, or in a specific instance.

I think the woman should have to pay some sort of penalty for killing her son.
Do you not consider she is paying the harshest penalty there is having lost her only son? What fine or imprisonment could be worse than that?

[mart242]

Curious to hear yours and others opinion on the case.


You should have stated your opinion in the 1st post to put "oil on the fire" in that case. :razz:

[FastFokker]

You should have stated your opinion in the 1st post to put "oil on the fire" in that case. :razz:
I just didn't want to set the tone and have people arbitrarily agree.

I truely want to hear opinions and points of view, I think RFD is getting better and we can have mature conversations without that much flaming.

To me it seems clear cut, but it must not be or else it should be legalized by now.

[PrimoTurbo]

I think assisted suicide/mercy killing is needed. But it has to be done in the most humane way possible and only if the person is beyond treatable and is in a lot of pain. The person also has have the mental capacity to make the decision, he needs to sign and video tape that he wants to die and how it should be done.

Otherwise you will have people killing the mentally handicapped claiming they wanted to die.

[d_jedi]

Personally, I think suicide is a very poor decision to make.
That said, if the person making the decision (and it would have to be made by the person to die.. power of attorney should not give the right to decide life or death in this way) is of sound mind (not just depressed, or something like that), and is fully aware of the consequences - a psychiatrist would need to confirm this - then I think the choice should be theirs to make.

[SLOGAN]

I'm game.

When I can't wipe my own ass, I'm gone

[sportsfan99]

Personally, I think suicide is a very poor decision to make.
That said, if the person making the decision (and it would have to be made by the person to die.. power of attorney should not give the right to decide life or death in this way) is of sound mind (not just depressed, or something like that), and is fully aware of the consequences - a psychiatrist would need to confirm this - then I think the choice should be theirs to make.

Would you want to live not beeing able to move/ speak or feed your self.

[d_jedi]

Would you want to live not beeing able to move/ speak or feed your self.
If there's a chance that I could get out of that state, then yes.
Personally, I don't believe in any form of an afterlife, or multiple lives, or anything like that.. I've got one life to life, and once it's gone, it's gone.. so I don't want to throw it away.

[sportsfan99]

If there's a chance that I could get out of that state, then yes.
Personally, I don't believe in any form of an afterlife, or multiple lives, or anything like that.. I've got one life to life, and once it's gone, it's gone.. so I don't want to throw it away.

So you would want you family to suffer because you don't want to toss it away thats very selfish.

[biosh]

This sets a bad precedent. What if someone had a disabled child and the parent said that the child wanted to die (but he never really said that)?

And if we let someone make a campfire, it justifies someone else being an arsonist...

It's not a B&W world.

[PrimoTurbo]

If there's a chance that I could get out of that state, then yes.
Personally, I don't believe in any form of an afterlife, or multiple lives, or anything like that.. I've got one life to life, and once it's gone, it's gone.. so I don't want to throw it away.

I agree, we really have no way of knowing and science doesn’t seem confirm that there is afterlife. Therefore I think it’s better to assume that there isn’t one here and make the best it here.

[gordholio]

And if we let someone make a campfire, it justifies someone else being an arsonist...

It's not a B&W world.
No, if you let someone get away with arson, it sets a bad precedent.

[sportsfan99]

I agree, we really have no way of knowing and science doesn’t seem confirm that there is afterlife. Therefore I think it’s better to assume that there isn’t one here and make the best it here.

How do you make the best of not having a quality of life.

[gilboman]

How do you make the best of not having a quality of life.

making people around you have almost as crappy a life as you do ;)