After 45 years of marriage, an Ohio man allegedly walked into a hospital and shot his wife to death.
Police say John Wise killed wife Barbara as she lay in critical condition on a hospital bed in the intensive care unit. But police are now investigating whether this 66-year-old man ended his wife's life in an attempted mercy killing.
Mrs. Wise had been in the hospital since July 28, when an ambulance was called to their home. The details of her illness are limited, but right now, we know that she was treated for a medical condition that involved "advanced life support including oxygen, a heart monitor, and IV."
Wise had brought the gun along during a hospital visit. Staff didn't know anything was wrong until they heard a pop sound that drew attention to the room. "It was an isolated incident," a spokesman for the hospital said. "No other staff was in harm." Wise has been cooperating since the incident, say police. "We are in the preliminary stages of the investigation," said Capt. Dan Zampelli. "Certainly him wanting to end his wife's suffering is one of the motives we're looking into."
Euthanasia is such a hot button topic. I for one have been conflicted about this issue since I first heard about Dr. Jack Kevorkian helping terminally ill patients with assisted suicide. It seems like a crime, but at the same time, it's merciful as well.
We don't know what conversations Mr. Wise had with his wife, but what if she asked him to end her life? What if she didn't want to live in whatever medical condition she was in at that time? That would suggest that he shot his wife out of love, wouldn't it? Does that make it any less of a crime? As gruesome as this particular case sounds, perhaps if Wise pulled the trigger, he felt that he was being a loving and compassionate husband by ending her life.
What do you think of assisted suicide? Is mercy killing wrong?
Image via iluvcocacola/Flickr
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Comments 28
This is a hard topic. My dad and I discussed this, just this passed week. My grandmother (dad's mom) was in the hospital multiple times over the last few years. She'd been poked, prodded, stuck, IV'd, x rayed and therapy-ed in more ways than I can count. My dad told me that if he ever got to the point of needing that "type" of care, to let him take his 4-wheeler out in the woods ( his fave place) and come back in a few days. He told me he'd rather die by his own hand than to die slowly by theirs. I agree. I could not imagine watching some one I LOVE, someone I knew wouldn't want to die that way, slip away slowly w/o the dignity. I can bet that this man saw this as a mercy killing. He knew his wife enough to know she wouldn't want to go slowly, hooked up to machines with people changing her diapers. He wasn't malicious in his actions but merciful.
At the same time, murder is murder. You just don't kill each other. I'm not sure where I stand completely, but I can say, I'm sure he was trying to save her, not murder her.
We do it to animals when they're suffering and its fine..Why not humans!
They have mercy killing in Europe. I don't know what I think about it. I have mixed feelings. If I am on life support I told my husband after 3 months I want the plug pulled.
Yes, I beleive that "die with dignity" act should be established everywhere. No-one has the right to tell another person they cant die if that is what they truly want. I know I would want that right if I was suffering and had no hope of recovery.
i believe if we have the right to live we should have the right to die as well. and working in a hospital i see 1st hand how sad it is when these pple are just shells of thier former selves .. he did not kill her with hate in his heart or contempt as most killers do, but he killed her in the most selfless way. to end her own suffering even if he has to live with that for the rest of his own life, knowing shes at peace. we all know in our own hearts that this is not as bad its not always so cut and dry.