More Final Exit Network Busts--This Time, for Manslaughter
Final Exit Network was strongly suspected of assisting the suicide of Jana Van Voorhis, a severely mentally ill woman in Phoenix. The MSM ignored the story, but it was pushed strongly by New Times, an alternative newspaper. Now, its journalism seems to have helped lead to indictments. From the story:
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced a few minutes ago that investigators from his office have busted four people on murder [actually, manslaughter and conspiracy to commit manslaughter] charges in the 2005 "assisted suicide" death of a seriously mentally ill Phoenix woman...As much as this law enforcement attention is to be applauded, Final Exit Network isn't doing anything different than what Kevorkian did, and indeed, is eerily similar to the approach to assisted suicide by Dignitas in Switzerland (except FEN makes house calls) and what happens under the Dutch euthanasia laws. In fact, as I have discussed, FEN's death on demand views reflect the mainstream of the assisted suicide movement--demonstrated by its former leader being elected vice president of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies.
The four defendants -- who include retired Scottsdale resident Frank Langsner, a retired college professor -- have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Langsner and Wye Hale-Rowe, another so-called "exit guide" from the Final Exit Network (a national assisted suicide outfit based in Georgia), also are facing manslaughter charges.
Phoenix police records (and reporting by New Times) showed Langsner and Hale-Rowe, both in their 80s, were present when 58-year-old Jana Van Voorhis...killed herself by inhaling helium through a hose, with an oxygen-eliminating hood snugly over her head. Langsner and Hale-Rowe (a retired family therapist and great-grandmother from Aurora, Colorado) then staged the scene at Van Voorhis' Phoenix condo to make it look as if the woman had just gone to sleep in her bed and died of unknown causes.
More as the story develops.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 9:36 AM
10 Comments
10 Comments:
Well it's something. Only manslaughter? When they start putting docs et al. in jail for that and murder, and in sufficient numbers, we'll be getting somewhere. And while they're at it a whole bunch of "researchers" belong up the river, in the hoosegow, in the big house, inside, in the joint, and the rest of what they call it, too.
We have to make people understand that they're responsible for their actions. Manslaughter can lead to long stint in the the pen, but if they get nailed for murder, then the impact is a lot stronger. You're right there, Ianthe.
I don't understand why it's manslaughter when it really is murder. Also that et al. I mentioned includes a whole bunch of people, we know who, and remember the docs as well.
Lanthe, you're right,of course it's murder! Those who are involved will one day answer for that murder...if not in this world..when they stand before God.
Lanthe, you're right,of course it's murder! Those who are involved will one day answer for that murder...if not in this world..when they stand before God.
Look guys, I know that they will and must answer to God but here in Canada it is suppose to be the four tow weekend and fishing season as started but the angels just can't stop crying and I'm back home again so I ask you guts, what do we do about "IT?"
I've just checked the time and it's pass saying 3:33 so what does that have to do with me not being able to catch any fish at our cottage?
I hear ya! All in due time sinner vic! Maybe next week so go to chuch and we'll see what we can do for you! :)
Not funny guys!
Peace
Legally, I imagine it's manslaughter because they _supposedly_ just stood by while the woman herself did the physical deed. (Now, if they could get evidence that they held her hands down while she struggled to pull the hood off, _then_ they should definitely press for full murder charges.) If we can get any conviction at all, that will be a big thing.
Ah, Phoenix. Guess what else is in Phoenix. I'll give you a hint: You see him every time I post a comment.
But, I digress:
Jan: Murder in the Biblical sense is the unnecessary taking of human life, which you probably already knew. But if things go well in this case, it very well could make it possible for criminal courts nationwide to crack down on assisted suicide groups, despite Kevorkian propaganda. If I may quote a most wise individual: "Truth crushed to Earth will rise again!"
What chills my Soul about this issue. A few Doctors will claim such deaths should take place. That the patients best interests are at the core of the reasoning! Then it will end up in court and the courts will have their own morality views restricted by the secular nature of our courts. God and His morality will be left out of the issue. All compassion will be directed at why it is right to knock off this one particular patient who could be an atheist with no Faith in God. The court rules in favor of the suicide and the courts will have opened a Pandora's box of Legalize that will eventually lead to older folks being scared to go to the hospital because the hospital boards have advanced the original suicide demand to the point where they will use assistant suicide to control hospital purse strings.
Meanwhile the advancement of time will have the Government take the court ruling and extrapolate it to the point where very moralistic Doctors will be forced to leave medicine or start executing people. Happening already with our abortion wards as Medical professionals are facing the tough choice on moral grounds and are being told they must preform abortions or face the wrath of the hospital boards, courts & Government. The slippery slope doesn't have a gradual incline after 25-50 years. It becomes a cliff where Moral choice gets pushed over the edge with increasing rapidity.
Lydia: I know what you mean but -- and I could be wrong, or remembering wrong, and perhaps there are variations state to state -- isn't manslaughter without intent to kill, and murder with intent to kill? Their intention was for someone to end up dead.
As for the doctors, they're going to keep being assbags who think they can say when someone "should" die until one of them goes up the river for it. Those of the ilk just referred to are a bunch of cowards, incompetents, and selfish, arrogant careerists, and deterrence by example wouldn't be that difficult.
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