The first time I ever heard of Dr. Phil McGraw was in the late summer of 2002 when I got a call from one of his producers. First, she had to explain to me just who “Dr.Phil” was. By now, anyone reading this knows his history with Oprah and his trajectory into his own show, … Continue reading Dr. Phil: Promoting Killing People with Cognitive Disabilities – And a Close Encounter in 2002
This is a story that has been developing over the past few days and it has more than a few twists. Here’s one of the most comprehensive news stories on the case from Wave3 News in Louisville, KY: ELIZABETHTOWN, KY (WAVE) – Was it assisted suicide or cold blooded murder? That’s the question Michele Daugherty’s friends have … Continue reading Kentucky: Man Charged with Murder of Wife While Friends Suggest it Was a “Mercy Killing”
As anyone who follows the news of old, ill, and disabled people who get killed by family members or “caregivers,” it’s all to clear that if the perpetrator claims the act was a “mercy killing,” it’s frequently a successful defense strategy. The public tends to believe that the victim would have wanted to die, even … Continue reading Two recent cases show what it takes to screw up a “mercy killing” defense
You can’t make up stuff like this. Having been on the “assisted suicide/euthanasia/better dead than disabled” beat for more years than I want to recall, I get to the point where I figure I’ve seen just about every ridiculous thing that could possibly be thrown into the pro-euthanasia mix. Boy, was I wrong. Meet Dr. … Continue reading Tales of the Weird – A Vet Weighs in On Katrina Hospital Killings
Well, last week’s “inspirational crip story” in the UK was about Richard Rudd, who was saved from being disconnected from life-sustaining treatment by being able to blink on request and to communicate his wish to live – contrary to his advance directive and prior statements to family. I guess that a story built on the … Continue reading UK: Disabled Man Wants Promise that Wife Won’t be Prosecuted for Outright Killing Him
