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Arizona Man 86 given probation in the mercy killing of wife.
Fox News ^

Posted on 04/02/2013 6:14:21 AM PDT by wyowolf

There was no doubt 86-year-old George Sanders killed his ailing wife. Yet everyone in the small Arizona courtroom — the prosecutor, the judge and even the couple's family members — agreed it was a time for compassion, not punishment. "My grandfather lived to love my grandmother, to serve and to make her feel as happy as he could every moment of their life," Sanders' grandson, Grant, told the judge, describing the couple's life together as "a beautiful love story." "I truly believe that the pain had become too much for my grandmother to bear," he said, while Sanders looked on during the sentencing hearing Friday and occasionally wiped his eyes with a tissue as relatives pleaded tearfully for mercy.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Arizona
KEYWORDS: bioethics; elderly; mercykillings
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To: Coldwater Creek

“... one has NO right to play God”.

Personally, I am glad that the man was given probation. He obviously demonstrated he was a loving husband... taking care of her personal needs, medications, cooking, cleaning etc... God knows what is in this man’s heart and the reasons he took his wife’s life (which she asked him to do rather than die... neglected.. in a nursing home). His INTENT was to honor his wife’s wishes and quickly cease her suffering. With his failing health... he will probably be with her soon.


21 posted on 04/02/2013 7:31:34 AM PDT by momtothree
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To: momtothree
Thou shall not commit murder unless someone is begging for you to shoot them. I don't think so. Obviously, the husband did not know the heart of God.
22 posted on 04/02/2013 7:40:33 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek (He who dwells in thee shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadows of the Almighty Psalm 91:)
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To: Coldwater Creek

Right. He should be held accountable.


23 posted on 04/02/2013 7:43:09 AM PDT by patriot08 (NATIVE TEXAN (girl type)a)
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To: wyowolf

If this was a less enlightened nation, the judge could have sentenced him to be remarried, “as a warning to others.”


24 posted on 04/02/2013 7:44:01 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy (Best WoT news at rantburg.com)
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To: momtothree
All we have is his word that she ordered him to kill her.

We know almost nothing about this man, or the woman he murdered, or about their life together.

25 posted on 04/02/2013 7:52:57 AM PDT by wideawake
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To: wyowolf; Dubh_Ghlase
Something's wrong here. Sedation and analgesia are basic parts of excellent palliative care.

It really is sad: but he should not have committed murder. Specialists in pain management 30 years ago and more were saying "There's no such thing as intractable pain. There is, unfortunately, such a thing as intractable doctors and nurses." In other words, effective pain management for the terminally ill has been around for a long time.... unless the doctor is unwilling or unable to practice basic palliative medicine.

Put in writing what your medical choices are while you still have the ability to do it. Download the National Right to Life WILL TO LIVE (LINK) now and customize it carefully according to your own best judgment. Then make sure your nearest and dearest know EXACTLY what you mean, because no piece of paper will help you if it doesn't have a living, vocal advocate behind it.

What happened in this shooting murder should never, never have taken place.

26 posted on 04/02/2013 7:56:13 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("You can observe a lot just by watchin'." - Yogi Berra)
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To: Mrs. Don-o

Exactly!


27 posted on 04/02/2013 8:13:12 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek (He who dwells in thee shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadows of the Almighty Psalm 91:)
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To: wyowolf
Didn't read the whole story but assuming that he was a good man and was good to her and the rest of his family during his long life and that she was,in fact,suffering greatly one can feel great sadness over this case.I see he used a firearm....*that* I can't go along with.A handful of pills would have been a gentler way to do it.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was to die soon himself...perhaps of natural causes but maybe not.

Growing old ain't for sissies.

28 posted on 04/02/2013 8:13:16 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative ("Progressives" toss the word "racist" around like chimps toss their feces)
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To: Coldwater Creek
No matter how sick or old, one has NO right to play God.

That's true but one must also consider the possibility of substantial neuropsychiatric deterioration in the husband...even if no blatant outward signs of it were evident.God certainly fully understands such scenarios and would be forgiving in such a situation.

29 posted on 04/02/2013 8:17:44 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative ("Progressives" toss the word "racist" around like chimps toss their feces)
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To: CrazyIvan

I saw a show a few years ago made in England where this guy researched the best way to die. He interviewed all these scientists and doctors and they went over all these different ways a person could die, how much pain is felt etc etc and eventually at the end of the show (which was like an hour long) they came to the conclusion that the most pleasurable way to go was by inhaling pure nitrogen. He then asked a prison warden why they didn’t execute inmates that way instead of lethal injection, and the warden said “Because we don’t want them to go out feeling pleasure” lol...I was like oh great, now the libs are going to demand nitrogen executions.


30 posted on 04/02/2013 8:39:22 AM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (Someday our schools will teach the difference between "lose" and "loose")
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Be professional, be polite....but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.


31 posted on 04/02/2013 8:40:50 AM PDT by Osage Orange (Life is a bitch. If it was easy, we would call it a slut)
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To: Coldwater Creek
Really........???

I guess many in the military would disagree with you.

32 posted on 04/02/2013 8:42:21 AM PDT by Osage Orange (Life is a bitch. If it was easy, we would call it a slut)
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To: wyowolf

Yes I should have warned people before they hit that link. I played it for my brother and immediately he put his hands over his ears and started screaming YAAAH! (I’m not kidding lol!)

The military should do away with waterboarding. They should play that instead.


33 posted on 04/02/2013 8:42:57 AM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (Someday our schools will teach the difference between "lose" and "loose")
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To: Osage Orange
Be professional, be polite....but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

"If you #$@& with me, I will kill you all."

34 posted on 04/02/2013 8:43:33 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("Somebody has to be courageous enough to stand up to the bullies." --Dr. Ben Carson)
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To: Mrs. Don-o
I happen to be in the Health Care biz.........

I've seen plenty of patients die. I've seen some go like I'd like to go...And I've seen too many go...in a way I wouldn't wish.

Many families..and Doctor's end up torturing their loved ones/patients. And I don't use the word "torturing" lightly.

The lead up to death can be horrible...but it doesn't have to be. I can totally understand a spouse that can't stand the sight and sound of their loved one being tortured...to make it all stop.

Was a gun the right way? Probably not. Will God punish him? I don't know.

Is God a loving God...that knows the hearts of all men and women? Yes!!

35 posted on 04/02/2013 8:52:35 AM PDT by Osage Orange (Life is a bitch. If it was easy, we would call it a slut)
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To: wyowolf

Probation makes sense. I assume the terms are that he is not to kill any more terminally ill wives.


36 posted on 04/02/2013 9:04:10 AM PDT by Defiant (If there are infinite parallel universes, why Lord, am I living in the one with Obama as President?)
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To: Osage Orange
All the points you have made are true--- certainly worth considering carefully.

Let's say a patient is gravely weakened, in irreversible decline, and has an underlying medical condition which is basically untreatable at this point. That person should not be tormented with futile treatments, "heroic" interventions, chemo, radiation, surgeries, etc. which they can't tolerate and are just burdensome for no purpose.

That's when the focus of treatment has to shift to comfort-care: meds to control pain, agitation, nausea and the other symptoms of untreatable illness. Adequate food and water to keep comfortable; clean, hygienic, pleasant surroundings. Counseling and assistance needed for the main care-giver, too (like this poor husband) who may well be suffering from depression, stress, emotional trauma.

This was a bad death. Being shot to death by one's husband is bad. Why didn't both the wife and the husband have appropriate help? Who was the doctor? WHO LET IT GET TO THIS POINT?

37 posted on 04/02/2013 9:10:13 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("You can observe a lot just by watchin'." - Yogi Berra)
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To: Mrs. Don-o
I don't know.

Things happen.

I cry for the man.

Although I understand it.

For all we know...his wife begged him.

We will all meet death. How, is the question.

38 posted on 04/02/2013 9:32:34 AM PDT by Osage Orange (Life is a bitch. If it was easy, we would call it a slut)
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To: Gunslingr3

BINGO!


39 posted on 04/02/2013 10:07:40 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Utah Binger
Any Boy Scout who successfully uploads 10,000 gravestone photos will receive a handcrafted granite plaque in addition to receiving credit for his community service as required for his Eagle award.

O...
K...

40 posted on 04/02/2013 10:11:04 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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