A nurse from Minneapolis, William Melchert-Dinkel, is accused of going in chat rooms on the Internet, and pursuading depressed people to kill themselves. He is currently being investigated for two deaths, pushing the limits of the First Amendment. Investgators said the nurse drew the people in through fake compassion and then offered step by step instructions on how to commit suicide. Legal experts say the prosecution in this case will have a difficult time framing Melchert-Dinkel, as he did not physically kill anybody. He seemed to express no remorse, stating he has "moved on" with his life. The Minnesota Board of Nursing revoked his lisecene and revealed that Melchert-Dinkel confided to a fellow nurse that his profession honed his knowledge of how to effectively commit suicide.
Although I think this guy is a bad person and should have his liscene permantely revoked, he can't be charged with murder, as he himself did not physically kill anybody. However, he might he charged with conspiring to kill someone, as he had a hand in someone's death. The First Amendment, which reads- "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"- does not exactly address this particular issue. However, he should be reprimanded in some way, and should never be allowed to work in a hospital again. I think a good punishment would be to have to face the families of the deceased, and tell them what he did and why he did it. This is better than jail, because it will humiliate him and hopefully instill some much needed shame for his actions.
Here is the article:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/us/18suicides.html?_r=1&ref=technology
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Facing the living victims would probably fall under "cruel and unusual punshment" no matter how effective it may be. However, this man can still be charged with manslaughter and be held accountable for the deaths of these individuals. I'd like to know who these anonymous "legal experts" are.
ReplyDeleteYea they article didn't say who they were. He can't be charged with manslaughter though because manslaughter is killing someone without malice; this man didn't kill anyone but he did what he did with malice.
ReplyDeleteWow articles like this blow my mind. The thought that people out there with so much hate inside is very scary. Worst of all be probably wont even end up serving time because of some kind of loop hole in the system because crazy stuff like this wasnt on the minds of the people actually making the laws.
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