Prisoner cuts himself with toilet, judge okays it

Prisoner wins right to pursue own death
LONDON (Reuters) - A violent prisoner has won a landmark court appeal for the right to pursue his own death.


The man, who is confined to his cell 23 hours a day, told the High Court in London on Wednesday that he had been mutilating himself with porcelain from a broken toilet since December in the hope his wounds would become infected and lead to his death.


High Court Family Division President, Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss described the case as "worrying" but ruled that the man, identified as W, had the mental capacity to refuse medical treatment if he did fulfil his wish to become ill as a result of what he has done.


"I am satisfied he does understand the implications -- that if he continues, he will in fact die. That is a choice which as someone with mental capacity he has the right to make," she said.


The prisoner, who is guarded by five prison officers and a dog handler, told the judge via a video link from prison he wanted to die because of the conditions he was kept in.


"I am kept under close supervision and I am banged up 23 hours a day in my cell and have never been given any help with my problem," he said. "I am poisoning my leg so that the blood poisoning transfers through my body and hopefully kills me."


W said a doctor had warned him he would need his leg amputated if he did not take antibiotics, but he did not want treatment and hoped he would die.


The man's lawyer, Mark Mullins, told the court the prisoner was severely psychotic but wanted the court to rule he had the capacity to decide to refuse medical treatment.


But she added that W was not at the point of death at present and said that gave him time for reflection.


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Bueno Technologies

[Idnew]

Sounds like he must have done something pretty bad to be under that much security. Good for the Judge, let him die.....will save somebody some money anyway.

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[~wildangel~]

http://www.dumblaws.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Idnew! I agree, exactly! All our tax dollars are paying for him anyways http://www.dumblaws.com/ubb/mad.gif

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[kontulib]

Idnew! Have all Americans so right-wing opinions what you have? I know at U.S.A. is not a so-called civilized country but your brutal opinions goes over...:mad

[Monkeyz]

I figure he should have the right to kill himself. I mean suicide's illigal I think, but I mean why? If someone feels the need to kill themselves then go right on ahead, they aren't physically hurting anybody else. And for that dude, why should they care? He probably killed somebody anyway, he probably deserves to die.

[DV8]

*ponders.*

Yes they have been doing the right thing as to allow this prisoner to do as he wishes. I know it is sad that a prisoner has been forced into such a mental frame of mind that he would commit suicide, or attempt to.
But I have never hear a bigger load of bollocks[english expression of 'rubbish'] about "improving prison conditions". Firstly it'll raise Idnew and Wildangel's taxes and secondly they do not deserve it.
As for the arguement of "but they might be innocent", go stuff it wiv da gov or the man of justice but just because there is a chance of an innocent prisoner[sounds as rediculous as a 'real fake': oxymoron] the living conditions of the persecuted should not be improved.

And kontulib, steady on m8. :rolleyes:

[~wildangel~]

Definatly! I love that BS about "but he may be innocent" oh please:(


kontulib this isnt an arguement about country & country so just cool it
:(

[aclu14]

Besides, what is the lout doing for society? Employing someone to built a new toilet for him? Honestly...

[Serendipity]

Umm, just thought I'd point out that the story in the article is set in London, England. It's my tax pounds that are keeping this charmer. Monkey, no suicide is not illegal over here. It's a bit pointless trying to arrest a corpse!

IMO If the guy wants to kill himself, that's his choice.

[hacel]

How horrible! Is not the prison to reeducate the prisoner and send him back to society as productive member? His action did not harm society too much anyway. He harm only one member or two of the society . Even if he would do the crime again look what the benefit for the society! There are working places to keep him in prison, cook for him. How about the courts and police department! See how much business he creates? In fact he is benefactor for the society:(

[DV8]

How about half the world be goodies and half the world be baddies and when all the goodies have caught all the baddies the goodies will look after all the baddies, and the baddies will do jobs for the goodies.
Quick Analysis: Goodies have jobs, Baddies have jobs. Both goodies and baddies are being fed.
Eventually, the prison being re-educating, all the baddies will become goodies rendering the whole world to becoming a place of goodies!

:clap

*but what if the the ex-baddies [goodies] turn back to baddies [ex-goodies] and lock all the goodies up. So the ex-goodies [baddies] will be looking after [or maybe torturing is the right word] the goodies [soon to be baddies] and turning these goodies into baddies, rendering the whole world to becoming a place of baddies [which also include half the population being ex-goodies and the other half being ex-ex-goodies].

Oh dear, this reminds me of the last time when I tried working out the Xeno's Paradox...

[~wildangel~]

Wouldnt that be nice DV8:lol

[nacho cheese]

Idnew! Have all Americans so right-wing opinions what you have? I know at U.S.A. is not a so-called civilized country but your brutal opinions goes over...

I lived six months in Texas and believe me Kontulib, this is just a beginning. It's far from civilized.

[DV8]

Wasnt there a saying: "If I had a choice to live in Texas or Hell, I'd choose hell." ?

[jericho]

It's far from civilized? Yeah......uh-huh........:rolleyes:

[Guru]

Originally posted by jericho
It's far from civilized? Yeah......uh-huh........:rolleyes:

I know this is off topic, but I just can't resist....
Doesn't it scare you non-US people to think that a country with this many stupid laywers, dumb criminals, idiot laws and twisted way of looking at life and things have the power to blow the planet to a million pieces ten times over ????
Scares the **** out of me !!

And BTW to make this post even a little on-topic: I agree with those who would let the prisoner kill himself - why the hell not, it's his life, let him do it.
But the poor prisoner-guy doesn't seem to be too bright either, wouldn't it be easier to say stick a butterknife or something in behind your ear or something. The infection method could be a little painful (as opposed to having a dull instrument poking around in your brain.. but at least it's a faster method), and no judge would even have the time to tell him to stop it !

[kontulib]

Originally posted by Guru


I know this is off topic, but I just can't resist....
Doesn't it scare you non-US people to think that a country with this many stupid laywers, dumb criminals, idiot laws and twisted way of looking at life and things have the power to blow the planet to a million pieces ten times over ????
Scares the **** out of me !!



Yeah. But US people are not scare about it. And non-US persons are unimportant. So, no problem. :rolleyes: :wink

[sinecure]

I've just spent the better part of an hour shaking my head in marvel, wondering how we idiot Americans have made it as far as we have... :rolleyes:

Then I wondered...Do you suppose the criticism has something to do with: "When you're the tallest tree in the forest, guess who the lightning hits?"

:wave