BABY KILLER GETS OFF

[Drunken Monkey]

I see that the guy who killed his seriously disabled daughter was let off, scott free. The jury didn't even find him guilty of manslaughter.

I know that there were a lot of factors in the situation and who knows what I would do in the same situation BUT.....to get off completely free???? WTF???? Has it suddenly become OK to kill our most defenceless citizens???...where does this lead us??? Please tell me I'm not alone in being alarmed by this.

It was a high stress situation, I think he suffered enough. It takes an incredibly strong will to dedicate oneself to looking after what is, in effect, a vegetable - the child's brain stopped developing after 13 weeks. Help for families in this predicament isn't (fully) funded by the state, and neither should it be.
Yes, it was a sad situation. People are polarized in their convictions when it comes to euthenasia. Be thankful it wasn't you and let him and his family get on with their lives.

[KATWYN]

WTF???? Has it suddenly become OK to kill our most defenceless citizens???...where does this lead us??? .

Isn't abortion killing our most defensiveless? some people will do it cos having a happy healthy child will be an inconvenience to their lifestyle.

This man was broken spirited about his childs quality of life and what was ahead of her in her future-its a very sad thing, and I bet not a day will go by that he will not think of her.

You obviously have empathy and caring to feel you need to defend the defenseless, but theres shades of grey -

[Sniper]

A TV3 poll found that 80% of viewers agree with the verdict!

Oh, just another small topic to contemplate, how about that Seabed and Foreshore bill? Most Maori groups are really upset now that "they haven't been heard on this matter", which I think means, they didn't get their way!!! How can it be wrong for the seabed and foreshore to be in crown name, for ALL New Zealanders? Would it have been better, if it were given to one group, and other groups were restriced access to it? I can tell you, from going on holiday to Whangamata, it's not nice to know that I CAN'T visit certain areas, for fear of my safety.

Hell, I havent even got sky yet?

[StoneChucker]

Hell, I havent even got sky yet?

Even so, you might be charged for using it soon

[Ash Wells]

What has this thread got to do with motorcycling -for once some common sense prevailed,the jury who had heard all the facts needed only 40 odd minutes to acquit.So what do we know?the poor guy has a lifetime of suffering and self recrimination to live with.

[Sniper]

Even so, you might be charged for using it soon

Yes thats true, hate that though, cant keep opinions though

[curious george]

I only know the story the media have told, but I'm glad the guy got off.
What point was there in sending him to jail?
Was it in the childs best interests to keep it alive for maybe 18 months, then let it die of natural causes after several operations and expensive therapy?
There is more to life than just breathing.

I'm just glad things like this don't happen very often, and it's not me going through all of this.

[riffer]

Indeed cg.

My $0.02. Justice was served. The police were right to charge him. The jury were right in their verdict.

Murder is the cold-blooded premeditated killing of another individual human (usually) for gain, or revenge.

Manslaughter is the accidental killing of another human while doing something that is either reckless, violent, or dangerous.

Firstly, it is hard to argue an individual with a mental age of a 13 week old fetus is human. After all, you can legally abort until 20 weeks of gestation in this country, and also legally abort after this time for reasons such as physical abnormality.

My wife and I personally have two separate sets of friends with children with profound mental abnormalities, and what these kids have, while profound, is no way as severe as this child. There are certain categories which define "human" and I feel personally that this child does not qualify due to the basic lack of a brain.

From seeing the hell that our friends have gone through with their children, I have a smattering of understanding of what this Nelson family have gone through. I ask you kerryg - do you have children?

Right from the start of this case my wife and I discussed this case, and we were both in agreement - the family was going to go through hell.

You should indeed judge not, for you will fall short if you are judged yourself.

I tried to think of what it would be like for Gini and I if Nicholas turns out to be profoundly disabled. Fortunately at our 20 week scan five weeks ago everything turned out okay so we guess he will be okay.

But its every parent's nightmare. I have nothing but relief that this family do not have to suffer the burden of a custodial sentence to add to their suffering.

[vifferman]

I don't see any point in keeping worms in cans.

Isn't that canned spaghetti?

FWIW I agree with JR - what purpose is served by throwing the poor guy into prison?

So do I. I'm glad I wasn't on the jury, and I have no judgement to make. Nor do I think any of us have a right to make one. (Opinion is another thing).

There is the law, which is one thing. Then there is justice, which is another...

It's amazing how few people seem to know there is a difference, or even recognise we have a legal system, which may or may not have anything to do with justice (depending on the case / circumstances)...

[Coyote]

If people shouldn't get away with killing defenceless children, should people get away with abortion? If they can get away with abortion, can you kill others? What makes killing an unborn child legal?

[kerryg]

I ask you kerryg - do you have children?

I sympathise with the dilemma of the family concerned and as I said at the outset I don't know what I would have done in the same situation (it's very hard to put myself in their shoes) and I am not so passing judgement on the individual concerned as on the implications of the court's decision. I raised the subject here mainly out of curiosity: did the jury's decision really reflect a general community attitude, or were they guilty of some sort of folie-a-douze (pardon my bad French)? It seems pretty plain from the postings here that there is a broad support for the jury's verdict (OK it falls well short of a proper survey but nonetheless I aminterested that there is so much unanimity).

I guess if I was totally truthful I would have to say that I find both the jury's verdict and the remarkable consensus here that it was correct pretty disturbing. Now, if you want it, you have been granted a mandate to kill your unwanted offspring if the circumstances are distressing enough. For me, that crosses a line. But plainly do not represent a majority view

To talk of it's not setting a precedent seems less than logical to me. I'm no lawyer, but how can it not? It does also make one wonder why that nurse (sorry but forget her name) who 'euthanased' her sick mother did/is doing jail time. Isn't there some inconsistency? Didn't she act out of compassion too? And I suppose her mother was able to speak for herself, which the baby couldn't.

Oh..and celtic, since you asked..I have four children. Does that qualify me, or disqualify me, or is it nothing to do at all with issue? You guess which answer is right.... if you have the judgement/maturity/wisdom/intelligence to do so.

Anyway that's really my last word on this one.

Now for the foreshore and seabed.......

[toads]

i am generally a prolife person, but I can't pass judgment, I have personally authorised for life support to be terminated on a loved one, until you have walked this particular path it pays not to pass judgment, I thank God for my 6 healthy children and hope I never get put in that families situation, the baby would have suffered a protracted drawn out death, probably through pnuemonia.
Media rarely present all the facts and the question that has to be asked is is this man likely to present an ongoing threat to society, and will he kill again, this is surely the reason anyone is sent to trial and convicted.

[jase]

Just glad he never went to jail.

[avgas]

yeh by the sounds of things he has built his own prison inside his head . Hope he gets bail from that in the next 40 years poor guy.

Its like one of those sad snowball situations, that start off a small snowflake of a problem and end in a whole lot of mess

[avgas]

It does also make one wonder why that nurse (sorry but forget her name) who 'euthanased' her sick mother did/is doing jail time. Isn't there some inconsistency? Didn't she act out of compassion too? And I suppose her mother was able to speak for herself, which the baby couldn't.

Yeh that was another sad case - but that nurse was trying to attract as much attention as possible while doing it - which leaves me suspicious.
Was she doing the right thing? or trying to get famous?
Where this guy wasnt even seen outside of court
She didnt even apply for name suppression
Does anyone have any thoughts on this