Woman charged with assisted suicide

Yes, she took another person's life, but likely at the request of said person.

A woman has been charged with assisting the suicide of another woman in Dublin in 2011.
In what is believed to be the first prosecution of its kind in Ireland, 42-year-old Gail O'Rorke, from Kilclare Gardens in Tallaght, was charged with aiding and abetting or counselling or procuring the suicide of Bernadette Forde in Dublin between 10 March and 6 June 2011.
She has been charged under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Suicide) Act of 1993.
The maximum penalty for someone found guilty under the legislation is 14 years in prison.

Source: RTE news


If we had the right to die over here, then this woman wouldn't be facing a potential of 14 years for doing the biggest favour you could do to another person; ending their suffering.

old hippy

Outrageous. She hasn't done anything wrong. Ok, technically she's committed a crime but the law is an ass when it comes to assisted suicide. I hope a loved one will do the same for me when I ask.

krudler

14 years? you'd get less for outright murdering someone in cold blood

Czarcasm

boneyarsebogman wrote: »

Yes, she took another person's life, but likely at the request of said person.


Source: RTE news


If we had the right to die over here, then this woman wouldn't be facing a potential of 14 years for doing the biggest favour you could do to another person; ending their suffering.

You can't surely make a call like that on the basis of very little evidence presented in that article.

While I support euthanasia, I wouldn't look at it like I was doing anyone a favour.

KKkitty

Why can't they just legalise euthanasia to be damned. People are suffering daily with debilitating sicknesses and want to die with dignity. We do not choose to be born but give people the right to die with some semblance of dignity.

ballsymchugh

old hippy wrote: »

Outrageous. She hasn't done anything wrong. Ok, technically she's committed a crime but the law is an ass when it comes to assisted suicide. I hope a loved one will do the same for me when I ask.

i'd say a few boardsies that you wind up are forming a queue right now :pac:

seamus

The jury can choose to find her not guilty in spite of whether guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. And they probably will.

mikom

Stick her in prison with Padraig Nally.
We can release a few rapists to make room for them..............

sureitsgrand

The silver lining here is that it will force the courts to address the issue.

KyussBishop

After a short Google:

...
Gardai launched an investigation having previously been made aware that she had intended to travel to Switzerland to the Dignitas assisted suicide clinic.

Ms Forde was in the final stages of multiple sclerosis and had been planning to die in an assisted suicide. It is understood that she was prevented from travelling to the clinic when a travel agent alerted Gardai to her intentions.
...

http://www.herald.ie/news/courts/travel-agent-raised-the-alarm-over-suicide-trip-28003717.html

So, she was already going to go to Dignitas, and she took pills to kill herself instead (looking like it was probably aided now), because of some arsehole travel agent not minding their own business - which now the person assisting will likely end up in prison over.

krudler

KKkitty wrote: »

Why can't they just legalise euthanasia to be damned. People are suffering daily with debilitating sicknesses and want to die with dignity. We do not choose to be born but give people the right to die with some semblance of dignity.

Seems it's more humane to see people wither away to nothing or have no memories of their family or control over their own bodies.

old hippy

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i'd say a few boardsies that you wind up are forming a queue right now :pac:

Ouch!

krudler

KyussBishop wrote: »

After a short Google:

http://www.herald.ie/news/courts/travel-agent-raised-the-alarm-over-suicide-trip-28003717.html

So, she was already going to go to Dignitas, and she took pills to kill herself instead (looking like it was probably aided now), because of some arsehole travel agent not minding their own business - which now the person assisting will likely end up in prison over.

That travel agent is a cunt.

Big C

best of luck to those involved

Femme_Fatale

old hippy wrote: »

Outrageous. She hasn't done anything wrong.

I'd need more info and court findings (I'm in favour of right to die btw).

Hierro_4

I never understand why somebody who's terminally ill doesn't get the substances for suicide while they're able to and keep it with them, and take it when the time is right instead of lumbering it on other people.

I understand this cannot always be done but it should be the norm where possible. Plan ahead.

Dyr

Whats the deal with assisted suicide? If someones physically capable of topping themselves, is it not a bit morally reprehensible to expect someone else to do it for them?

token56

A very sad case all round. As pointed out this whole case would have been avoided if it wasn't for that travel agent.

This person clearly indicated a will to want to end their own life and for valid reasons. Preventing them from doing this in the first place should be the crime in my opinion.

As has been said we don't choose to be born, but we should be able to choose when we die. I firmly believe that.

KKkitty

KKkitty wrote: »

Why can't they just legalise euthanasia to be damned. People are suffering daily with debilitating sicknesses and want to die with dignity. We do not choose to be born but give people the right to die with some semblance of dignity.

I know what you're saying Kitty, but even very disabled people retain their dignity. I'd like to see that word removed from the whole subject, as I believe it introduces a concept that has no place in end of life decisions.

I had a close relative who had a degenerative illness, and that person, no matter how disabled they became or how much assistance they needed, was the personification of dignity. I don't like this label that decides that by virtue of disability, there is no dignity.

I agree suffering should be curtailed if the patient wants it and is of a sound mind to make those decisions. I agree that no one should be forced to face further suffering by law. I don't think we should ever use their increased needs as a yardstick to question their dignity or the dignity their life commands.

Holsten

What a total waste of time and money, jesus.....

tvc15

Hierro_4 wrote: »

I never understand why somebody who's terminally ill doesn't get the substances for suicide while they're able to and keep it with them, and take it when the time is right instead of lumbering it on other people.

I understand this cannot always be done but it should be the norm where possible. Plan ahead.

Yes anyone who didn't know how much pain they would be in or who's plans to travel fall through due to cunty travel agents should be made to suffer a horrible undignified death

The reason you don't hear about people making proper preparations is that it doesn't make the news

Oink

"it is understood that she was prevented from travelling to the clinic when a travel agent alerted Gardai to her intentions."

Can anyone explain this to me please? I am trying to understand what law the Guards used to deny her the right to travel.
Thanks.

humanji

Sorry, but the case is before the courts now, so we can't discuss the case here until it's finished.