Mercy killing

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph....killing-of-lover.html

I do not wish to start a discussion over the rights and wrongs of "Mercy killings", enough said that the majority of people are for it.

What I do find strange about this case is the fact that BBC presenter Ray Gosling, stated:on BBC television:

"Maybe this is the time to share a secret that I have kept for quite a long time."I killed someone once... He was a young chap, he'd been my lover and he got Aids."

Mr Gosling on his own admission stated that he had committed what can only be described as "the perfect murder" but instead of the police going round to his home, and arresting him forthwith, they are liaising with the BBC.

[Androcles]

Mercy killing or revenge? Did he make it up? Is he trying to sell his book? so many possible motives for the police to look at!

[jno]

it's an awkward area... as you say, many people are in favour of it, there is talk of changing the law to allow it or at least to permit euthanasia to be used as some sort of defence. In this specific case Gosling says the 'victim' had asked for it to be done.

The reason they're liaising with the BBC is presumably because the beeb has the tapes of the confession. They can't act without this evidence. (And even then it may not be enough; people sometimes confess to crimes they haven't committed.)

[rov1200]

Sometimes the arm of the law acts very slowly. Judging by past events they will wait for a complaint from the public before getting too involved.

As to the rights and wrongs of mercy killing it leaves a nasty taste in my mouth when an intended suicide figure tries to involve an innocent person in his demise. Surely in most cases all that is required is a lump of hosepipe connected to the exhaust pipe to achieve his/her aims.

[Sandy-Wroe]

Raeding of assisted suicides and mercy killings, I sometimes think that Dr Strangelove...er Dr Shipman...may have been badly maligned. Maybe he did what he did for deeply humanitarian motives?

[grasscarp]

I think he should have gone to the police if he felt the need to get it off his chest. It is not fair to "share" his secret with the audience.

[chelle7272]

According to an interview with him this morning it wasn't what I would call an assisted suicide. The man in question had not tried to kill himself, and no mention was made of him asking for help either. Mr Gosling just stated that he looked at him in pain and so smothered him.

[jno]

the original story said there was a 'pact'

http://news.bbc.co.uk...ghamshire/8517800.stm

I don't know the full details and the police presumably don't either; that's why they're investigating. Sounds fair enough.

[jake-the-peg]

If they run around and arrest him now they will "start the clock" on whether or not to charge him.

As prosecutions have to be "in the public interest" and as they clearly feel he's not about to run off somewhere I'm sure they'd rather leave him where he is until they've decided on whether or not to take this any further.

Going at a sensitive case like a bull in a china shop would be really dumb

[craft1948]

I, surprisingly, agree with jake........

[Quinlad]

Start the clock. he's been arrrested.

[craft1948]

Should be interesting as he said on the News last night that he wouldn't give the police any details. So they don't know who, where, or when.........