"Right To Die" Case Of Battered Girl

[MrsSpringsteen]

This raises so many questions-does he have that legal right? The moral right? And obviously he has clear motivation to avoid the murder charge..

That poor little girl

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...rs_right_to_die_case_of_battered_girl?mode=PF

BOSTON (Reuters) - A man facing a possible murder charge for beating his stepdaughter so badly she is in a permanent vegetative state asked Massachussetts' top court on Tuesday to keep her alive in a case that highlights the divisive "right to die" issue in America.

Jason Strickland, a 31-year-old auto mechanic, is accused of battering 11-year-old Haleigh Poutre, whose brain was found partly sheared when she was hospitalized on September 11. Her body was covered with burns, cuts and bruises and her teeth were broken.

But Strickland, who never adopted the child, wants to be legally recognized as her de-facto father because he lived with Haleigh for four years.

If the court grants his wish, it would allow Stickland to decide whether to take Haleigh off life support and could also allow him to avoid a charge of murder.

Justice John Greaney questioned the wisdom of putting the girl's fate in the hands of her alleged abuser.

"When you talk about de-facto parent you are talking about someone who is substituting for the real parent who is nurturing and taking care of the child," he said.

"You don't talk about it in terms, as it seems to me that you have here, of someone who has inflicted injuries on the child and has harmed that child...," he said. "That would turn the whole concept completely on its head."

 

[A_Wanderer]

I don't think that he should have anything to do with her, any rights that were previously granted should be suspended until the case resolved and if guilt established they should be forfeit.

As for the concept of right to die I think that DNR and euthenasia are the most clear cut instances, when it comes to individuals making decisions for them in the absence of a a prior statement of intent it does become a little bit more difficult, although not having a concious mind is no different from being dead, the individual no longer exists. The mind is what makes an individual not the body.

 

[melon]

and could also allow him to avoid a charge of murder.

I'm sure that's his real motivation.

Melon

 

[U2Girl1978]

He's a disgusting pig. He lost all rights to her after he beat her into a vegetative state. Who says he won't do this to another child? If she's in this vegetative state, I see no point in keeping her alive. He'll be walking the streets like he's some king. He deserves to be in jail. I hope the courts see what a true scumbag he is and that he rots in there for the rest of his life.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

 

[U2Girl1978]

That's so sad.

 

[beegee]

POSSIBLE murder charge? he beat that little girl into a permanent vegetative state. she will never get up and play again. what could there possibly be to decide? let her go and be at peace.

she's only a year younger than my daughter...it breaks my heart.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I read on some blog this morning that his lawyer actually had the gall to say something about "being on the side of life". I'd have to look that up later to try to find the link

 

[BonosBaby12]

He's a disgusting pig. He lost all rights to her after he beat her into a vegetative state. Who says he won't do this to another child? If she's in this vegetative state, I see no point in keeping her alive. He'll be walking the streets like he's some king. He deserves to be in jail. I hope the courts see what a true scumbag he is and that he rots in there for the rest of his life.

EXACTLY WHAT U2GIRL SAID! God it pisses me the hell off to see worthless shit like this even exsit on Earth! Whoever would do this to an innocent child needs to rot in hell. As for the right to die Im all for it. Not with this trash making the decision though. This decision should be left up to someone else. Believe it's for the best to let the little girl go so she can finally be in peace. Ooooooh this makes me so mad!

Being in the law field it's cases like this that makes me so frustrated with the cj system. My greatest concern is that her abuser will walk away from all of this.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

the blog's not accessible right now but this is essentially the quote-from msnbc.com

In a legal brief filed before Tuesday’s hearing, Strickland, 31, asks to be declared Haleigh’s de facto parent. His lawyer, John Egan, insists his client is not motivated by the chance he could be charged with murder if the girl dies.

“We should be coming down on the side of life as opposed to death,” he said.

Unbelievable

I guess he and whoever else beat this poor little girl into that state were "on the side of life" when they did that. Maybe the only side of life Strickland is on is that of his own. My gut instinct tells me that's the case.

 

[dazzlingamy]

That is disgusting , he gave up any rights to decide ANYTHING for her when he did those horrible things to her. She should be put to sleep and him charged with first degree murder and get life in prison!

I think if someone is in a complete vegetive state as in they can't breathe on their own, they don't respond to any stimuli etc, its just fasle hope keeping them "alive"

What a complete **CENSORED** person. I am appalled at how depraved and disgusting people can be in this world!

 

[Irvine511]

i think i am going to cry.

let her rest in peace. and let him rot in jail for the rest of his depraved life.

the horror.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I know, there is something about that picture that just makes you want to cry instantly. The smile, the outfit, the innocence

 

[U2democrat]

 

[BonosBaby12]

I know, there is something about that picture that just makes you want to cry instantly. The smile, the outfit, the innocence

I was thinking the same thing when I first saw this picture When things like this happens it makes you cherish the children in your life even more. God bless this little girl. Hope her suffering finally comes to an end soon.

Btw I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by my language in my earlier post.

 

[nbcrusader]

It is so difficult to imagine what goes through the head of a sick bastard when he commits such a heinous act against this child.


As for the legal manuverings, it comes down to one thing - the death penalty. Leaving a child in a vegitative state would likely result in Strickland spending the rest of his life in jail. Unless you want to see Strickland face the death penalty, all these legal manuverings are meaningless.

 

[BonosBaby12]

As much as Im for the death penalty I think even that punishment is too good for this bastard. Depending on what method each states uses than this psycho's death could be a painless one. Personally I believe he should have the same pain inflicted upon him that the victim suffered.

 

[indra]

He had ample time earlier to become this child's de-facto father or even to adopt her. I see no reason whatsoever that this case should take up any more of a court's time than the time it takes a judge to say "No."

 

[BonosBaby12]

Because for some unknown reason criminals such as his worthless self are entitled to their rights. Gotta love the convience of how suddenly he wants to act like her father! Suppose I would do the same too if I were facing murder charges.

 

[BluRmGrl]

He had ample time earlier to become this child's de-facto father or even to adopt her. I see no reason whatsoever that this case should take up any more of a court's time than the time it takes a judge to say "No."

Precisely.

 

[U2Girl1978]

I don't understand why the courts would even think about it. I really don't get the system sometimes.

 

[Dismantled]

i think i am going to cry.

let her rest in peace. and let him rot in jail for the rest of his depraved life.

the horror.

GOD THIS MAN MAKES ME SICK

he's not even worth the tax money to let him rot in jail....get rid of him.

 

[U2DMfan]

He should be drawn and quartered, in public.

Seriously.

 

[Dismantled]

He should be drawn and quartered, in public.

Seriously.

I don't disagree

 

[BonosBaby12]

Court systems are so screwed up that it's a surprise that any justice is seen in this world! To me it seems like the children's voices go unheard too many times. In Delaware where I live the state is big on kids living with their biological parents. They have many times taken kids out of abusive homes only to return them there again.

 

[Liesje]

Being in the law field it's cases like this that makes me so frustrated with the cj system. My greatest concern is that her abuser will walk away from all of this.

If it's any consolation, child abusers/molestors usually get their come-upance in prison.

Where's the mother in all of this? Did I miss something?

 

[U2DMfan]

If it's any consolation, child abusers/molestors usually get their come-upance in prison.

That's a good point.
The guards tend to look the other way when it's a violator of children.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Where's the mother in all of this? Did I miss something?

this is what it says in the article Lies

Haleigh's birth mother, 29-year-old Allison Avrett, lost custody of the girl when she was four years old because of allegations of abuse, said the Department of Social Services, whose lawyers have consulted Avrett in the case.

 

[Jamila]

I heard about this situation today on "Morning Edition" on NPR.

I may be wrong (so please don't flame me) but I really thought that I heard that her adoptive mother (this sick f*cker of a man was her adoptive father) supposedly killed herself and her grandmother shortly after this happened to the little girl.

The biological mother is still around.

Very confusing.

Here is the link to listen to the report:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5042178


Let the little girl rest in peace.

 

[Liesje]

this is what it says in the article Lies

Haleigh's birth mother, 29-year-old Allison Avrett, lost custody of the girl when she was four years old because of allegations of abuse, said the Department of Social Services, whose lawyers have consulted Avrett in the case.

Thanks! I knew it had to be there somewhere but I couldn't get the article to load.