Mercy or Murder?

On June 20, 1973, 23 year old Lester M . Zygnamiak walked into his older brother George,s hospital room at Jersey Shore Medical Centre in Neptune, New Jersey, and shot his brother dead.
George had been paralyzed from the neck down in an automobile accident several days earlier. The doctor had told his family that the 26 old boy would probably be paralyzed for life and would never walk again.

The Zygnamiaks were an extremely close family. Lester idolized his older brother and would have done anything for him, but now he felt torn. After three intensely emotional days, he decided to obey his brother's wishes. When Lester visited his brother's hospital room, he said, "Iam here today to end your pain. Is that all right with you?" His brother nodded and said yes. Then a shot rang out. Hospital staff rushed to the room, and Lester was soon hauled off to jail.

Lester stood trial for his brother' s murder, but was acquitted on November 5, 1973, on the grounds of temporary insanity. The court had determined that he was no longer insane, and Lester was released.

3. Mrs. Ross Killed Her Daughier Because She Loved Her

Mercy killing, or euthanasia (from the Greek, eu-meaning good and thanos-meaning death: thus, "a good death") is against the law. It isb considered a criminal offense. Yet. individuals brought to trial for actual mercy killings are rarely convicted. I.ike I.ester Zygnamiak, they are usually released.

Such was the case with Anna Marie Ross. At twenty-five Mrs. Ross gave birth to her first child, a baby girl she and her husband named paula. The Rosses had wanted a child for several years, but during her pregnancy Mrs. Ross had unknowingly taken a damaging drug called Thalidomide, which caused Paula to be born severely disfigured. The infant had no arms or legs and her face was badly deformed. Although Paula was of normal intelligence, she was totally deaf and had very poor vision.

Paula was expected to live a normal life span. But to survive, she would have to undergo numerous operations. It was expected that she would spend much of her life in hospitals. Anna Ross often stated that she firmly believed her child's normal intelligence would only make her more cruelly aware of her fate. She felt certain the Paula's life would be filled with anguish.

So one night she put Paula to bed and gave her a bottle containing a strong sedative. The baby died painlessly during the night.
Anna Ross readily admitted to the killing. She said. "I killed little Paula because I loved her. I brought her into the world, and she was unable to end her constant pain and misery. I felt I had to send her to God. "
A survey of more than 10,000 people taken by a local newspaper indicated that over 98 percent agreed with Anna Ross's action. Whcn she stood trial, a jury found Mrs. Ross not guilty in under three hours.