DOCSLIB.ORG

Homicide Followed by Suicide. an Empirical Analysis

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Homicide Followed by Suicide. an Empirical Analysis Homicide followed by Suicide. An empirical analysis Liem, M.C.A. Homicide followed by Suicide. An empirical analysis Dissertation Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Including references and summaries in Dutch and Spanish. The printing of this thesis was funded by the Wiarda Dissertation Fund. ISBN: 978 90 902 4923 0 NUR: 741 Cover design: Omniafausta Editing: Wieneke Matthijsse Printed by: Ridderprint © Copyright M.C.A. Liem, 2010 Homicide followed by Suicide. An empirical analysis Doding gevolgd door zelfdoding. Een empirische analyse (met een samenvatting in het Nederlands) Homicidio seguido de suicidio. Analisis empirico (con un resumen en español) Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Universiteit Utrecht op gezag van de rector magnificus, prof. dr. J.C. Stoof, ingevolge het besluit van het college voor promoties in het openbaar te verdedigen op vrijdag 19 februari 2010 des middags te 12.45 uur door Marieke Christine Agatha Liem geboren op 16 december 1982 te Goes Promotores: Prof. Dr. F. Koenraadt Prof. Dr. P. Nieuwbeerta Preamble The human life cycle typically ends by four types of death: natural, accidental, suicidal or homicidal.i This doctorate thesis addresses events in which a combination of two types of death occurs: homicide followed by suicide of the perpetrator. In this event, one person causes the lives of at least two people to end. On a sunny afternoon several years ago, I asked Frans Koenraadt, by then my supervisor on my Master’s thesis in Clinical Psychology, whether he had some ideas for future research. He pointed to a dusty archive cabinet filled with cases on child homicide that needed further investigation. These cases stemmed from the Pieter Baan Centre, a psychiatric observation hospital for forensic mental health assessment in The Netherlands where I was doing an internship at that time. During the study of child homicide cases, I became very much intrigued by specific types of child homicide, such as familicide and homicide‐suicide. My interest in homicide‐suicide was further fuelled by talking to those directly and indirectly involved in these acts, such as police investigators, surviving family members as well as perpetrators who aimed to end their lives after committing homicide, but somehow failed to do so. Over the years, I continued to study several types of domestic homicide, including intimate partner homicide and other family homicide. I further modified and fine‐tuned the topic of homicide‐suicide in my MPhil dissertation in Criminological Research at the University of Cambridge, which provided the foundation of the doctorate thesis at hand. As it is with any written data, specifically large‐size datasets, it is a challenge not to become completely detached from the sources the figures were based on. In such settings, people easily become ‘numbers’: homicides tend to become abstract entities when coded into zeros and ones. While researching the homicide‐suicide phenomenon, I have tried not to lose the ‘human face’ of these events by listening to those involved before, during and after the act. A number of people have particularly contributed to the preparation of this doctorate thesis. First, I would like to extend my gratitude to Frans Koenraadt, who has introduced me to the field of forensic mental health with dedication, passion, and continuing encouragement. With sensitivity and attention for detail he patiently read and commented on numerous versions of this manuscript. In addition, I am very i Bhatia, S.C., et al., (1987) High risk suicide factors across cultures International Journal of Social Psychiatry 33, 226‐236. v Preamble grateful for the help of Paul Nieuwbeerta, whose insightfulness and ability to put large amounts of information into a comprehensive perspective prevented me from loosing focus while helping me to enhance my thoughts. I am grateful to Catherine Barber from the Harvard Injury Control Research Center for her critical views and willing support. I would also like to express my gratitude to Jack McDevitt, director of Northeastern University’s College of Criminal Justice, whose kindness and professional network assisted me in every way possible. A warm thanks to James Alan Fox and Jack Levin from Northeastern University for their cooperation and helpful attitude. I am also appreciative of the advice given by Carolyn Harris Johnson on previous versions of this manuscript. I would like to thank Ingeborg Deerenberg from Statistics Netherlands and Michiel Hengeveld, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Erasmus Medical Centre, for their aid in data collection. In addition, I am indebted to Rutger Vandenberg, Orlaith King, Kim Geene and Paula Stassen, for language correction and proofreading. Their alert editing saved me from cloudy sentences. If some have been overlooked, the responsibility is mine alone. Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to my parents, my brothers and Jesper, for their constant love, wisdom and understanding. Boston, MA October 2009 vi Overview 1 Introduction 1 Part I Background 2 Review of the Empirical Literature on Homicide‐Suicide 31 3 Review of Theories on Homicide‐Suicide 67 Part II The Epidemiology of and the Variation in Homicide­Suicide 4 Nature and Incidence of Homicide‐Suicide in the Netherlands 87 5 Homicide‐Suicide in Three Countries: The Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States 101 6 Intrafamilial Homicide‐Suicide Compared to Extrafamilial Homicide‐Suicide 111 Part III Homicide­(Para)Suicide Compared to Homicide and (Para)Suicide 7 Homicide‐Suicide Compared to Homicide and Suicide: A Macro Level Approach 123 8 Homicide‐Parasuicide Compared to Homicide and Parasuicide: A Meso Level Approach 135 9 Homicide‐Parasuicide Compared to Homicide and Parasuicide: A Micro Level Approach 153 Part IV Integration of Concepts 10 Conclusion 173 vii Table of Contents Preamble v Overview vii Table of contents ix Chapter 1 Introduction 1 1 Research topic and aims 1 2 What do we (not) know about homicide? 3 2.1 Homicide characteristics 3 2.2 Previous homicide research 4 2.3 Shortcomings in homicide research 5 3 What do we (not) know about suicide? 5 3.1 Suicide characteristics 6 3.2 Previous suicide research 7 3.3 Shortcomings in suicide research 7 4 Empirical knowledge on homicide‐suicide 7 4.1 Homicide‐suicide characteristics 8 4.2 Previous homicide‐suicide research 8 4.3 Shortcomings in empirical homicide‐suicide research 9 4.4 Difficulties in studying homicide‐suicide 9 5 Theories on homicide‐suicide 10 5.1 Shortcomings of the current theories on homicide‐suicide 14 6 This study 14 6.1 Research questions 14 6.2 Research strategy and design 16 7 Empirical data used 17 7.1 Data sources used to describe the characteristics of homicide‐suicide 17 7.2 Data sources used to compare homicide‐suicide with homicide and suicide 20 8 Scientific relevance and contribution of this study 24 9 Societal relevance of this study 25 10 Outline of this study 26 ix Table of contents Part I Background Chapter 2 Review of the Empirical Literature on Homicide­Suicide 31 1 Studies describing the variation in homicide‐suicide rates 31 2 Studies explaining the variation in homicide‐suicide rates 33 3 Studies describing homicide‐suicide characteristics 35 4 Studies disaggregating homicide‐suicide into various types 38 5 Studies on intimate partner homicide‐suicide 40 5.1 General 40 5.2 Amorous jealousy 42 5.3 Declining health 46 6 Studies on child homicide‐suicide 47 7 Studies on family homicide‐suicide 52 8 Studies on other family homicide‐suicide 54 8.1 Parent homicide‐suicide 54 8.2 Sibling homicide‐suicide 58 9 Studies on extrafamilial homicide‐suicide 59 10 Conclusion 64 Chapter 3 Review of Theories on Homicide­Suicide 67 1 Origin of aggression 68 1.1 Neurobiological theories 68 1.2 Strain theories 70 2 Direction of aggression: homicide or suicide 72 2.1 Attribution theory 72 2.2 Stream analogy for lethal violence 73 3 Outcome of aggression: homicide‐suicide over homicide or suicide 75 3.1 Psychodynamic theory 75 3.2 Psychopathological perspectives 77 3.3 Psycho‐evolutionary theory 81 3.4 Social integration theory 82 4 Conclusion 83 Part II The Epidemiology of and the Variation in Homicide­Suicide Chapter 4 Nature and Incidence of Homicide­Suicide in the Netherlands 87 1 Introduction 87 2 Methodology 87 3 Results 88 3.1 Incidence 88 3.2 Case characteristics 89 3.3 Victims 92 x Table of Contents 3.4 Perpetrators 95 4 Discussion 95 4.1 Limitations 95 4.2 Findings 95 5 Conclusion 98 Chapter 5 Homicide­Suicide in Three Countries: The Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States 101 1 Introduction 101 1.1 Cross‐national differences 102 2 Methodology 103 3 Results 104 3.1 Incidence 104 3.2 Case characteristics 105 3.3 Victims 105 3.4 Perpetrators 106 4 Discussion 107 4.1 Limitations 107 4.2 Findings 108 5 Conclusion 110 Chapter 6 Intrafamilial Homicide­Suicide Compared to Extrafamilial Homicide­Suicide 111 1 Introduction 111 2 Methodology 111 3 Results 112 3.1 Sample characteristics 112 3.2 Intrafamilial homicide‐suicide versus extrafamilial homicide‐suicide 114 4 Discussion 116 4.1 Limitations 116 4.2 Findings 117 5 Conclusion 118 Part III Homicide­(Para)Suicide Compared to Homicide and (Para)Suicide Chapter 7 Homicide­Suicide Compared to Homicide and Suicide: A Macro Level Approach 123 1 Introduction 123 2 Theoretical background 123 3 Methodology 124 4 Results 125 4.1 Homicide‐suicide versus homicide and suicide 125 xi Table of contents 4.2 Comparing subgroups 129 5 Discussion 130 5.1 Limitations 130 5.2 Findings 130 6 Conclusion
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Suicide, Jews and Judaism
    Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 4 December 2017 doi:10.20944/preprints201712.0020.v1 Suicide, Jews and Judaism Kate Miriam Loewenthal Royal Holloway, University of London, New York University in London, Glyndwr University, Wales, Heythrop College University of London Keywords: suicide; Jewish law; suicide ideation; self-harm Abstract This article will examine the ambivalence in the views of Jewish authorities towards suicide. There are Jewish rulings which forbid the taking of one's own life, including requested euthanasia. There are seemingly contrary rulings which tolerate and sometimes admire suicide, particularly under conditions of religious persecution. The article will attempt an overview of suicide rates in Jewish communities, indicating variations in different circumstances. The question of whether religiosity affects suicide will be raised and examined. These variations—and of course other factors—may offer some clues to the precursors of suicide, and the processes which may be involved. The causal and risk factors in self-harm among Jews will also be examined. The article then turns to post-suicide events, behaviours and attitudes in Jewish communities. Introduction: Jewish law on suicide The World Health Organisation (2017) estimates about 800 000 completed suicides worldwide, accounting for 1.4% of all deaths. Suicide was the 17th leading cause of death in 2015, and the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults. There are about 20 attempted suicides for every completed suicide, with incomplete suicide a strong predictor of later completed suicide. How do religious factors relate to suicide? This article will focus on the question in the Jewish community.
    [Show full text]
  • Bullying and Suicide, the 2X Development of Bullying Prevention More Likely to Attempt Suicide and Intervention Programs Is Vital (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010)
    FACT SHEET 3 BULLYING What is it? Bullying Bullying is related to negative psychological, emotional and and suicide behavioural outcomes. These outcomes can eventually make youth feel as though they can no longer cope (Wade & Beran, 2011). Bullying is linked to several precursors to thoughts of suicide (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010): • depression and hopelessness; • low self-esteem; • loneliness and isolation; • anger and frustration; Bullying is a conscious, willful, deliberate, • humiliation; repeated and hostile activity marked by • embarrassment; or • trauma. an imbalance of power, intent to harm and/or threat of aggression.” % (Alberta Human Services, 2015) 85 of bullying takes place in front of Types of bullying other people (Craig & Pepler, 1997). VERBAL BULLYING CYBERBULLYING When bullying is accompanied • sarcasm; • Using electronic communication by other risk factors, it often causes • threats; (e.g., internet, social media suicidal ideation (Hinduja & Patchin, • negative, insulting, or text messaging) to: 2010; Olson, 2012; Holt et al., 2015). Risk or humiliating comments; or » intimidate; factors for suicidal ideation include: • unwanted sexual comments. » put-down; • bullying; » spread rumours; • sexual abuse; SOCIAL BULLYING » make fun of someone; or • physical abuse; • spreading rumours or damaging » disseminate private or • drug abuse; or someone’s reputation; embarrassing information • depression. • excluding others from a group; or images of a person without • humiliating others with Both bullying victims and those their permission (Alberta public gestures or graffiti; or who perpetuate bullying are at a higher Human Services, 2015). • damaging someone’s friendships. risk for suicide. Kids who are involved as both victims and perpetrators of PHYSICAL BULLYING Cyber bullying victims are bullying are at the highest risk for • intentional physical aggression suicide (Holt et al, 2015, Suicide towards another person; Prevention Resource Center, n.d).
    [Show full text]
  • The Psychology Behind Jonestown: When Extreme Obedience and Conformity Collide Abstract 2
    THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND JONESTOWN 1 Anna Maria College The Psychology Behind Jonestown: When Extreme Obedience and Conformity Collide Submitted by: Claudia Daniela Luiz Author’s Note: This thesis was prepared by Law and Society and Psychology student, Claudia Daniela Luiz for HON 490, Honors Senior Seminar, taught by Dr. Bidwell and written under the supervision of Dr. Pratico, Psychology Professor and Head of the Psychology Department at Anna Maria College. RUNNING HEAD: THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND JONESTOWN 2 Abstract Notoriously throughout our history, cults of extremist religious views have made the headlines for a number of different crimes. Simply looking at instances like the Branch Davidians in Waco, or the members of the People’s Temple of Christ from Jonestown, it’s easy to see there is no lack of evidence as to the disastrous effects of what happens when these cults reach an extreme. When one person commits an atrocious crime, we can blame that person for their actions, but who do we blame when there’s 5 or even 900 people that commit a crime because they are so seemingly brainwashed by an individual that they’ll blindly follow and do whatever that individual says? Studying cases, like that of Jonestown and the People’s Temple of Christ, where extreme conformity and obedience have led to disastrous and catastrophic results is important because in the words of George Santayana “those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” By studying and analyzing Jonestown and the mass suicide that occurred there, people can learn how Jim Jones was able to gain complete control of the minds of his over 900 followers and why exactly people began following him in the first.
    [Show full text]
  • History of Suicide
    History of suicide In general, the pagan world, both Roman and Greek, had a relaxed attitude towards the concept of suicide, a practice that was only outlawed with the advent of the Christians, who condemned it at the Council of Arles in 452 as the work of the Devil. In the Middle Ages, the Church had drawn-out discussions on the edge where the search for martyrdom was suicidal, as in the case of some of the martyrs of Córdoba. Despite these disputes and occasional official rulings, Catholic doctrine was not entirely settled on the subject of suicide until the later 17th century. There are some precursors of later Christian hostility in ancient Greek thinkers. Pythagoras, for example, was against the act, though more on mathematical than moral grounds, believing that there was only a finite number of souls for use in the world, and that the sudden and unexpected departure of one upset a delicate balance. Aristotle also condemned suicide, though for quite different, far more practical reasons, in that it robbed the community of the services of one of its members. A reading of Phaedo suggests that Plato was also against the practice, inasmuch as he allows Socrates to defend the teachings of the Orphics, who believed that the human body was the property of the gods, and thus self-harm was a direct offense against divine law. The death of Seneca (1684), painting by Luca Giordano, depicting the suicide of Seneca the Younger in Ancient Rome. In Rome, suicide was never a general offense in law, though the whole approach to the question was essentially pragmatic.
    [Show full text]
  • Workplace Bullying and the Association with Suicidal Ideation/Thoughts and Behaviour: a Systematic Review
    Workplace bullying and the association with suicidal ideation/thoughts and behaviour: A systematic review Liana S Leach (PhD)1, Carmel Poyser (MPhil)2, Peter Butterworth (PhD)3,4 1 Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, ACT, Australia 2 National Institute for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, ACT, Australia 3 Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia 4 Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia Keywords: workplace bullying, mobbing, suicide, suicidal ideation Running title: Workplace bullying and suicide WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Research (including systematic reviews and meta-analyses) has established a prospective association between workplace bullying and increased risk of ill mental health. However, far less is known about the association between workplace bullying and suicidal thoughts and behaviour. This systematic review finds there is a lack of high quality epidemiological research identifying if and how workplace bullying uniquely contributes to increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour – this is a substantial gap in the literature. Additional solid evidence identifying suicidal thoughts and behaviours as an outcome, would strengthen the case for prioritising workplace and public health policies and legislation against workplace bullying. *Corresponding Author: Liana Leach. Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Tel: +61 2 61259725, Fax: +61 2 61250733, Email: [email protected] Funding and Acknowledgements: This work was supported by Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship #FT13101444, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Early Career Fellowship #1035803.
    [Show full text]
  • Suicidal Ideation Among Depressed People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, West Africa
    Open Journal of Medical Psychology, 2014, 3, 262-270 Published Online April 2014 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojmp http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojmp.2014.33027 Suicidal Ideation among Depressed People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, West Africa Rasaki O. Shittu1, Moradeyo K. Alabi2, Louis O. Odeigah2, Musa A. Sanni3, Baba A. Issa4, Abdulganiyu T. Olanrewaju4, Abdullateef Gbenga Sule5, Sunday A. Aderibigbe6 1Department of Family Medicine, Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria 2Department of Family Medicine, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria 3Department of Haematology, Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria 4Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria 5Department of Family Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria 6Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Received 13 March 2014; revised 13 April 2014; accepted 20 April 2014 Copyright © 2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Abstract Objective: Transient suicide thoughts are common to some people throughout the course of HIV disease and often do not indicate significant risk of suicide. However, persistent suicidal thoughts with associated feelings of hopelessness and intent to die are very serious and must be assessed promptly and carefully. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the relationship between depression, hopelessness, psychosocial stressors and suicidal ideation in PLWHAs.
    [Show full text]
  • Preventing Suicide: a Global Imperative
    PreventingPreventing suicidesuicide A globalglobal imperativeimperative PreventingPreventing suicidesuicide A globalglobal imperativeimperative WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Preventing suicide: a global imperative. 1.Suicide, Attempted. 2.Suicide - prevention and control. 3.Suicidal Ideation. 4.National Health Programs. I.World Health Organization. ISBN 978 92 4 156477 9 (NLM classification: HV 6545) © World Health Organization 2014 All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization are The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ available on the WHO website (www.who.int) or can be purchased products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the 4857; e-mail: [email protected]). names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications –whether for sale or for non-commercial distribution– should be All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health addressed to WHO Press through the WHO website Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. (www.who.int/about/licensing/copyright_form/en/index.html). However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility The designations employed and the presentation of the material in for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning arising from its use.
    [Show full text]
  • NOW Is Time to Address Dementia
    The Human Right To A Death With Dignity Special Edition FEN responds in hour of crises VOL 19 • NO 2 SPRING 2020 NOW is time to address dementia Final Exit Network has created surrounding the explosion in a new Advance Directive designed Alzheimer’s and other forms of to prevent dying people from being dementia, because no state that offers force fed against their wishes – Medical Aid in Dying accommodates even if suffering from dementia. patients who are not “of sound mind” What’s more, FEN will go to court when it is time to receive assistance. in an effort to set a legal precedent Now there is a second, more ensuring that VSED (Voluntarily pressing crisis: COVID-19. The Stopping Eating and Drinking) is specter of a ventilator is now reality always available to those who sign for many of us who were already the Supplemental Advance Directive concerned about how we would die. for Dementia Care. FEN is stepping up in this time This document, and the drive to of dual crises, and this edition of the make it legally binding, has been magazine is keenly focused on on our agenda for some time. We what we all need to know. recognized the growing crisis – Brian Ruder, FEN President Life (and death) in the time of COVID-19 By Lowrey Brown words apply equally well when applied to laws FEN Client Services Director and social customs that would rob so many of The title is hardly original wordplay at the right to shape how their life stories end.
    [Show full text]
  • Representing Roman Female Suicide. Phd Thesis
    GUILT, REDEMPTION AND RECEPTION: REPRESENTING ROMAN FEMALE SUICIDE ELEANOR RUTH GLENDINNING, BA (Hons) MA Thesis submitted to the University of Nottingham for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy DECEMBER 2011 Abstract This thesis examines representations of Roman female suicide in a variety of genres and periods from the history and poetry of the Augustan age (especially Livy, Ovid, Horace, Propertius and Vergil), through the drama and history of the early Principate (particularly Seneca and Tacitus), to some of the Church fathers (Tertullian, Jerome and Augustine) and martyr acts of Late Antiquity. The thesis explores how the highly ambiguous and provocative act of female suicide was developed, adapted and reformulated in historical, poetic, dramatic and political narratives. The writers of antiquity continually appropriated this controversial motif in order to comment on and evoke debates about issues relating to the moral, social and political concerns of their day: the ethics of a voluntary death, attitudes towards female sexuality, the uses and abuses of power, and traditionally expected female behaviour. In different literary contexts, and in different periods of Roman history, writers and thinkers engaged in this same intellectual exercise by utilising the suicidal female figure in their works. ii Acknowledgments I would like to thank the Arts and Humanities Research Council for providing the financial assistance necessary for me to carry out this research. The Roman Society also awarded a bursary that allowed me to undertake research at the Fondation Hardt pour I'etude de I'antiquite classique, in Geneva, Switzerland (June 2009). I am also grateful for the CAS Gender Histories bursary award which aided me while making revisions to the original thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • The Court Upholds a State Law Prohibiting Physician-Assisted Suicide
    Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume 88 Article 3 Issue 3 Spring Spring 1998 The ourC t Upholds A State Law Prohibiting Physician-Assisted Suicide Brett einbF erg Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/jclc Part of the Criminal Law Commons, Criminology Commons, and the Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons Recommended Citation Brett einbeF rg, The ourC t Upholds A State Law Prohibiting Physician-Assisted Suicide, 88 J. Crim. L. & Criminology 847 (Spring 1998) This Supreme Court Review is brought to you for free and open access by Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology by an authorized editor of Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons. 0091-4169/98/8803-0847 THE JOURNAL OF CRIMINALLAW & CRIMINOLOGY Vol. 88, No. 3 Copyrght © 1998 by Northwestern University, School of Law Printed in U.S.A. THE COURT UPHOLDS A STATE LAW PROHIBITING PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE Vacco v. Quill, 117 S. Ct. 2293 (1997) I. INTRODUCTION In Vacco v. Quill,' the United States Supreme Court ad- dressed whether a terminally ill person has a constitutionally protected right to commit suicide with the assistance of a physi- cian.2 The Court held that state laws prohibiting physician- assisted suicide are constitutionally permissible since they do not violate the Equal Protection Clause.3 In making its decision, the Court determined that the right to die with assistance is not a fundamental right.4 The Court
    [Show full text]
  • Murder-Suicide Ruled in Shooting a Homicide-Suicide Label Has Been Pinned on the Deaths Monday Morning of an Estranged St
    -* •* J 112th Year, No: 17 ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN - THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1967 2 SECTIONS - 32 PAGES 15 Cents Murder-suicide ruled in shooting A homicide-suicide label has been pinned on the deaths Monday morning of an estranged St. Johns couple whose divorce Victims had become, final less than an hour before the fatal shooting. The victims of the marital tragedy were: *Mrs Alice Shivley, 25, who was shot through the heart with a 45-caliber pistol bullet. •Russell L. Shivley, 32, who shot himself with the same gun minutes after shooting his wife. He died at Clinton Memorial Hospital about 1 1/2 hqurs after the shooting incident. The scene of the tragedy was Mrsy Shivley's home at 211 E. en name, Alice Hackett. Lincoln Street, at the corner Police reconstructed the of Oakland Street and across events this way. Lincoln from the Federal-Mo­ gul plant. It happened about AFTER LEAVING court in the 11:05 a.m. Monday. divorce hearing Monday morn­ ing, Mrs Shivley —now Alice POLICE OFFICER Lyle Hackett again—was driven home French said Mr Shivley appar­ by her mother, Mrs Ruth Pat­ ently shot himself just as he terson of 1013 1/2 S. Church (French) arrived at the home Street, Police said Mrs Shlv1 in answer to a call about a ley wanted to pick up some shooting phoned in fromtheFed- papers at her Lincoln Street eral-Mogul plant. He found Mr home. Shivley seriously wounded and She got out of the car and lying on the floor of a garage went in the front door* Mrs MRS ALICE SHIVLEY adjacent to -• the i house on the Patterson got out of-'the car east side.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolutionary Psychological Pers
    AN EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON FILICIDE AND FILICIDE-SUICIDE by Viviana A. Weekes A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida August 2011 Copyright by Viviana A. Weekes 2011 ii AN EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON FILICIDE AND FILICIDE-SUICIDE by Viviana A. Weekes This dissertation was prepared under the direction of the candidate's dissertation advisor, Dr. David Bjorklund, Department of Psychology, and has been approved by the members of her supervisory committee. It was submitted to the faculty of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and was accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree ofDoctor ofPhilosophy. EE: Charles White, Ph.D. Gary W. Perr Dean, The Charles E. Sch (It College of Science 7/7//1 JSr 7'7:L...- ~ . Barry T. Rosson, Ph.D. Date Dean, Graduate College iii1Il ABSTRACT Author: Viviana A. Weekes Title: An Evolutionary Psychological Perspective on Filicide and Filicide-Suicide Institution: Florida Atlantic University Dissertation Advisor: Dr. David Bjorklund Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Year: 2011 This dissertation focuses on using one tangible component of filicide, the method or weapon used by a parent to kill a child, as a means by which to understand parental psychology. An evolutionary psychological perspective (e.g., Buss, 2004; Bjorklund & Pellegrini, 2002; Daly & Wilson, 1988; Tooby & Cosmides, 1992) can provide insight into our understanding of filicide. Questions that have not been asked by previous researchers may come to the fore by using an evolutionary perspective as a guide for investigating filicide and its surrounding circumstances and contexts.
    [Show full text]