Pro-Deathers: He's A Murderer, We're Compassionate

Good. One William Melchert-Dinkel is in deep doo-doo for talking two people into committing suicide over the internet. The pro-deathers, of course, quickly try to distance themselves from this murderer, saying “aid in dying” is different that convincing someone to kill themselves. Uh-huh. The only difference, as far as I can tell, is that Melchert-Dinkel did it at a distance, while the pro-deathers will actually have someone sitting right next to you telling you it’s OK to kill yourself as they help you do it.

Online Talk, Suicides and a Thorny Court Case

The seemingly empathetic nurse struck up conversations over the Internet with people who were pondering suicide. She told them what methods worked best. She told some that it was all right to let go, that they would be better in heaven, and entered into suicide pacts with others.

But the police say the nurse, who sometimes called herself Cami and described herself as a young woman, was actually William F. Melchert-Dinkel, a 47-year-old husband and father from Faribault, Minn., who now stands charged with two counts of aiding suicide.

Mr. Melchert-Dinkel, whose lawyer declined an interview request on his behalf, told investigators that his interest in “death and suicide could be considered an obsession,” court documents say, and that he sought the “thrill of the chase.” While the charges stem from two deaths — one in Britain in 2005 and one in Canada in 2008 — Mr. Melchert-Dinkel, who was indeed a licensed practical nurse, told investigators that he had most likely encouraged dozens of people to kill themselves, court documents said. He said he could not be sure how many had succeeded. more