Cannibal Trial
I am a lawyer, and though I come from a very different culture and legal system, I am amazed that such a horrific crime could possibly be considered anything less than premeditated murder. Under the common law system, a person cannot be considered to consent to his or her own murder. Thus, whether Brandes volunteered to be killed and eaten would not be relevant in our system. Even allowing for legal differences, and for a special category for euthanasia, the killing of Mr. Brandes cannot be passed off as a bizarre form of mercy killing.
Euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide, if it is to be sanctioned at all, has to be very strictly confined to particular circumstances where the killing is done in order to terminate extreme physical suffering, there is no hope for a cure, and it can be verified that the patient is giving knowing and fully rational consent. None of these circumstances are present in this case.
-- Mark W. Atwood, USA
It seems to me that Armin Meiwes did his homework, via the Internet, to see if he could kill and eat someone and get away with as little punishment as possible. The whole thing looks calculated with a mastery that says he could have done this before or will do it again.
"Pre-meditated brutal, obscene, murderous desire with desire carried out " is what he should be charged with. The willingness of the victim in this instance is irrelevant because that puts blame of what Meiwes did onto someone else.
-- Kathy Noda
My personal opinion is that there was no wrong doing. The victim was willing. Even when he was in the slaughter room he still agreed and he had time to change his mind after he was dismembered. I am not saying I agree with what happened but if you think about it, it is like killing a pig, cow, or any animal. The difference is that the animals do not have a say. Now if there is such a concern about this situation why are they not trying to stop the website? But I think if you are willing, then who is to say it is wrong. What they did is what they wanted to do.
-- Sabrina Brooks
I think Mr. Meiwes should be given death penalty or life in prison for this barbaric, heinous crime.
-- Mohamad M. Haque, USA
