Piergiogio Welby: Died peacefully, or murdered?

Enter the death of Piergiogio Welby, the most controversial end-of-life ethics case since Terri Schaivo. Welby was a paralyzed Italian author who fought muscular dystrophy. Hooked up to a respirator, Welby, 60, fought with doctors and politicians to be allowed to end his life, even writing a book detailing his thoughts on the subject. Piergiogio Welby's widow is defending the doctor who disconnected his respirator, saying: "For me it was not murder, absolutely. Piero died naturally, falling asleep and giving back his soul to the creator."

The Roman Catholic Church has denied a religious funeral for him, saying that it would treat his public wish to end his life as a willful suicide. Anti-euthanasia campaigners are calling Welby's death a murder. The Vatican, which still has a strong influence in Italian politics, vehemently opposes euthanasia, saying that life must be protected from the beginning to it's "natural" end. The Vicar of Rome said that a religious funeral was denied for Welby because of his "repeated and publicly affirmed" desire to "end his life."

Not too long before Welby's life was ended, a judge in Rome recognized Welby's right to refuse treatment. However, the judge also ruled that there is no law that could "force a doctor to take measures" that would lead to a patent's death, even at the patent's request. Because of this contradiction, basically, the judge said, the doctor can do whatever on earth he feels like.

Piergiogio Welby's life may have been very complicated and complex, but the issues that he raised leading to his death, and the questions asked in his wake, could help to shape the discussion of the right-to-die debates for years to come, for better or for worse.

(Click here to read a article on the subject by the AP's Ariel David.)

Should cancer-striken cult leader be released from parole?

Throughout the week we bring you stories of interest to your life, your money, your well-being. Now, we want to hear your thoughts. Every now and then we're going to bring you a very interesting, perhaps polarizing news story. Sometimes, the answers will be easy. Sometimes, they won't be. However, once you read both sides of the story, you'll understand and sympathize with the moral dilemmas found by the two parties, as we find in this week's case.

Yahweh Ben Yahweh is a former cult leader linked to nearly two dozen gruesome killings in the 1980's. He was the leader of the "Nation of Yahweh," where he emphasized racial supremacy and violent separatism. He preached that God was black and blacks would become powerful through him. Whites, in his eyes, were infidels and oppressors. He had a cult following so loyal that they pledged to kill his enemies for him. He became the living messianic ruler of his culture and those who dissented could face beatings or, allegedly, death. Yahweh Ben Yahweh served 11 of an 18-year federal prison sentence for a racketeering conviction stemming from his role in up to 23 murders.

Currently, Yahweh Ben Yahweh is out on parole, with his activities heavily restricted. He is prohibited from reconnecting with his old congregation. He is restricted from using the telephone, computer, radio or television, anything that could place him in contact with a member of his cult.

70-years-old, he has advanced cancer which is attacking nerves. According to his doctor, Wynne A. Steinsnyder, he is "now unable to walk due to bone and nerve involvement by the danger. His prognosis is extremely poor and death appears imminent." Attorney Jayne Weintraub says that her client is "not a risk of flight. He is not a danger to the community. He is frail and he is dying." The Parole Commission, which has discretion on whether or not to end parole after five years, will discuss this case on October 19. But that process could take weeks, if not months. So Weintraub wants a judge to speed up the process because she says that being on parole is causing stress that his hampering his cancer treatment.

The lawyers say that Yahweh Ben Yahweh is "entitled to, and greatly desirous of, the simple dignity of being permitted to die a free man, not a parolee." In closing, his lawyers point out that Yahweh has complied to all degrees of the parole and hasn't had one violation.

He is dying, and by all accounts, will die of cancer. But has he served his debt to society already? He did spend time in prison and has been on parole for five years. Is he a threat to society?

What say you? Obviously, we're all on the outside looking in on this case, but what do you think should happen here?