Tracy Latimer was a 12-year-old Canadian girl who was killed by her father, Robert Latimer, in 1993. The case received widespread media attention and sparked a debate about euthanasia and the rights of people with disabilities.
Tracy was born with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects movement and muscle tone. As a result, she was unable to walk, talk, or care for herself and required constant medical attention. Despite this, Tracy was described by those who knew her as a happy and loving child.
In 1993, Robert Latimer decided that he could no longer bear to watch his daughter suffer and decided to end her life. He put Tracy in the cab of his truck and asphyxiated her with exhaust fumes. He then turned himself in to the police and was charged with first-degree murder.
Latimer's case sparked a heated debate about euthanasia, with many people arguing that he should be given leniency because he was acting out of love for his daughter and was trying to end her suffering. Others, however, argued that Latimer had no right to take his daughter's life and that he should be held accountable for his actions.
In the end, Latimer was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for ten years. The Supreme Court of Canada upheld the conviction in 2001, and Latimer remains in prison to this day.
The case of Tracy Latimer highlights the complex ethical issues surrounding euthanasia and the rights of people with disabilities. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting the autonomy and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their abilities or limitations.
Issues Raised by the Latimer Case
Tracy was not just at risk because she had a disability, she was at risk because she was a child who needed others. Robert Latimer had been motivated by concern for the suffering of her daughter, who had severe mental and physical disabilities, and by love. Facts: The accused, Robert William Latimer was initially charged with the second degree murder of his daughter Tracy Latimer. And recently, with the eyes of the country once again glued to his case, he made good on his rhetoric. Tracy seemed alert and happy. To do otherwise, they argued, would devalue the lives of disabled people and increase the risk of more such killings by their caregivers.
Robert Latimer
Why would trial judge Justice G. It would be designated compassionate homicide and would carry a lesser sentence than other murder charges. Other offenders, such as pedophiles, may be genuinely remorseful, but then are unable to control themselves. Therefore, we have no right to formulate a maxim such as: If I am in a really bad condition, I have the right of being euthanized; since it cannot form a universal law. All of us are entitled to equal protection of the laws that govern us. Robert Latimer: A story of justice and mercy.
Tracy Latimer: 25 Years Later
That being said, an act is only right if it corresponds to rules that are universally obeyed. This left Cruzan in a persistent vegetative state. Retrieved September 4, 2019. According to testimony by family physician, Dr. The New Enlightenment Project website contains information on enlightenment principles and invites forum discussion about their application and modification. The 54-year-old from Wilkie, Saskatchewan, is emerging from jail a man transformed -and not the way corrections officials generally like to see.
Latimer Truths Rarely Told
Doctors had advised his parents to end his life because, they said, he would not live until he was 20. She had a severe case of cerebral palsy along with acute pain because of a displaced hip. She was in the most severe classification that we have for cerebral palsy. There were none — at least none that would be better for Tracy. On the contrary, the actor was a nurturing, caring, giving, respectful, law-abiding responsible parent of the victim.
Tracy Latimer Case Study
It is also clear from the ongoing history of this whole case that he is not a threat to society nor does he require any rehabilitation. Furthermore, we should not to dehumanize ourselves through euthanasia, as it The Controversial Issue Of Euthanasia Euthanasia is defined as: the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma Dictionary Reference. Not Dead Yet, an American disability rights group, reports with apprehension that Marilyn Seguin, a founder of Dying With Dignity, has told the New York Times that Latimer's original severe sentence was unconscionable. The children were sent there for physiotherapy and visual stimulation. In other words, an action does not have a moral worth if you do not act from your duty. We drove to the hospital and she was admitted upon arrival. CCD explained to the court and to the public how that view threatens the lives of people with disabilities and is deeply offensive to fundamental constitutional values.
