If You Can’t Do the Time, Don’t Do the Crime

Jack Kevorkian once vowed to starve himself to death rather than do time for his crime. Well, we know how that turned out. Thankfully, he did not try to kill himself, did do eight years, and alas, is now getting $50,000 per speech. Ah, we do love our reprobates...

George Exoo, who once ran the “Compassionate Chaplaincy,” is accused of assisting the suicide of a woman named Rosemary Toole in Ireland. Exoo reportedly admitted being with the woman when she died, telling her what to do. The problem is, assisted suicide is against the law in Ireland and the Irish authorities didn’t appreciate an American coming over there and helping kill one of their own. Exoo is now in jail awaiting extradition. He claims he didn’t know assisted suicide is against the law on the Emerald Island, but as the old saying goes, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

According to a letter that was published on a “right to die” list- serve, Exoo is unhappy in jail. People use terrible words that begin with “f” and theft is an ongoing threat. I don’t blame him. Jail is scary, but then, if Exoo is guilty as charged, jail is precisely where he belongs.

In any event, Exoo, like Kevorkian before him, is now threatening self-induced starvation, purportedly writing, “I prefer, therefore, to check out either by withholding nutrition and drink or by some alternative, less than above-board but fast means.” I certainly hope he doesn’t try it. But the authorities should know of this threat and put him on suicide watch. Moreover, if he does try to dehydrate or starve himself to death, he should be force fed and hydrated before getting so emaciated his life is in danger.

While they are free, freelance assisted suicide types seem to think that the laws don’t apply to them. Too infrequently, they discover that they are wrong. What is it they say? If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.