Test of moral integrity...

[20droger]

A few minor questions, then the reason I asked. Please answer each question (to yourself) before moving on to the next.

1. If you were to discover a person was planning to commit suicide, would you tell someone?








2. If you failed to tell someone, and they died, should you be held to task?








3. If you were to discover a person was planning to commit suicide, and you would benefit from their death, would you tell someone?








4. If you failed to tell someone, should you be allowed to reap the benefit anyway?








Why I asked:

Where would you take a $100,000 check that is also a suicide note, to the cops or to the bank?

In July 2008, John Francis Beech, a retired executive in Denver, sent a check for $100,000 to a local charity, postdated to Aug. 1, accompanied by a sealed envelope with "wait until you hear from coroner" and "everything is OK." The charity's director, Annie Green, opened the envelope anyway on July 21, to find Beech's Last Will and Testament, leaving his entire estate to Green's organization for children with developmental disabilities.

Green's decision was to put everything into the safe and await Aug. 1.

On July 29, based on longstanding plans, Beech committed suicide.

Now for the final questions... If it were up to you,

5. Should Green and her charity be allowed to benefit from Beech's death?

6. Should Green be held criminally liable?

[CyberDyneSystems]

7. Would you use your 24-70mm Zoom or the 135mm prime to take photos of the suicide?

[gjl711]

1. If you were to discover a person was planning to commit suicide, would you tell someone?Without hesitation
2. If you failed to tell someone, and they died, should you be held to task?yes.
3. If you were to discover a person was planning to commit suicide, and you would benefit from their death, would you tell someone? Without hesitation.

4. If you failed to tell someone, should you be allowed to reap the benefit?no.

Why I asked:

Where would you take a $100,000 check that is also a suicide note, to the cops or to the bank?



In July 2008, John Francis Beech, a retired executive in Denver, sent a check for $100,000 to a local charity, postdated to Aug. 1, accompanied by a sealed envelope with "wait until you hear from coroner" and "everything is OK." The charity's director, Annie Green, opened the envelope anyway on July 21, to find Beech's Last Will and Testament, leaving his entire estate to Green's organization for children with developmental disabilities.



Green's decision was to put everything into the safe and await Aug. 1.


On July 29, based on longstanding plans, Beech committed suicide.

Now for the final questions... If it were up to you,

5. Should Green and her charity be allowed to benefit from Beech's death?No.

6. Should Green be held criminally liable?Yes. However, I do not believe that there is a law stating one must inform someone of an impending suicide so she is probably of the hook. Morally it's reprehensible.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Some locales have a bystander law,. ala last episode of Sienfeld,.

[Woolburr]

7. 24-70 is far more versatile for forensic photography. A zoom, especially one with semi-macro abilities will yield a much broader spectrum of images to document the scene.

[In2Photos]

Hmmmm. Where did it say that John Francis Beech was going to kill himself? Perhaps Annie Green thought he had a terminal disease?

[AngryCorgi]

Some locales have a bystander law,. ala last episode of Sienfeld,.

Wasn't that the final episode?

[AngryCorgi]

Hmmmm. Where did it say that John Francis Beech was going to kill himself? Perhaps Annie Green thought he had a terminal disease?

Good point. Very good point.

[cdifoto]

Only $100,000?

One thing's for certain; he didn't work for one of the Big Three.

[digirebelva]

A few minor questions, then the reason I asked. Please answer each question (to yourself) before moving on to the next.

1. If you were to discover a person was planning to commit suicide, would you tell someone?

Yes


2. If you failed to tell someone, and they died, should you be held to task?


Yes again


3. If you were to discover a person was planning to commit suicide, and you would benefit from their death, would you tell someone?


Without hesitation


4. If you failed to tell someone, should you be allowed to reap the benefit anyway?


No...


Now for the final questions... If it were up to you,


5. Should Green and her charity be allowed to benefit from Beech's death?

No..prior knowledge and they did nothing...

6. Should Green be held criminally liable?

Yes..but again is there a law in the locality for prior knowledge..if not then means nothing if we find it irresponsible personally

Here is my question, if it had been a family member (or close friend) of Mrs Green, would she have so casually put the letter away until after the fact?

[cdifoto]

I'm not so sure this is a real event either. I Googled the name and came up with no real news stories. It's probably an email chain letter.

[20droger]

Hmmmm. Where did it say that John Francis Beech was going to kill himself? Perhaps Annie Green thought he had a terminal disease?

Good point. Very good point.
Not such a good point. Beech said "everything is OK." This implies that he did not have a terminal disease. If he did, everything would not be "OK."

I do not know if either Denver or Colorado has anti-suicide laws, but such laws only affect criminal prosecution.

My personal opinion is that Green failed to act in a reasonable and prudent manner. Indeed, she I believe she acted out of avarice and greed, with a callous disregard for the safety and well being of Beech. I believe that she, individually, and the charity she represents, since she acted in her capacity as director of that charity, should be held civilly liable, should not be allowed to benefit, and should have whopping punitive damages.

[20droger]

I'm not so sure this is a real event either. I Googled the name and came up with no real news stories. It's probably an email chain letter.
It's a news item in Westword, Denver, CO.

http://www.westword.com/2009-05-14/news/where-would-you-take-a-100-000-check-that-is-also-a-suicide-note-to-the-cops-or-to-the-bank/

[AngryCorgi]

Not such a good point. Beech said "everything is OK." This implies that he did not have a terminal disease. If he did, everything would not be "OK."

I do not know if either Denver or Colorado has anti-suicide laws, but such laws only affect criminal prosecution.

Depends on how you interpret "everything's OK". If someone writes me into their will and tells me everything's OK, I would take that to mean there is nothing they'd like me to do to help them. It would not indicate suicide or physical illness, only that my intervention was no requested. That's what "everything's OK" means to me..."Everything's OK, so I don't need help".

So, yeah, still a good point...IMO.

[condyk]

This thread is weird ... and not in a good way. I find even putting the question on a photography forum a bit creepy. I know it's all a bit lax here in the 'lounge' but ...

[AngryCorgi]

This thread is weird ... and not in a good way. I find even putting the question on a photography forum a bit creepy. I know it's all a bit lax here in the 'lounge' but ...

You're probably right about that. ;)

Oh well...

[In2Photos]

Not such a good point. Beech said "everything is OK." This implies that he did not have a terminal disease. If he did, everything would not be "OK."

Sp from that she is supposed to discern that an anonymous person is planning on committing suicide? How so Roger?

Also, how is she not to know that he had come to terms with his terminal disease? After all if his disease is terminal there isn't a whole lot he could do about it.

[Quad]

Really is was wrong to open that envelope. You just can't trust some people.

[20droger]

Because, upon his mention of the coroner, she had a moral obligation to make sure everything was OK. A couple of phone calls would have done this, even without opening the envelope.

She was, after all, the director of a charity to help people. She had no moral right not to do so.

And, once she opened the envelope, she helped people all right: herself and hers.

Can you say conflict of interest?

[Woolburr]

I don't know that we have seen all the facts presented in a fair and objective fashion. A single news article is not definitive proof of guilt or innocence. Eventually, everyone involved will have to answer to someone, even if that someone is only their own conscience. The saddest part is the potential loss of help for some folks in need...and the fact the individual that opted to take his own life felt that suicide was his only recourse.