The Suicide Enabler

"In an act of togetherness and mutual support, to avoid (her) being alone", was the sole and altruistic reason behind 49-year-old William Melchert-Dinkel of Minnesota's assistance offered to suicidally-depressed Nadia Kaljouji on line. Who decided to end her life by jumping off a bridge into the Rideau River, wearing skates in an effort to have the tragedy of her death appear an accident.

This was the line pursued, in his defence-appeal of Judge Thomas M. Neuville's finding that the Faribault, Monnesota male nurse - posing as a female in psychological distress contemplating suicide herself, and aiding and assisting others to do the same - guilty of two counts of the state's assisted suicide law. Which assigns the status of felony crime to "advise, encourage or assist" in a suicide.

The man was an Internet predator, trolling sites where people in distress often turned, when they felt suicidally hopeless about their lives. He was directly linked to the deaths of two people whom he - posing as a young nurse herself emotionally traumatized by life and having the skill and knowledge through her profession to ease others through the process of completing their own suicide missions - helped convince the time was right to proceed.

There was Carleton University student, 18-year-old Nadia Kajouji, in her first year of university, struggling with the after-effects of finding herself pregnant, then ending the pregnancy with abortion, who killed herself in 2008, and there was Mark Drybrough of Britain, who hanged himself in 2005, under the kindly influence and understanding of this on-line nurse who empathized through personal experience with what they were experiencing.

In fact, claimed the lawyer for William Melchert-Dinkel, (addicted to his very personal 'suicide watch' fascination), his client's only interest was a humane one, to provide an relief outlet for emotionally disturbed people. For, he heard them out, let them ventilate

"without disapproval, listening to them, supporting and understanding them and their messages, as well as their considered and independent decisions to kill themselves. He did not challenge or attempt to dissuade",

said lawyer Terry Watkins in a court-filed document. "He respected the autonomy of their minds." And, in the process that ensued, while gaining their anxious trust, when they felt they had nowhere else to turn for kind and considerate advice and support, attempted to convince them that they could share the burden; he/she would commit suicide alongside their own attempts.

And suicide by hanging would be the most efficient, intelligent way to go. They could further share the experience by a visual link: "Would die today if we could but I will wait and see how it goes for you", Melchert Dinkel encouraged Nadia Kajouji. "We are together in this", she responds, trustingly, doubtless grateful to have the opportunity to share her anguish with someone who was capable of complete understanding.

"The First Amendment doesn't allow a judgment to be made on the despicability of one's speech ... only its ... effect of getting another to do something which they otherwise might not do", wrote lawyer Watkins. To Judge Thomas Neuville this was not a compelling argument: "The predisposition of a suicide victim actually makes the victim more vulnerable to encouragement or advice", he explained in his decision.

As he sentenced the man who followed Internet suicide sites with such intense dedication, and then attempted to persuade those he/she counselled under the name of "Cami" the female nurse who was herself equally depressed, to chose suicide by hanging, so he could witness the proceedings through his webcam.