A Massachusetts court convicted Michelle Carter of involuntary manslaughter for the death of her boyfriend, Conrad Roy. Roy had obviously been suffering from depression when Carter sent him repeated text messages urging him to go ahead and kill himself. Eventually he complied. He sat in his truck while the cab filled with carbon monoxide. Carters encouragement of Roys suicide, including her instruction to him to get back into his truck, is deplorable. Few would dispute this.

If he had been suffering from metastatic cancer, rather than depression, there are undoubtedly those who would have been praising Carter for her act of compassion. Of course, Carters actions were morally reprehensible, and they would be just as bad had Roy been suffering physically rather than psychologically.

If you agree that Carter lacks moral decency you should take a close look at Connecticut state Rep. Josh Elliott. He has introduced HB 6238, An Act Concerning the Option to Die with Dignity. Elliott, along with his friends at Compassion and Choices, wants to make it legal for Connecticut doctors to prescribe lethal cocktails of medications to patients that are suffering from severe physical pain. Make no mistake; Rep. Elliotts proposal is just as morally corrupt as Carters actions. Physicians helping patients commit suicide, is no better than manipulative, teenaged girls pushing their boyfriends to asphyxiate themselves. Doctors have plenty of means to help patients who are in suffering or in pain. There is no need to engage in euthanasia.

Rep. Elliott should concern himself with our states actual problems, like our current financial situation. Although, if he is like most Democrats, he will probably argue that this bill will help state residents by reducing carbon emissions. Those carbon monoxide suicides really do burn through a lot of fossil fuels.

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Frank J. Mongillo III, M.D.

New Haven

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Letter to the Editor: Connecticut lawmaker wrong to advocate for euthanasia - New Haven Register