The following ABC News video is a bizarre case of attempted murder in Akron, Ohio. The video was uploaded to the ABC website on August 5, 2012.
Barbara Wise was in her hospital bed, and husband John Wise was allegedly bedside. Reportedly, he then shot her. At the time of this story, doctors are saying that Barbara is now brain dead. So that could easily raise this case from attempted murder to murder.
What is the motive here?
Well, I’m not sure what the motive actually is, but John Wise is apparently trying to say he was trying to end his wife’s suffering. That defense will not be successful in a court of law. Even if you could make the argument that assisted suicide is legal, this would not be the way to do it. You can’t go around shooting a gun. Those bullets could hit someone else, as well. I am not an expert on Ohio criminal law, but my first impression is there will be no successful defense in this case. Maybe he will be convicted of 2nd degree murder if her life support is removed and Barbara dies. Otherwise, it’s attempted murder all the way.
There is one possible other defense here to a murder, and that is causation. Barbara was already in critical condition in the intensive care unit. There would still have to be proof that the gunshot wound or wounds caused her to die. That is not necessarily a slam dunk when you have a woman who is already in intensive care. This is a complex medical question that raises at least the possibility of reasonable doubt about causation.