Wisconsin Pays to Rebuild Killer's Face

he might not need any special care. The no nose thing is a risk factor though not unlike sleep apnia.

Okay existentialist....How about the cruel and unusual punishment the man thrusted upon his girlfriend, her daughter, and family?

Does that count for anything? Doesn't he forfeit the right to comfort, and an extended life due to his actions?

Cruel and unusual. If it was your daughter whose head he blew off, would you feel the same way?

S3th, first off, I don't buy that eye-for-an-eye BS. Violence begets violence. Secondly, his family is also put through torment, and this happens whenever somebody dies, no matter the cause. Also, I don't think he will ever really be comfortable, with the death of someone he loved on his mind.

The emotional suffering of the victims family, doesn't count for anything. I am not saying I entirely agree with this, but I think it has worked out great in our country to have an impartial court system. I cannot answer your last question about how I would feel if this happened to my grown daughter, because I don't know how I would act or feel. Again, my emotions should not be taken into account when making these decisions.

The constitution currently protects citizens from cruel and unusual punishment by the state, and this is great. If you want to work towards getting the eight amendment overturned, I support you all the way. Yet I think it would do more harm than good, when innocent people or those who committed petty crimes are tortured, just so a few family members can be satisfied when a crime is brought upon their family. Though, in all honesty whether the man has surgery or not, I don't think it is going to help heal the family's heartbreak.

"Though, in all honesty whether the man has surgery or not, I don't think it is going to help heal the family's heartbreak."

Yes, agreed.

But let's put this into perspective shall we.

Let's say you don't kill anyone. Instead you just shoot yourself in the face. You suffer the same complications as this man does. Do you think the taxpayers of your home state will pony up the dough to fix your self-inflicted damages?

Ah, but since he killed someone else he is now a ward of the state. Right? Don't you think the prison could ask a surgeon to do some pro-bono work to just make it possible for the guy to breathe right? Instead they are going to use state funds, without the taxpayers consent, to do the operation.

I just think there is a common sense factor that is being overlooked here. A pro-bono surgery would be free press for the surgeon. Whether that press would have a positive, or negative effect on the surgeon is the question. If handled correctly, it could have quite a positive spin, with the surgeon reaping accolades for saving taxpayers their money. But there is that other side that is prevalent in most of the comments here.

And btw, it's not eye-for-an-eye to refuse to allow him access to medical treatement at taxpayer expense. Eye, for an eye would entail something far more diabolical.

I don't think the tax payers should pay for my surgery were I to shoot myself in the face. I would must likely go into debt to pay for it myself, but depending on my income among other factors, tax dollars my end up paying for it anyway.

Perhaps he should have to pay for it himself, and face an insurmountably large debt when he gets out of prison, and then file for bankruptcy, so then the surgeon will have done it pro-bono.

I do think that a surgeon doing it pro-bono isn't a very good idea. It sets a precedent which I think could lead to all kinds of problems. (think political favors, interest groups, etc...) When the consensus is that better prisons, less death penalties, and an improved health-care and penal systems are desired, people must realize that there are going to be situations were that may conflict with their personal sense of justice. If it were a criminal that the public sympathized with and they did not provide him with health care then the reaction would be the same. We must be humane. Taking no action to help this man, is the same as torturing him, which most Americans seem to be against.

BTW, You implied that the family was being cruel and unusually punished, therefore the murderer deserves to be. That is what I meant by eye-for-an-eye.

Finally, I am not saying that I entirely agree with everything the government spends our money on, or that all of its policies are to my liking, but rather that in the context of the law the state is going to have to provide him with health-care.

The only thing wrong with the end of this story, was his AIM. He should have missed on his first shot, and aimed better on the second.

Sorry if that offends a guy like you that thinks a killer deserves to be treated humanely!

Actually I'm not sorry. I hope it offends you thoroughly!

Allright. Then tell me why, when he decided to take the life of another person, he is being given a chance to extend his, at the taxpayers expense?

Perhaps bad health, and his eventual death from his own handiwork would be a better form of Justice, then tax expenditures to extend his life.

It's for the same reason they have to feed them. Basic life saving care is part of the package. "cruel and unusual" and all that.

Yes it's lame, and yes there have been people who have deliberately gotten themselves arrested to get health care.

Haha!!! You make a good point.

Well stated!