OK, for the sake of debate, let’s assume for a minute that my sister, Cindy, committed suicide with assistance—one of several theories about her death.
(That’s illegal in Canada, by the way, but suicide isn’t—suicide and attempted suicide were decriminalized in 1972. But in the USA, only Oregon allows physician-assisted suicide.)
So, following the assisted suicide theory, maybe Cindy needed help planning her death so that it would look like murder. (Perhaps because she didn’t want to shame her family or herself. Or maybe there would have been another reason? …)
My thought is that if she did this she must have been so tired of her harassment that she decided she would rather be dead than have to endure any more terror (and maybe wanted to control the circumstances and timing of her own death).
So does that mean she was in her “right” mind (or would she be termed mentally ill when having thoughts of suicide)?
Would she have been capable of making such a decision (and what if her harassment had driven her to mental illness—assuming she wasn’t mentally ill already and then harassed herself)?
Or could she have been vulnerable enough to be coerced into (assisted) suicide (non-voluntary?)? And whom do you think would have helped her?
What if her death was an accidental suicide? —Yet another theory about her death! (Let’s explore that theory in another Blog.)
Did she own her life?
Do you own yours?
Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My Friend
Read an excerpt now
TV Shows and Clips about the death of Cindy James
I have never had a moment’s thought that Cindy did this to herself. I find it very difficult to understand how anyone can stretch their imagination that far. I have tried to see it from that point of view, but it just seems too far fetched – even just downright impossible.
I never understood how the police were able to use her mental condition against her credibility – if the things that happened to her had happened to me, it would certainly have pushed me over the edge. How she endured it for seven years is absolutely stunning to me. I think if she was already unstable, she would have done herself in much sooner. I think that she wanted to live her life as unaffected as possible, and not let the fear control her. (For me, that would have been impossible).
I’ve also heard theories that the message left on her ex-husband’s answering machine was her attempt to pin it on him. To me, that also makes no sense. If she were trying to damage his credibility, why would she have done this? It makes him look like one of the victims, not the assailant.
I wanted so much to tell you that although what happened to your sister was tragic, you have turned it into something wonderful. Not only have your efforts made Cindy’s story known to so many people, but you have helped others cope with loss and touched many. I am sure that she would be/is proud that you have handled it in that way.
Thank you for sharing so much of yourself and Cindy to the world.
February 2, 2008 @ 8:35 pm