@ Richard Kay

"a suicidal person is by definition mentally ill"

Sorry, but that's utter tripe. What about people who are suffering the last, agonising weeks of a degrading terminal illness? You evidently consider them all ineligible for the basic human right to self-determination, as you later write "persistent and excruciating pain makes someone unable to make rational choices".

Live *your* life as *you* wish to Richard , but you have no business attempting to impose this asshat philosophy upon *others*.

(Go, because sometimes people decide that it's time to)

so what ?

He is free to do what he wants, including taking his life and including broadcasting it to those who CHOOSE to watch, if he so wishes.

I am wondering how they managed to track him down legally? I'm not comfortable with the idea that people can't talk about (committing?) suicide or mess about on camera without police turning up at their door.

I have already heard of someone who made heat of the moment venting comments on a forum and had the police turn up, his details taken and the 'incident' logged in the police files.

As for the family, well it's typical that they would blame strangers for his death rather than themselves or say, the actual person who took his life: himself.

It is an extremely sad case, especially when you read what he wrote before he killed himself. But these things happen and no-one should be held responsible for the actions of someone else. Full stop. I think in this day and age the possibility of witnessing a suicide like this is a real possibility and we need to get used to the idea. And if people want to do it...as extreme as it is...I don't really see what the problem is. The only problem is moral/ethical and I am not in favor of tightening those laws. People should be free. And being free includes the freedom to do bad or questionable things.

Maybe it will be a new alternative to school shootings? I have to say it is better if they make themselves famous by harming themselves only, rather than taking out a whole class

If suicidal people do not want to be told to do it, then they should not talk about it to people who will be honest or potentially provoking. They should talk to a THERAPIST, as everyone is entitled to their own opinion, including the opinion that suicide is a good idea. You do not have to do what other people say.

Why is it that 10 people can tell a suicidal person not to do it, and 2 people can shout 'do it' yet the minority are blamed if the person goes on to commit suicide? Is telling someone to go ahead with their suicide anymore convincing than trying to talk them out of it ??

Cry for Help

I'm not trying to be heartless, but he was a suicidal teenager. Surely he was irresponsible enough to kill himself in a dramatic, memorable fashion if he really wanted to?

He'd not even have to hurt anyone else, just find a house with a (presumably insured) very fast car on the drive, break into the house, nick the keys, go get pissed, put a flare in the petrol tank, phone the police and hurtle off the side of a cliff after lighting the flare. Or hire the car. Hell, get into debt and buy the car- it's not like you'll have to make further payments on it...

Or blow yourself up in a "chemistry experiment gone wrong". Huff acetylene and go for a ciggie? Sign up for the Military even- you'll end up with some purpose in your life AND the chance that you'll die.

My point is this was probably a cry for help rather than someone who actually wanted to die for a purpose (rather than because they perceived themselves to not have one). The 12-hour warning he gave was another indicator.

And this wasn't a Darwin award as they didn't do anything really mindbogglingly stupid, unless his plan was to get people from the Internet to help save someone they watched die.

If I was to ever take my life I'd die of old age before the preparations were finished. The first Full HD suicide video in Dolby 7.1 & stereoscope'd bullet-time.