Armin Meiwes - Euthanasia By Cannibalism

(I can NOT believe we haven't mentioned this story on lies.com before)

Armin Meiwes was found guilty of manslaughter in a German court this week, and sentenced to 8.5 years in prison. Armin recieved this sentance for castrating his victim, eating his flesh while the victim bleed to death, and then butchering and freezing his body to eat over the course of several months -- all of which he recorded on video for later sexual gratification.

Now brace yourself -- none of that is the bizarre part.

The bizarre part is that the victim was a willing participant in the whole experience -- and even choose to eat some of his own flesh before dying. (I know, it sounds like i'm plagiarizing "Hannibal" but I'm not.) Like Meiwes, his victim "Bernd-Juergen Brandes" was a cannibalism fetishist, with a Hansel and Gretel obsession, who prepared a very detailed will, and sold most of his property before going to Meiwes's house and asked to be eaten. The two met had met online, when Brandes responded Meiwes's Internet chat room post: "Gay male seeks hunks 18-30 to slaughter."

This all happened back in 1995. Meiwes wasn't arrested until December of 2002 when police were tiped off by chat room users after Meiwes posted again, looking for another victim.

The German news organization "DW World" seems to have the most comprehensive coverage, so Here's a breif timeline of their articles...

• Dec13, 2002: German Police Investigate Alleged Cannibal Murder
• Dec14, 2002: German Cannibal Victim's Will Found
• Dec3, 2003: German Cannibal Trial Opens in Complexity
  (RealAudio interview with psychology professor)
• Jan16, 2004: Cannibal Victim Was Willing To Pay To Be Eaten
• Jan30, 2004: Cannibal Convicted of Manslaughter
  (RealVideo of reporter covering trial)

(That last video link includes a great straight faced delivery by the News anchor asking the reporter why legal experts are saying that this case is so "unique").

The New Yorker on Golden Gate Suicides

By Tad Friend, here's a really good article from The New Yorker on people who commit suicide by leaping from the Golden Gate Bridge: Jumpers.

Suicide as Entertainment

The rock band Hell of Earth is planning to allow an onstage suicide "live" at their next show in St. Petersburg, Florida. As you would expect, this has caused quite a bit of controversy, but my favorite part of the whole thing, is that the city council needed to pass a special law, making it illegal to: "conduct a suicide for commercial or entertainment purposes, and to host, promote and sell tickets for such an event." Apparently, they had to pass the special law, becuase otherwise they had no legal grounds to try and stop the show -- no one in the band is planning to "assist" this anonymous individual, they're just going to let him come on stage and do his thing.

The show must go on however, the lead singer promises that the show will happen at an undisclosed location within city limits, in front of a select few die-hard fans (pun intended) and it will be broadcast live on their website.

The Death of Abu Ra'ad

While the Bullshit-Artist-in-Chief is laying out new and improved rationales for why we invaded Iraq, and soberly telling us about the sacrifices we Americans will have to make to salvage his failed policies, Riverbend offers another powerful story about the price that the people of Baghdad are already paying: Under the palm leaves.

Helen Thomas on the non-US Dead

From presidential press conference snub-ee Helen Thomas: Who's counting the dead in Iraq? Who indeed.

Riverbend on Remembering the Dead

Another post, another woman talking about memories of dead people. From Baghdad Burning: Have you forgotten?

Wendy McClure on the Dead Non-Elephants of Woodlawn Cemetary

I like Wendy McClure's weblog, Pound, a lot. She mentioned having written an item that appeared in Gapers Block recently, so I went and read it, and it's pretty cool: Elephants and accidents: The truth about Showmen's Rest.

Ready, Aim.....

Our Gun toting friends in Utah are gearing up for a Firing squad double header. Utah is the only State in the Union that still executes death row inmates via Firing squad when requested, as it should be, and it appears they are looking to increase the ratings by stacking them up back to back so that they can better compete with American Idol.

Personally, I would prefer they would return to the days of the Old West, when once someone has been found guilty, and sentenced to die, that they should just hang them immediately and save the taxpayers a little grief.

Say Hi to Elvis for Me

I don't even know what to say about this, it speaks for itself. From afterlifetelegrams.com: For a fee of $5.00 per word (5 word minimum), our customers can have telegrams delivered to people who have passed away. This is done with the help of terminally Ill volunteers who memorize the telegrams before passing away, and then deliver the telegrams after they have passed away. (Emphasis is that of the site, not mine). The FAQ is highly illuminating.

Kali

from the human-scarifice dept.

Amazingly enough, human scarifice to the goddess Kali still takes place in India. Kali worship and scarfice seem to be on the rise as a means of keeping up with the jones'.

Review: Who's Who in Hell

from the get-your-obituaries-here dept.

From The Observer comes a review of Who's Who in Hell, journalist Robert Chalmers' new novel that focuses on the adventures of newspaper obituary writers. Or something like that; I got a bit lost part way through the review. But it still sounds fun.