A woman from the Sigmaringen district is said to have tried to have her ex-husband’s ventilator turned off. Was it ill will? The regional court in Hechingen is now clarifying this.
After an accident in his house, the defendant’s ex-husband was in a coma in the Tübingen University Hospital last year. According to the Hechingen public prosecutor’s office, in a telephone conversation with a doctor, the woman literally said: “You can turn it off.” The public prosecutor’s office assumes that this did not correspond to the wishes of the man from the Zollernalb district. The 49-year-old is therefore charged with incitement to attempted murder.
Ex-wife does not provide any information about allegations in the trial
On the first day of the trial on Thursday, the woman did not provide any information about the allegations. However, the two children testified. You said that you have had little or no contact with your father since your parents divorced three years ago. Both appeared very composed and unemotional in court. The daughter described the relationship with her father as bad. When she found out about her father’s accident and his health condition, she feared that the father could remain in need of care for the rest of his life. She remembers that several times in the past, when he saw people in wheelchairs, he said that he didn’t want to live like that.
50-year-old paralyzed after accident
It was very likely that the 50-year-old would be dependent on a wheelchair after his accident.
The prognosis was bleak.
treating doctor, in court
The man’s brother was designated as a caregiver while the paraplegic man was still in the hospital. According to the doctor, he should decide on the man’s continued ventilation and thus life-prolonging measures. This includes, for example, a necessary tracheostomy. According to the doctor, a difficult decision for the relatives.
Living will ambiguous and not signed
However, the care was later transferred to the ex-wife because she had a general power of attorney. According to their statement, the children remembered their father’s living will and took it out of his home together with the general power of attorney. The ex-wife also had the locks changed while the husband was still in the hospital. According to the daughter, they wanted to protect the man’s property from his relatives.
Turn off machines? Doctor convenes ethics committee
After the 49-year-old asked the doctor to turn off her ex-husband’s machines, he convened an ethics committee to discuss how to proceed. However, on the same day it was possible to communicate with the seriously injured man, the doctor told the court. His situation was explained to him and he agreed to further treatment.
Is it all bad faith?
The 50-year-old himself testified in court on Thursday. There was no question in his mind that his ex-wife only wanted to help his children inherit. She knew about the good relationship with his siblings.
She saw an opportunity to help the children receive their inheritance.
Paraplegic man
According to the man, the relationship was always about money. He also firmly assumed that the general power of attorney had lost its validity with the divorce. A misconception.
The trial at the Hechingen regional court will continue next week.
Broadcast on Thursday, September 26th, 2024, 4:30 p.m., SWR4 BW Studio Tübingen – Reginal Nachrichten, 4:30 p.m
Further trials at the Hechingen Regional Court
