They intended to kill with a guilty mind and acted on the killing knowing full well that what they were about to immoral and against the law.
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Whetmore was eaten on the twenty-third day by the other Defendants in this matter and the Defendants were rescued on the thirtieth day. They were indicted and convicted for the murder of Whetmore. However, we have to take into consideration that Whetmore was the explorer who came up with the idea of killing someone in order for the others to survive. He also came up with the idea of rolling dice to decide who would be killed.
We are then asked whether being trapped in a cave with little chance to live an exception to the statute N.C.S.A (N.S.)12-A? The Court had sentenced the Defendants to death for the murder of Whetmore. I bring myself to the question of law and morality. Finding the events that took place in the cave, I find myself somewhat syphatising with the Members in this matter with respect of the conclusion that they had come about of taking it upon themselves to sacrifice another persons life. However, I cannot excuse a decision like that with or without that person's permission. We also have to look at the fact that these people penetrated the interior of a limestone cavern and brought amongst themselves the situation that they had come to. Had they been more experiences, perhaps they would have never been entrapped in the first place, and then the situation would have never occurred.
We can look at this case and compare it to ones where there have been vegetable coma-state persons and the family members or the doctor of that person, makes the decision of taking that person off life support without the consent of that person. Is it justifiable or is it murder? Does the person making that decision without the consent of the coma-state person, have a right to do so, and what would be the consequences. The fact that the person is in a coma-state, and therefore, cannot render a decision himself/herself, would state murder in the eyes of the law.
