Ronald Phillips: Akron child killer wants to donate his organs after execution

[Butterfly Girl]

COLUMBUS, Ohio - An Ohio child killer scheduled for execution this week has asked that his organs be donated to help his ailing mother and sister.

Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/state/r...z2kMcr4Wg7

[Cynical Ninja]

So?

Why shouldn't he be allowed? He's paying for his crime he's going to be executed. Do you think his mother and sister should be punished as well?

I don't understand how the hell there can be any debate about this?

[Cheyne]

The organs are not going to his family

Here

Since he is being executed tomorrow, there wouldn't be enough time to give his organs to his mother/sister. They don't even know if he is a match to his family. Then there is the cost aspect, whether the mother/sister have insurance and if it would cover organ transplant.

This Website gives an idea of costs associated with organ transplants.

[HairOfTheDog]

So?

Why shouldn't he be allowed? He's paying for his crime he's going to be executed. Do you think his mother and sister should be punished as well?

I don't understand how the hell there can be any debate about this?

I don't object to anyone donating organs either; convicted murderers or otherwise.

I think the only debatable part of this story was the motive and feasibility of Phillips' request.

Most likely, IMO, he was just trying to delay his execution or create a better image for himself. He's had decades to decide he wanted to donate his organs, but chose to make the request after his other appeals ran out and just before his scheduled execution for repeatedly raping then killing a 3-year-old.

Anyway, his request was denied for the reasons cited below (but still possible his tissue can be donated privately when his body is turned over to his family).

Snip:
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction denied Phillips request for pre-execution donation, citing the late hour in which the request was made, just 48 hours before his scheduled execution. They also denied post-execution donation.

Stephen Gray, an attorney for the DRC, wrote, "Although DRC recognizes that organ donation is a laudable goal, DRC is not equipped to facilitate organ donation for Mr. Phillips. DRC respectfully declines your request for post-execution organ donation. DRC considers organ donation to be a private matter between Mr. Phillips, his family and his attorneys."

Gray's letter also says that after Phillips' death Thursday, his body will be handed over to his family and they "may take whatever action they wish with the physical body, including pursuing organ donation."

Anne Paschke, a representative for the United Network for Organ Sharing, a organization that facilitates organ matching throughout the nation, told HLN that Phillips will not be able to donate his vital organs, but may be able to donate tissue or his eyes.

"In order to be an organ donor after your heart stops beating you have to be medically managed in a hospital. Usually in those cases someone has been on life support," said Paschke. "When someone is brain dead and going to be a donor they keep them on a ventilator so the oxygenated blood keeps flowing through the organs so they remain viable for transplantation."

http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/11/12/...his-organs

[Cynical Ninja]

his scheduled execution for repeatedly raping then killing a 3-year-old.

Sounds like a nice bloke, I hope when he gets executed it hurts.... a lot.

Are they afraid if he donates a hand to someone the hand will take on a life of its own and start killing children like in a horror film?

Oh no! Its the hand of Ronald Phillips! Run for your lives children!

[HairOfTheDog]

Here I come to save the day...

After Phillips' organ donor request was denied because it was made at the last minute and there was no way for prison and medical authorities to facilitate organ donation without delaying his scheduled execution tomorrow (Thurs), the Gov intervened today and changed the game.

Snip:
Republican Gov. John Kasich has rescheduled Phillips' execution by lethal injection to July 2.

He says the time will allow officials to assess the medical feasibility of organ donation.

"Ronald Phillips committed a heinous crime for which he will face the death penalty. I realize this is a bit of uncharted territory for Ohio, but if another life can be saved by his willingness to donate his organs and tissues then we should allow for that to happen," said Kasich in a statement to CBS affiliate WBNS.

A prisons spokeswoman said Phillips will be returned from Ohio's death house, to death row to await the assessment's findings.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-5...ld-killer/
=============================================

Whether Phillips was simply trying to delay his execution with his end-game organ donor request or he sincerely wants to help others, he's succeeded.

From this point on, prison officials will likely add, "wanna donate organs?" to the pre-execution check-off list and get an irreversible answer far in advance.

[username]

I'm all for it. Granted it's too bad that it's causing a delay in this guy's death penalty case, it should be offered to every person scheduled to die on death row.

I think I read some where...yeah, here it is (below). China takes organs from executed prisoners (although it appears they plan to stop the practice). Why? I guess it may be considered a religious violation/invasion in some cases but I don't really have much sympathy for the religious beliefs of those on death row.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/0...1N20131102

[Butterfly Girl]

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's governor has delayed a condemned child-killer's execution to study the feasibility of allowing the man to first donate his organs to ailing relatives.

Republican Gov. John Kasich has rescheduled Phillips' execution by lethal injection to July 2.

He says the time will allow officials to assess the medical feasibility of organ donation.

"Ronald Phillips committed a heinous crime for which he will face the death penalty. I realize this is a bit of uncharted territory for Ohio, but if another life can be saved by his willingness to donate his organs and tissues then we should allow for that to happen," said Kasich.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-5...ld-killer/

[Miss Vickie]

I wonder if he will actually go through with the donation or will he back out right beforehand.

For some reason I was thinking that he just wanted more time and wasn't really sincere about since he has been on death row all this time and there has been plenty of time to request it before now.