Oregon says no to condemned man's request to donate his organs after execution

[Contrary1]

"An Oregon death row inmate is mounting an aggressive behind-bars campaign to donate his organs after he’s executed, in part to repay society for the gruesome murders of his wife and three young children.

Christian Longo, 37, says he wants to do more to take responsibility for killing his family and dumping their bodies in coastal bays nearly a decade ago than simply accepting execution by lethal injection.

“Why go out and waste your organs when you have the potential to go out and save six to 12 lives?” reasons Longo, whose voice is measured and articulate on the phone from Oregon State Penitentiary cell DRU31 in Salem.

His request to drop his appeals in exchange for being allowed to donate organs has been flatly denied by state corrections officials, who refuse to negotiate with a killer. It’s been denounced in principle as “morally reprehensible” by the nation’s organ donation officials and medical ethicists...."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42667886/ns/health-health_care/

[Poll_Blind]

1. This is a great example of needing to read the whole article. Great piece.

It could set up an interesting, slippery slope, especially with corporate ownership of prisons. But then again, how much does this matter to a person needing the organ? And, on the prisoner side, how can they be protected so that such a situation does not turn in to a Chinese-style organ harvesting factory?

No easy answers, but very interesting things to ponder.

PB