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Subscribe to RSSMichael Marin could be seen putting something in his mouth after he was found guilty in an Arizona courtroom, NBC's Thomas Roberts reported for TODAY earlier this month.
An autopsy report confirmed Friday that Michael Marin, the former Wall Street trader who collapsed and died in court minutes after he was convicted of arson last month, committed suicide by taking cyanide.
Authorities immediately suspected that Marin, 53, killed himself June 28 in Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix by swallowing a homemade cyanide pill.
Marin had just been convicted of burning down his mansion in 2009 when he went into convulsions at the defendant's table. He was declared dead at the scene.
The autopsy confirmed that Marin died of cyanide poisoning, The Associated Press reported.
Marin was often described as a larger-than-life figure. He made a fortune on Wall Street, flew his own planes, held a law degree from Yale University and climbed Mount Everest.
But he had retired from finance several years ago and was no longer able to keep up with his $17,250-a-month mortgage payments, prosecutors said. So he burned down his home, on which he owed $2.3 million, and made headlines by escaping from a second-floor window in scuba gear.
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After Marin's death, police found a canister of cyanide in his car, along with a note to his son saying his will was up to date and in place.
James Dearing, medical director at John C. Lincoln Medical Centers in Phoenix, said cyanide poisoning was an especially unpleasant but highly effective way to kill oneself.
"It's a very fast-acting chemical that comes in gas or crystal form," Dearing told NBC station KPNX of Phoenix. "What this chemical does is it prevents oxygen from leaving the blood and going into the cells, so the cells will die."
Watch the full interview with James Dearing at KPNX-TV
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Leave a Comment:
Well, maybe all convicted criminals should be given this option! It would save the taxpayers lots of money.
I'd 2nd that. Why would he "retire" if he wasn't going to have the money to pay for the house? Why not sell it? For a smart guy he made some stupid choices.
Exactly....I commend this person and encourage all other rich a$$holes whom have made all their money unethically to do the same.
id 3rd that put a candy dish by the door. give them the opt out option.
Was he buried in his scuba outfit? He used it to escape from the house fire he set. Perhaps he'll show up in hell with his flippers, goggles, wetsuit and oxygen tanks hoping to survive those flames as well.
Yeah? A guy who panics and burns his house down--admittedly a dangerous and criminal act--deserves death? All "criminals" deserve death? And, you Homesick Yank, npeck, American Socialist, fhill and Tranquil Nilhlist, and ALL on here who smugly celebrate this guys death are the kind of SCUM that make this world a much nastier place to live. If this guy really is going to hell for burning down his house, or "making money on Wall Street," I'm sure you POS's will be in the bunks next to him.
Ericstrong - No one said he deserved it. Merely that the option should be available for others.
Although I think the biggest question here is...
Was it a red pill or a blue pill?
ericstrong, you misspelled my name. You should die.
ericstrong....
People like this are destroying the middle class and the American way of life.
Hell yea he deserved it...
Can someone please send the same pills to the DA theatre killer in Arapahoe County? Small dose so it will take a while for him to suffer.
Well hate to say this but all you people are no better maybe you all should do us a favor and take your own advise, I bet you all won't be missed either, actually I think the world would be a better place without you.
It's good to see that our Wall Street criminals are learning something from the Chinese. It has long been socially acceptable, even expected, for high profile criminals to commit suicide in the Far East. It is considered an honorable way to not bring shame on your family.
Yes, he was larger than life and had everything, except a moral/ethical compass.
i quess eric needs a chill pill. as stated above no one was wishing him dead. he was free to chose his own path and he did. plus i already have a spot in heaven and it cant be revoked.
I can't say I'm sorry that he died, I have very little sympathy for those who commit suicide. I feel bad for his family but it certainly stops the taxpayers from having to house him for a good long while. What's the point of the will being 'up to date'? I doubt he'll have much money left from the fraud he committed as well as court costs and such. His son can't even sell the mansion to recoup the losses and now he doesn't have a father. He was incredibly stupid for not just selling the mansion and walking away with his life and family to live a more 'meager' existence.
He told his son in a letter his will was up to date. That's so sad,the only thing he cared about was money. I hope he wasn't planning on life insurance for his boys inheritance, suicide may make it null and void, not sure? He did save the taxpayers a bunch of money and he did have guts to take his own life. To bad he didn't have the balls it takes to start over!
I think everyone should have the right to check out at any time they wish. It's your life.
I'm happy to not have to pay for this guys jail time.
It amazes me how you guys think a person's life ending is ok as long as you can save a few bucks...seriously? You're that freaking superficial? What would be your portion of the savings if every prisoner was killed off? 25 cents?
Doltdom abounds.
Islamic terrorists and illegal aliens should be given this option as well, they would make fine fertilizer.
are you serious 'culheath' and 'eric'?? stop talking, you are annoying. same goes to the rest of you yahoos who are defending this idiot. how much does this story effect any of your lives, and how much does someone elses opinion effect your life?? get over it, he made his plate of @!$%# and rather then being a man he took the selfish way out. thats his path, what do you care?
on that note, give one of those pills to the aurora shooter. ill keep my 25 cents all day, thank you very much!! better yet, use it for good and donate it to our education system so there isnt so many der da ders like 'culheath' and his butt buddy.
stewpids
So this is what a life of "Keeping up with the Jone's" gets you. Obviously at one point, he was making mega millions of dollars, but (like our government) his spending overwhelmed him. "My will is in order son, it's all yours now - enjoy the debt!"
If anyone who reads this is somewhere near that Madoff guy, would you please offer him that same "opt out" choice. Maybe we can rid ourselves of another leach from our tax payer dollars.
I wish our prison systems were set up like those in these other countries, that have no "frills" for their inmates. That's one of the biggest problems with our justice system. When the criminal knows he'll get a roof over his head, three meals a day, free health care, clothing, sex, a library to use and earn a degree and so many other perks, why should he ever want released?... He has everything he needs right there! I think we should make it a very unpleasant experience, like no t.v., no gym's or workout equipment, no basketball nets, nothing. Just a cell with someone bringing around a bowl of something, we'll call it soup. But, you can just throw water in a pot, put a chemical mix in it that has all the necessary nutrients for life, maybe add a piece of stale bread, and serve it up. I bet, if criminals found prison life sucked, they'd be less inclined to be repeat offenders. Look at murders. You can commit murder and be in and out of the justice system in 10 years. Get arrested for certain types of drugs and spend the rest of your life in prison. Go figure!....
Probably the first good thing this weasel ever did for society.
Get some perspective...you didn't know the guy...he achieved a lot, he wrote a book he climbed a mountain, he raised a family...and then he screwed up...what 's your contribution?
He achieved a lot? Committing fraud is not an achievement.
Jerry Sandusky contributed a lot in life too. Culhealth, if you create all good in life, while hiding behind evil motives to commit fraud, then you deserve everything you get from the justice system. Jerry Sandusky is a great example of your point. Look at poor ole JoePa. He never touched one of those kids, but he's paying a huge price for it. I'm just glad he passed so he wasn't here to see his life work being trashed; though he was still guilty for hiding Jerry's sickness.
Agreed. Let's start handing out cyanide capsules with guilty verdicts. Buh bye.
Good riddance...
Seems all the financial big shots are cowards... "If I can't be a master of the universe I may as well kill myself."
hope it catchs on and becomes the new "fad"................:)
Actually I wish more of these Wall St. types had enough honor to commit suicide. The ones back in the 1930s did.
That's profound insight. Everyone has setbacks in life that are difficult.
The taxpayer says thank you.
Now this could work! jail or a pill? hey works for me, course the PC crowd will be against it..............
Actually, it's not a bad idea. If convicted, your choice of sentence is up to you....
This PC chick says it's A-OKAY!!!
Daisy
you may have a cookie,
and no folks i havent "lost it", well not quite anyway, and no i generally don't hand em out willy-nilly like this, but this is a special day/ case. i mean really...have YOU ever seen someone on here cop to being PC?.................:)
Reminds me of that classic Star Trek episode with Harry Mudd. Old Harry had been convicted of fraud on a certain planet, and had escaped and turned up somewhere else:
Harry: Do you know what the penalty for fraud is on XXXX?
Spock: The guilty party has his choice: death by hanging, death by phaser, death by gas.....
ya know ...this guy looks like my long lost uncle, yep that's who he was alright, ........now please send me whatever is in his bank accounts, vehicles, boats, bikes, airplanes, basicly whatever is left......thanks uncle Mike...............:)
You wanna take responsibility for whatever it was he owed, too?
To the top managements of Goldman Sachs, J P Morgan, Citibank, Bank of America, AIG, etc. etc.:
Please come to the counter. Your prescription is ready.
Okay Tranquil Nihilist, I live in Phoenix and have for over 4 decades. Don't like what this megalomaniac did with his life, or how he ended it. Also don't like those that are cheering on that taking of a life, even if it is by their own hand (there are family members that didn't have any control over this jerk, but must live with the ill-gotten legacy of his death - morally something just ain't right with that, but there is a great deal in our society that isn't morally right). But I have to admit this, your post made me laugh. Thanks for the laugh - it was spot-on!
That's one way to get out of it. Chicken!
that's a derogatory comparison to the chicken ya know..............
Which came first, the chicken or the pill?
So what is his lawyers name.....wanna make sure i dont hire em, hell if he cant win with that kinda money on the line, us poor folk would really be screwed.............:)
It's Andrew Clemency. No irony there....
hahahahahahaha thanks BC, made my day
cookie time for you once again
Mr. Marin
Thanks for saving us some money
Regards,
the US tax payer
Cyanide is easy to get? Seriously? brb...
Okay, just found a case on Amazon, and free super saver shipping. Awesome.
Mother-in-law's next visit will be looked forward to...
Ya know, I hope you were posting using a proxy server and an assumed name, because that could be considered making a threat over the internet.
Just sayin'.
When America becomes so PC that someone can't make a mother-in-law joke, all will be lost.
Just sayin'.
100% agree fred. Spartan, STFU.
Damn, I hope none of his family members (perhaps his son, for example) are reading the comments above. You all act like he murdered someone. He did not deserve death, and it is unfortunate that he was emotionally vulnerable enough to find snuffing out his own existence a better option.
Could it be that you have written the most moving, relevant and insightful comment here? Shouldn't we all be more respectful and compassionate in contemplating this man's emotional state post-verdict? Wouldn't we all be better served by looking inward and taking stock of our own shortcomings before pointing an accusing finger at this man? Have we been too hard on Mr. Marin? Naaaah. Piss on him.
It seemed like a better option than rotting away in jail after living at such a high standard of living
I agree with you Mike P. It's absolutely disgusting what people have said on this blog! Heartless. Apparently, this man was so emotionally distraught that he saw no other way out but suicide. He didn't
physically hurt anyone. His death was his own choice. I feel really bad for his family and his son. The rest of you on here seem to be emotionally and mentally un-evolved. You are very sickening with your comments...get a life!
I appreciate your decency. Our society is getting more sick by the year. This man committed fraud, and apparently that is enough for many here to comment negatively on his death. Considering that fraud is committed by people from all economic backgrounds, the only reason such glee is being pronounced here is because Mr. Marin was rich.
America the ugly.
Mike P.-2428713
killjoy....................:)
Tranquil Nihilist
Good job......heres your cookie......................:)
Scooter, that's all I really wanted, just a cookie. Nothing else. Thanks!
I was reading these comments and what comes on the radio? John Cougar singing "Ain't that America..."
Sad to say...it sure is.... but thankfully...not most of it.
are you serious 'culheath'?? stop talking, you are annoying. same goes to the rest of you yahoos who are defending this idiot. how much does this story effect any of your lives, and how much does someone elses opinion effect your life?? get over it, he made his plate of @!$%# and rather then being a man he took the selfish way out. thats his path, what do you care?
on that note, give one of those pills to the aurora shooter. ill keep my 25 cents all day, thank you very much!! better yet, use if for good and donate it to our education system so there isnt so many der da ders like 'culheath'
I think I finally figured out why I stay on the vine...
I like to think that folks with different viewpoints are being honest with where they are coming from and are basically good people at heart, I can go into a discussion with the idea of discussing our differences and coming to an agreement that all can live with.
The Vine is a good reality check. When folks are hiding behind an anonymous pseudonym and let their true thoughts come out, it shows there are a lot of folks out there who have a lot of really dark stuff they are not showing, that they would never say when they could be held accountable by their friends, family and peers. It helps me, I can know that when someone shows a little of themselves with a certain orientation, there may be a lot more behind it. I will still work to an agreement, but I will make sure it is ironclad so that that dark stuff stays where it belongs, buried and irrelevent.
All of you good and honest people on the Vine, hats off to you. For the rest, I hope for your sake you can find a happier place, you will enjoy life a whole lot more.
Well that resolved itself quickly.
How'd he get it in the courtroom? Don't they check all the people that go in? Yes, if it was in his pocket or anywhere on his person, don't they check everyone THOROUGHLY?
shake downs are at the jail.....at least for now, and in this case, why bother? but posting a balif at the door to slip one into each and every perps pocket? ....now THERE'S an idea................:)
Suicide always voids any life insurance policy. The guy didn't want to spend 16 years in jail and decided he'd rather be dead. At his age, he could have easily died in prison or lived a life of hell among hardcore criminals. He didn't do it for the life insurance proceeds. He simply wanted to be in control of his own destiny, and suffer for two minutes and die than suffer for 16 years in prison and die a slow death.
Peter V. -2154395 - Suicide only voids a life insurance policy for the first two or three years, depending upon the policy. If you're going to try and come across as an expert, please at least know what you are talking about.
It doesn't take much cyanide to kill you. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't set off a metal detector, and they don't strip-search you before court unless you went to court from jail. And even if they patted him down, there are lots of places one could hide a cyanide capsule. Your navel, for instance.
It's obvious he tried to use his death for insurance money, this would pay off the house and provide a huge payout.
So I doubt the tax payers really thank anyone in this situation. The question is; will suicide void any clauses in his life insurance policies.
he could....just could mind ya......have a wee bit of trouble collecting it though.......................:)
This is great news which should be reported everyday, one less dirt bag removed from the earth. I do not have to breath the same air this SOB breaths. My hard earned tax dollars does not have to support this monster for the rest of his rotten life. They should have cyanide capsules next to the defendant chair after verdicts are read, so if they would like one or two etc could take a pill on his way back to his cell, saving tax dollars. If a capsule is taken, them swallowing it and dying should be on U tube. It could become the number one video on U tube until the next one is taken. Jesus did not forgive the a hole for his sins so he is burning in hell with Joe Paterno.
Actually, cyanide kills you so fast, he wouldn't have time to get back to the cell. That's why he died in the courtroom.
Beaver
You are such a genius. He could sneak it back to his cell and die there in pain.
I hope they add Suicide to his long list of crimes, and charge him with that as well. The nerve!
Michael Marin was a childhood friend of mine from 6th grade all the way through high school in Oak Harbor, WA. He was a brilliant, fascinating and funny person who accomplished a lot in his life. His death was horrible, sad and I send him and his family nothing but peace.
Word
What are you smoking this guy caused so much pain to others for the rest of their lives. They guy you knew then does not exist. Next you will say a childhood friends of Hitler, Stalin, Dommer etc were ok as children so do not thin bad things of them. This a hole should burn in hell like I said before and I feel sorry for his family because of what shame he brought to them. F him
And the same "F" to you, Ronnie Boy.
Eric Not strong
Only my good friends get to call me Ronnie, you are not one of them so F u and all of your family and the few friends you might have. More people agree with me then you so how does that sound a hole.
The guy did bad things (burn his own house down), but to compare him with Hitler and Stalin is simply ridiculous. I am amazed sometimes at the crazy anger that some people unleash online. And right away it's F-u here and F-u to that one, and death to everyone they don't like. They should probably give free psychiatric treatment to these internet trolls too while they're at it.
Word - condolences to you, his family, and friends.
I don't get where some of these folks online are coming from. It's awful world when people can be so ugly and hate filled over something like this. Burned his house down and you'd think he was in the same league as the murderers and worse we hear about. I feel for his family. Someone else on here mentioned that because he was rich it makes folks want to condemn him - sad but true - envy the green eyed monster rears it's head and brings out the monster in everyone else.
I am super glad that I came across some Nietzsche stuff at some point in the past. Some of his insights help a lot... such as, you can not hate something unless you first have envy.
Kind of helps put in perspective all the hate we see here.....
Rich
Nietzsche was a terrible person, so I do not understand why someone would want to be associated with him. Did you know Hitler followed his teachings.
What comes around goes around. AMF
So as to protect others in the courtroom like the lawyer and judge (not that I like lawyers more than the next guy), the defendant should be escorted into a secure conference room after a guilty sentence is delivered. Once secured in the room a small opening in the table should open and raise up a pill and a glass of water, clearly label them "water" and "tax relief". After several minutes the offering is then lowered and secured, and the bailiff comes in and gathers the defendant, or calls the coroner.
Sweet!! Now where can I get some cyanide besides producing it myself?
Start on Ebay
you want to make it eh? tell ya what, i will help ya out, ....now don't tell ANYONE else here...its a big secrete but if you hit a tree doing about 120 mph it magically falls out.....of course the "magic" wont work if your wearing a seat belt or any other protective gear.......................:)
( sorry folks but MAKE IT? or procure it?... are you kidding me....why? )
Cyanide was an indirect discovery at the Baskin Robbins research labs and was there 32nd flavor until customers started dying in large numbers. You can ask for the recipe but I doubt they'll respond.
Apple seeds contain cyanide. Not like it's that hard to get!
Hey IA.ScooterTramp, I never used the word "make", I wrote "producing", but you are at least right on the fact that I was looking for the word "procure", but I just couldn't think of the word first thing after waking up. But seriously, you don't need to be an @$$.
Sorry, Nihilist, but I gotta call BS on that one. If Baskin Robbins, which was founded in 1945, discovered cyanide, how is it that was used in several high-profile suicides and murders dating back to 1916? That was when Rasputin was poisoned. Not to mention that high ranking Nazis were famous for having and using cyanide suicide capsules, and cyanide gas was used in the death camp gas chambers.
Justin: I am betting that Nihilists comment was an attempt at humor, I really don't believe anyone would really think that comment true, but unfortunately I can't quite figure out the humor angle.
Actually, cyanide is VERY easy to make. Is a very simple chemical structure, lots of methods and is found naturally in small amounts in many natural things, but I concur w/Scooter- why in the world would you want to have something as hazardous as this anywhere near? One mistaken whiff and it is all over.
The courtrooms in America should be adorned with candy dishes holding these "black capsules" making the contents easily accessible during court proceedings. These dishes could also be personalized for the sake of expedience, for example: for express use by Mr. Loughner or Mr. Holmes ONLY, etc. These "treats" could be taken before or after the court's rendering of a verdict, preferably before. "Bon Voyage!" Please quit wasting our time and money on these obviously guilty criminals. Let's move things along. Make the capsules available to anyone who is ultimately guilty and knows it...Perhaps some prosecutors and defense attorneys would take them too, simply to get to "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me god." Just a thought!
How much time was he looking at anyway?
dont really matter ...it will be somewhat longer now.............:)
7 to 21 years in prison - which considering the fact of the high standard of living he was used to, was unbearably steep
Sentencing comes at a different hearing following the trial, he had no way to know for sure if or how much time he would have had to serve! This guy was a loon!
cut and pasted from an Arizona lawyers web page...
Arson can be charged as a class two (2) felony. A class two (2) felony punishment can be probation with zero (0) days in jail up to one (1) year in jail, or prison of three (3) years to twelve and one half (12.5) years of incarceration.
He could have gotten the slap on the wrist sentence!
Shatteredvoilets, where did you pull those numbers from? They smell funny!
7 to 21 years in prison - which considering the fact of the high standard of living he was used to, was unbearably steep.
Yeah, but his mortgage would have been much lower in jail, probably manageable. Why didn't he consider that before offing himself?
violet
ya wanna play, ya gotta pay.....sooner later, in one form or anouther.
Skunky-shoes-
I googled "Arizona Arson Sentences" and found2 felony property arson categories. Damage more than $100 but less than $1000 = 1.5 years. Damage of more than $1000 = 2.5 years. There is also:
Arson of an Occupied Structure ARS 13-1704
If you are charged with arson of an occupied structure you are facing an even stricter sentence. It is a class 2 felony with a potential sentence of up to 5 years in prison.