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Summit County Sheriff Department
John Wise is accused of shooting his wife in the head in a hospital intensive care unit.
AKRON, Ohio -- An Ohio man accused of shooting his wife in the head in a hospital intensive care unit appeared confused about the attempted murder charge against him on Tuesday and asked the judge, “Is she not dead?”
John Wise, 66, of Massillon, made his first appearance in Akron Municipal Court on Tuesday. He appeared before the judge via video from jail on an aggravated attempted murder charge, according to The Associated Press.
During the court proceedings, Wise appeared perplexed about the charge against him, asking whether his wife of 45 years was indeed dead.
Visiting Judge Marvin Shapiro didn't answer his question. "We're going to get you an attorney who will be able to answer all of your questions for you, sir," Shapiro told him, the AP reported.
Wise is due back for arraignment on Wednesday. His bond was set at $1 million. Prosecutors say they will make a final determination on the appropriate charge in the case after a grand jury conducts an inquiry into the shooting.
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Autopsy results released Tuesday determined the cause of Barbara Wise’s death on Sunday was a gunshot to the head. The case was ruled a homicide by Summit County medical examiner, clearing the way for prosecutors to consider upping the charge against John Wise to murder.
Police say Wise shot his wife while standing at her bedside Saturday evening in the neuroscience ICU at Akron General Medical Center. Police said Barbara Wise had been in critical condition for several days.
Wise surrendered to hospital security after the shooting and has cooperated with investigators, according to police.
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Jim Gosky, spokesperson for the medical center, said he could not give the reason for Barbara Wises’ admittance to the ICU or her length of stay, citing patient privacy laws
Prosecutor Craig Morgan said Wise made a statement to detectives after his arrest but he would not go into detail about what was said.
"We know this is not a random act of violence," Morgan told Reuters. "Everyone would like to label this as a mercy killing but we need to clarify facts.”
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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I am not surprised they are not sure what to do with him. There is only one Judge qualified to preside over Mr. Wise. None of the rest of (having thrown our own stones) are qualified either. I know I am not.
I would not punish the poor old guy but make him give up his guns. He has to deal with the reality he shot his wife in the head and she took 24 hours to die; definitely soul searching there. He is also responsible for the extra billing of the procedures done on her after he shot her. I am thinking...big bucks there ! He is punished enough.
After watching people who are terminally ill die many different ways I can tell you that a slow death is agony depending on the illness. But at the same token all he had to do as her Power of attorney,or representative was ask that she be placed on comfort or pallative care and that no attempts be made to save or elongate her life in any manner. Its called a D.N.R or DO NOT RESUSCITATE order and if it is on file it WILL BE RESPECTED and CARRIED out AS STIPULATED.
if you could have spell "palliative" right :)
but with higher dosage of sedatives you can watch peacefully the life of your loved once slipping away. It no longer becomes quality of life but the comfort of meeting the death.
However, if we are accepting euthanasia for pets why do we condemn it for the humans as inhumane ? Beats me.
I'm certainly glad that AGMCs security procedures keep guns out of hospitals because my Dr is part of the Akron General group.
Maybe I should go to Akron City hospital instead.
How do you truly judge this man? It's easy to say he's guilty of murder, but is he really a murderer as we define a murderer? How about "Involuntary manslaughter"?
manslaughter is define as killing someone without the intent on killing them. as murder is defined, he did indeed "murder" his wife. the only thing left for us to ponder is the morality of his murder, which will come out in court.
I don't know, if I was terminally ill and or incapable of caring for myself, I think i'd want someone to shoot me too, or at least put me out of my misery. Not saying that we know what this woman's condition was, I'm sure the media will be keeping tight wraps on that for surprise factor later on for some breaking news headline.
We all say...if I am in such and such condition, please...put me out of my misery, knowing full well, no one would be brainless enough to do it unless they creep into the night while the nursing staff is ...well....relaxed and they manage to find a 60 ccs syringe and start pushing air in the IV. When the air embolus is in progress, the alarm would sound as they would shake a leg and run in the room with the crash cart. No real winners anywhere. Guess we simply have to bite the bullet. Stay home and die as you keep quiet about it. That is an option.
wow joseph-2187076, do you by any chance own alot of stock in this hospital? This woman had no chance of dying with any dignity. Hospitals are not concerned with patients wishes, needs or wants. No one knows the motive behind this, but I for one believe this was an act of love. This would have drug on for months and even years if the doctors had their way. This guy would have ended up bankrupt, and then you would have blamed him for that too. But by all means, condemn him without knowing one iota of information please. You are right, our culture is rotting, and you are the poster child for why.
This is sad.He's probably mennonite,vs amish. Let me tell you.However health care turns out. You want the truth? You can't handle the truth.And that is the truth people
The poor man was broken by the stress. We all break in different ways, but eventually we all do break.
Typical American acceptance of homicidal behavior, our culture is rotting to say the least.
If I'm in a coma and I can't wipe my own butt..my husband better slip me some cyanide. I saw a couple of relatives die horribly painful deaths and the medical bills even with insurance are painful. Nursing homes are my nightmare!! I don't know if this woman was terminal or not but everyone deals with dying differently. If she wasn't truly dying..let him stay longer in jail. Death and taxes are a sure thing for everyone eventually. Ah...better yet I would take the shooting..than they can donate my organs to someone else. Let them enjoy a few more years. Am I sick?
I would bet that the couple talked about this kind of situation over the years and agreed to do it for the other if such a situation arose. The man has suffered enough, let him go home and mourn his wife.