If the younger brother did shoot himself in the mouth

[avebury]

they may have a hard time questioning him and prosecuting him may be difficult as well.

Years ago I worked at the Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine as a lab tech. During that time period I had contact with a couple of people who had tried to commit suicide by shooting themselves in the head, both failed. One of the guys had a permanent change in his behavior due to the head trauma. He yelled at the top of his lungs swearing like there was no tomorrow. He was totally mentally messed up.

The other guy ended up with a totally physically messed up mouth/chin area that stunk to high heaven. When I wen into his room I just about had to take a deep breath and hope that I could get my work done before I could get out of the room. This guy really would have been better off if he had succeeded.

Not knowing what his actual physical condition is and potential long term consequences, life in prison might actually be a far worse punishment for him the death.

[Warpy]

1. I agree, failed gun suicides are really nasty

Most of them drink to get up the courage and partially anesthetize themselves. All they end up doing is screwing up their aim so they blow part of their faces off. Then I'd get them.

This guy was likely on the edge of consciousness due to blood loss. Or maybe one of the flash-bang grenades caused him to slip up.

If his brain was spared, he can still answer questions. They won't know about nerve damage to his tongue and vocal cords (if they're still there) until he's fully awake.

[Shivering Jemmy]

2. Exit wound out neck

Low likelihood of serious brain damage. He could obviously still stand up so brainstem appears intact. He may be disfigured but that should not impede written or typed communication. And he's earned his disfigurement, really.

[avebury]

6. Entry wound reported to have been his mouth. nt

[Bad Thoughts]

3. "This guy really would have been better off if he had succeeded." WTF?

It would have better be to have his life extinguished?

[avebury]

5. I have been around people who have had long lasting

horrendous wounds/issues from incomplete suicide attempts. It is a horrible life for them. Have you ever been around a person with permanent mental issues to the point of not being able to be self sufficient in society? Have you ever smelled the stench that some people are forced to live with from some of these gunshot wounds? I have and the future of both guys did not look good.

Depending upon how serious his wounds are or any long term medical/psychological consequences, based upon patients that I have been around, I realize that his future has the possibility of being far worse than what a lot of people could imagine albeit death penalty or life in prison. If (and that is a big if) he ended up as injured as some of the people that I have been around then I would say yes he would have been better off having died. I would not wish on anyone some of the things I witnessed when I worked at Maine Med.

[hlthe2b]

4. I don't know that the wound is to the mouth; reported he was shot in the neck...

You've got lay people advancing third hand information.

I would not be surprised, if indeed he was shot (shot himself?) in the neck, that they might all be confusing a tracheostomy performed due to occlusion from swelling and through which he is intubated. Obviously, if that is the case, he will not be able to speak, given the stream of air that normally passes through the vocal cords is diverted through the tracheostomy tube.

I've only seen one report, attributed to a very lay person, suggesting "tongue" damage.

It is, of course, possible he could have attempted to kill himself, via a shot fired through his mouth exiting through the back of the neck.

With the hospital no longer responsible for updates, it is impossible to tell...We shall see.