Doctor Freed in Mercy Killing of Ailing Wife

A jury today acquitted a pathologist of all charges in the death of his terminally ill wife, whom he admitted trying to kill to end her suffering.

Dr. Peter Rosier of Ft. Myers was found innocent of first-degree murder, attempted murder and conspiracy in the Jan. 15, 1986, death of his cancer-stricken wife, Patricia, 43.

The Pinellas County Circuit Court jury deliberated slightly more than three hours after hearing four weeks of testimony in the case.

An alternate juror who was excused when deliberations began said that while he was opposed to mercy killing, he didn’t think the state proved premeditated murder.

“I couldn’t specifically find him guilty of first-degree murder myself. Maybe attempted. Maybe conspiracy,” said Glenn Ford, 29, a savings and loan security guard. “From the evidence I just don’t think he met the key elements in ending the life. I think that’s what the Almighty God is supposed to do.”

The prosecution charged that Rosier, 47, pained by his wife’s fast-spreading cancer, obtained 20 Seconal sedatives for his wife to take and administered morphine injections and suppositories when she didn’t die at her own hand.

After she lingered for 12 hours in a comatose state, her stepfather testified that he decided that “enough’s enough,” went into her bedroom and smothered her while his two sons watched.

Prosecutors maintained that Rosier used his medical expertise to engineer his wife’s death in conspiracy with her stepfather, Vincent Delman, and Delman’s sons.