Sleep Apneic Kills Wife

[roster]

GREENWOOD, Ark. -- Autry Basham, 85, walked into the Sebastian County Courthouse flanked by relatives. Basham, who is out on bond, is accused of killing his wife, Marie, 83, on August 27, 2007.

Murder Trial Continues For River Valley Man

On the witness stand, the Basham's youngest son, Jerry, recalled getting a phone call from his dad the morning his mother's body was recovered. Jerry told jurors his father said, "you need to come down here."

When Jerry arrived, he found his father laying in the bedroom doorway with a self-inflicted wound to his neck and his mother laying in the bed unresponsive, he testified. Her throat had been cut multiple times, he said.

Prosecutors say Basham stabbed his wife in the throat after becoming frustrated with dealing with her deteriorating health and conversations over her feelings that Jerry wasn't being attentive enough.

Defense attorneys say Autry killed his wife under a delirious state of mind due to oxygen deprivations caused by sleep apnea.

Jerry told jurors while visiting his dad in the hospital his father mouthed to him, "when do I go to jail," and "I messed up." Jerry also said his dad nodded "yes" to a series of questions including, did he and his mother have an argument before her death.

Jerry said he believed that argument was over him not taking gas money from his mother after running his father back and forth from the hospital for treatment for pneumonia.

During cross examination, Jerry said there were other reasons his father may have killed his mom including the fact that he was taking medications for pneumonia anxiety and depression and was suffering from sleep apnea.

Expert medical witnesses for the prosecution and defense are expected to take to the stand this week.

If convicted Basham faces 10 to 40 years in prison or life in prison.

http://www.4029tv.com/news/17825517/detail.html

[fuzzy96]

is apneic a real word?

[ractar28]

is apneic a real word?

Murderer is.

[roster]

is apneic a real word?

Don't mess with me Fuzzy.

[dsm]

Shouldn't this post be added to the "my wife turned off power to my cpap" thread

DSM

[DreamDiver]

Wow - this thread...
I laughed. I vomited.
The gruesomeness is compelling.
Wow.

[packitin]

It's very sad. All seriousness aside, I think he would have killed her anyway. Don't you think that all the maladies listed such as pneumonia anxiety and sleep apnea are just excuses. I've had walking pneumonia twice so far. Its no fun, but I didn't get anxious over it.

There must be more to this story. One doesn't just wake up one day after 40 or 50 years of wedded bliss and say, "I think I'll take out the old lady today, seen just about all of her I need to."

Also sad is the fact that his life is over if convicted. At his age, the time he gets is relatively immaterial, for he will likely die in prison, even if a minimum security one. I wish he would have thought this through, then again, he tried to kill himself also. Very sad.

Keep us informed about the outcome. I believe all of us will be interested to hear.

Jay

[DreamDiver]

At his age, the time he gets is relatively immaterial, for he will likely die in prison, even if a minimum security one.

If they allow him to use CPAP, he'll still die of the diet in less than six month for lack of roughage. From what I've been told, prison food is like Purina people-chow smothered in government cheeze product to cover the smell and the cardboard texture. Poor dude.

[Babette]

I don't know about you, but I think this is a wake-up call to all the women out there who want men to be women.

I think the important line there was feeling overwhelmed about all the wife's conversations with her husband about how he doesn't pay her enough attention.

My mother says I have unrealistic expectations that my boyfriends will fulfill all my emotional needs. Could be why I'm still single at 43.

Ladies, take note. One day that man WILL SNAP and it WON'T be pretty.

Of course, if you're male, just watch "Snapped!" and you'll swear off women for life.

It's all just a crap shoot, isn't it?
B.

[ractar28]

There must be more to this story. One doesn't just wake up one day after 40 or 50 years of wedded bliss and say, "I think I'll take out the old lady today, seen just about all of her I need to."

It really comes down to the interpretation of the phrase "wedded bliss". My grandmother left my grandfather for a while, after 40+ years together -- she'd had enough. No one else wanted grandpa either, so she got him back . They lived in "harmony" until he died. It's rough watching old folks having a lover's quarrel.

[lovey]

At least he will get adequate and free medical care in prison for his sleep apnea. Many seniors lack care. It is whacko that it would be better for some people to commit a crime that gets them sent to prison than live a "good life".