Should pranksters be held responsible for results of their pranks?

by Satanus 93 Replies latest jw friends

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  Satanus

  Two djs, posing as the queen and prince, prank a nurse into divulging info on kate. Nurse is later found dead, apparently suicide.

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  'Jacintha Saldanha, the receptionist who was duped by two Australian DJs who were pretending to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles in order to get information on the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy, has been found dead.

  The woman's body was found at an address close to King Edward VII Hospital in London, where the Duchess was being treated, according to the U.K.'s Daily Mail. Sources are suggesting the woman may have committed suicide.

  The hospital said this afternoon: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha. Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII’s Hospital for more than four years. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues.

  "We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time."

  The Daily Mail reported that "John Lofthouse, Chief Executive at King Edward VII’s Hospital, added: 'Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends. Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much loved and valued colleague.'"

  Lord Glenarthur, Chairman of King Edward VII’s Hospital, says, 'This is a tragic event. Jacintha was a first class nurse who cared diligently for hundreds of patients during her time with us. She will be greatly missed.'"'

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  What do you think?

  S
• 

  Satanus

  This nurse would likely have faced consequences for giving out information on kate.

  S
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  ShirleyW

  From what I've read the nurse that committed suicide is the one who just transferred the call, not the one who gave out the info, is this correct?
• 

  Glander

  I think there is more to the story. It may come out but probably not.

  First of all, the personal nurse assigned to Kate would not be answering an outside call. It would have to have been transferred from the hospital switchboard and possibly routed through more than one intermediary. The fact that her phone rang would lead her to believe it was legitimate. She obviously was a very competent nurse to be assigned to such an important patient. I can see how she could have fallen for the hoax and think she was speaking to the Queen. It was her bad luck to be duped and end up with her voice on the recording.

  I would like to know just how much grief she received from her superiors and possibly the Royal family for the embarassment. It apparently was more than she could deal with. Very sad ending to a rather harmless prank.

  I don't think the DJ's should have been fired. This outcome should be enough punishment for them to learn a lesson.

  Shirley,I didn't know that was the case. It would be hard to understand why she would off herself.
• 

  JeffT

  I don't know either the legal issues or hospital procedure in the UK. When my Dad was in the hospital my mother and I had passwords that would confirm our identity to the nursing staff if we called in. A person without the codeword couldn't get any information. I don't know if the DJ's can be charged with a crime or not, certainly in the US they could be sued civilly for invasion of privacy.
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  cedars

  This is a strange one. It's all over the UK news. On the one hand, the DJs were only doing their jobs (of being outrageous and pushing the boundaries of taste and decency). On the other hand, they must have understood that, if successful, their prank would result in them getting someone else's personal medical information. Pregnant women with morning sickness are entitled to the same privacy as any other type of patient, why should the Duchess of Cambridge be any different? Their prank was cheap and in poor taste, and their producer or the station bosses should never have let them make the call in the first place. For this reason, it's justifiable that the hospital has written a letter of complaint to the radio station making this very point.

  It's easy to look back with hindsight and see that this prank was going to cause acute embarrassment and even stress for the nurses who fell for it, but I don't think the DJs were in any position to know the state of the nurse's mental well-being before they went ahead with this. Such is life. There are many things we do that may seem harmless, but can end up having devastating consequences. A snide remark or cutting bit of humour on this forum is the perfect example. On its own the act itself may be excusable, but the consequences could be tragic and irreversible.

  It's one of those things where, if they could go back and stop themselves from doing it, they would doubtless leap at the opportunity. They can't. Making a huge fuss about it isn't going to help anyone, because the damage is done. If anything, it might only make an already tragic situation even worse. Who's to say that the DJs might not now consider ending it all? Barring a miracle, their careers in the limelight are effectively over. They will forever carry with them the fact that their momentarily poor judgment was partly instrumental in a person committing suicide. Now it is THEY who need support and counselling, and for this whole tragic incident to be put to bed as soon as possible.

  Cedars
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  Satanus

  Should there be different standards, ie higher standards for people in positions of power or in positions where they have huge audiences, than for us ordinary folks?

  S
• 

  Chariklo

  Why should the Duchess of Cambridge be any different?

  Because she is the Duchess of Cambridge.

  Because her husband is second in line to the Throne.

  Because the child she is carrying will be third in line to the throne.

  And yes, pranksters, and their employers supporting them, should be held responsible, just as Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand were for their hoax prank call.

  In my view.
• 

  minimus

  Sorry but this prank is not worth someone choosing to kill themselves over. The persons played a practical joke. The person played took it way too strongly. Nobody should kill themselves over that.
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  Angharad

  Sorry but this prank is not worth someone choosing to kill themselves over. The persons played a practical joke. The person played took it way too strongly. Nobody should kill themselves over that.

  I agree but we don't know what else was going on in this person's life, the thought of being disciplined or loosing her job may have been the breaking point and tipped her over the edge, the extra pressure of taking care of such a high profile patient must weigh on these nurses and the publicy around it must have been devastating.

  I think it was a dumb prank, Kate maybe royalty but she deserves the same privacy as any other patient in hospital. I don't think it was malicious but it has ended tragically and I'm sure it will take a while for those DJ's to move on from this also.