Week 9 Assignment 9.1: Mercy Killing Ethics

 Step 1: Read the following Background

It is late at night and two police officers, Smith and Jones (longtime partners), are involved in a high-speed chase that has taken them several miles from a metropolitan area. Officer Smith, who is driving, loses control of the car, and the car rolls several times before coming to a stop. He is trapped in the car, and the car has caught fire. Officer Jones, who suffered only minor injuries, has called for help and is desperately struggling to free the driver. As the fire worsens, Officer Smith begs Officer Jones to shoot him in the head so he will not suffer the agonizing pain and horror of burning to death. It is late at night, no one is around to assist, and both officers realize that it will be several minutes before help arrives.

Part 1: Using one theory that you have studied that you agree with and one theory that you disagree with, describe how Officer Jones would act in each case.

Part 2: Describe your thoughts on the situation. Expound not only on this situation but on the concepts you are reading about this week.

Be specific and give examples, using at least two outside references, to buttress your argument. Cite all sources in APA format.

 This assignment is not about your ethics or how you think. This assignment is about using two ethical theories to discuss how they might be applied in this horrific situation. You need to be dispassionate, even cold-blooded, about the situation.