This story about three men arrested for allegedly performing castrations without a medical license is disturbing enough, needing no extra analysis. However, this quote from Charlotte, N.C. District Attorney Michael Bonfoey jumped out at me. Consider:
“Assuming that the victims consented to this _ and we don’t know that for sure yet _ that doesn’t make it a defense,” Bonfoey said. “We can’t have people who are not medical doctors lopping off limbs and other body parts.”
Mr. Bonfoey is so close to the correct answer on the concept of consent and the removal of “other body parts”. Yet, somehow, I suspect he’s so far away from the truth in understanding how people can (legally) run afoul of medical ethics.