Verdict - John Hogan

Though I am sure there are many who will disagree with me strongly, I am glad to hear that a verdict of not guilty has been returned in the case of murder against John Hogan, the man who leaped from a balcony with his children in Crete in 2006, resulting in the death of his son.

That in no way suggests that I don't understand the seriousness of the act or the anguish caused to all involved but rarely it seems is depression truly understood, in this case it seems unusually that it was.

The quote by a representative of the charity Sane at the bottom of the linked page (and repeated below) sums it up:

"We welcome the verdict in the trial of John Hogan, and the judge's acknowledgement of his disturbed mental state and his need for psychiatric treatment.

"This case highlights how extraordinary mental pain can tragically distort a person's perception and judgment.

"While in no way underestimating the terrible consequences of John Hogan's actions we should not automatically condemn him without considering the depth of mental anguish he was suffering.

"Severe depression is not simply a case of feeling 'blue' and those at its mercy cannot 'pull themselves together'. It is a serious illness and a debilitating psychiatric disorder that changes personalities and wrecks lives."