Doctor Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter after Failed Suicide Pact with Terminally Ill Wife

Authorities confirm killing was a voluntary suicide pact; Sham to receive probation, psychological help

MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice has announced that Dr. Rajasekar Sham, 68, of Flower Hill, has pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the Second Degree, in connection with the November 11, 2008 death of his wife, 69-year-old Lucila Sham.  After an extensive investigation, authorities have determined that the husband and wife entered voluntarily into a suicide pact and that the doctor’s assistance in his wife’s death represented a clear violation of New York State’s manslaughter statute, §125.15 (3), which explicitly prohibits a person’s assistance in the suicide of another.

The couple was found in their home in the afternoon hours of November 11, 2008.  Lucila received fatal injuries to her arm (brachial artery).  She was found in the home’s bathroom.  Her husband was also found unconscious in the bathroom.  His injuries were self-inflicted and included a potentially fatal cut to his neck, in addition to wounds to his wrists and abdomen.  He had lost a substantial amount of blood and was rushed by an ambulance to a hospital, where he was stabilized and later spoke to authorities about the pact.

In a statement to authorities, Dr. Sham admitted to entering into a suicide pact with his wife.  He said that she had terminal cancer and that neither of the two ever wished to live alone or apart from the other.  He stated that his wife first tried to take her own life but that she was unable to inflict the necessary injuries.  The doctor then admitted to assisting her, using a knife first to assist her in suicide, then turning a different knife on himself.

He said he and his wife had gone to great lengths to tie up any loose financial ends prior to their deaths.  He went on to say that they had recently updated their wills and that they had hired an attorney to oversee their estate upon their death.  Dr. Sham also stated that the couple made the attorney aware of their plans and that they requested that the attorney telephone them every day so that he could immediately report their death to authorities.  The attorney telephoned the Shams around mid-day on November 11.  There was no answer at the home and the attorney immediately left his office to check on the couple.  When he arrived he found no response to the doorbell and he telephoned police, who entered the home and discovered the couple.

After Dr. Sham’s arrest, authorities moved to investigate each of the defendant’s claims, paying particular attention to any financial motive that the doctor may have had to cause his wife’s premature death.  They also investigated the doctor’s claim that his wife had terminal cancer.

Detectives and prosecutors assigned to the case have since verified the following:

• The couple left all of their wealth to their estate, which was to be donated to two places:  the University of Madras in India, and the Nature Conservancy’s South Fork/Shelter Island chapter.

• An autopsy confirmed Lucila Sham was suffering from multiple-source, terminal cancer, for which she was no longer receiving medical treatment.

• The couple drafted instructions for their lawyer to follow regarding the disbursement of their money and the paying of their outstanding expenses.

• They emptied and closed a safe deposit box days before the suicide.

• They ordered their cellular phone service discontinued, they stopped payment of their Social Security benefits, they paid their outstanding credit card bills, and they pre-paid their 2008 income taxes, their LIPA bill, and their heating oil bill.  The couple even left stamps for the attorney to settle outstanding bills.  They paid in advance and tipped house keepers at their Florida home.

Dr. Sham is expected to receive a five-year term of probation in exchange for his guilty plea.  The plea will be contingent upon Mr. Sham’s receipt of significant psychological counseling, in addition to mandatory reporting to the Department of Probation.  He is scheduled to be sentenced February 6 by Nassau County Judge David Sullivan.

“This is an incredibly tragic situation,” said Rice.  “Jail or a prolonged legal process would serve no meaningful purpose in this case.  The only effect his incarceration would have is on the taxpayers of this county having to foot the bill for someone who is of no danger to our residents.  What’s important here is that Dr. Sham get the psychological help that he needs.”

Handling the case for the district attorney’s office is Robert Schalk, of the DA’s County Court Trial Bureau.  Mr. Sham is represented by James O’Rourke, Esq., of Hauppauge.