Pharmacist “Mercy Killing” Docs Unsealed

The Mamaroneck pharmacist charged with shooting his wife to death with a World War II era gun

 

has pleaded not guilty to second degree murder and gun possession charges in the September 23 incident.

Murder or Mercy?

Paul Weinstein, a pharmacist for 54 years,  told police that an argument with his wife Helen ”set him off“ and that he shot her dead in their apartment at a senior citizen housing complex at 35 Maple Avenue in New Rochelle. He said he had he failed to suffocate her with a pillow.

The 77 year old pharmacist, a fixture at the R and R Pharmacy on Mamaroneck Avenue, originally claimed this was a "mercy killing" of his bed-ridden wife.

An indictment unsealed Wednesday at his arraignment in Westchester County Court in White Plains.

 

He is due back in court Feb. 24.

Police say after the shooting, Weinstein called 911 to report what had happened. Court papers reportedly say when one of the arresting officers asked him why he killed her, Weinstein said, ”Son, I promised my wife a long time ago I would never put her in a home, or in a hospital or one of those lunatic asylums.“

According to court papers, the couple argued about him going with her to a doctor’s appointment that day, prompting her to reply, ”Just kill me then.“

Weinstein said he took a pillow and put it over his wife’s face, according to police, but ”didn’t have the guts“ to suffocate her.

He then took the 9 mm handgun from a lockbox in the bedroom closet. He says he also tried shooting himslef but the gun would not fire.

”I feel bad that I did not shoot myself,“ he told police in court papers. ”I didn’t keep my word. I would have been right behind her.“