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Trial hears Kalman Tal offered cash for amputation before his death (www.abc.net.au)
submitted 1 month ago by hanrahan@slrpnk.net to c/australia@aussie.zone
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A man who died shortly after arranging to have his leg amputated in a public park had been shopping around for someone to "help him take his pain away", a court has heard.

Innisfail pensioner Kalman Tal, 66, allegedly paid farm worker John Yalu $5,000 in cash to amputate his lower left leg using a circular saw.

Mr Yalu, 41, has pleaded not guilty to murder but his trial at the Supreme Court in Cairns has heard he accepted that he caused Mr Tal's death and told police about the arranged amputation after his arrest.

However, Mr Yalu was not the first person Mr Tal had asked to cut off his leg, the court heard.

Occasionally news stories leave me behind baffled, this is one of them.

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[-] indomara@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago

People who desperately want or need to have a body part amputated have something called "body integrity disorder".

There have been studies done on people who have had this treated by removing the limb in question, and much like surgery for a person with gender dysphoria it is a cure.

Sad that this man had been begging for so many years and instead of finding appropriate medical help ended up dying.

[-] hanrahan@piefed.social 5 points 1 month ago

It did say he was in constant pain, i assumed it was literal pain in his leg.

[-] indomara@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

It would have been a physical and mental anguish. Sadly people with this condition struggle to live their daily lives with the dead limb.

this post was submitted on 21 May 2026
50 points (96.3% liked)

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