Your declarations and possible answers:

"this man was a drug dealer"
Not at the time of his death, he was "treated".

"getting people to try things, getting them hooked"
I say prove it. You're making grave assumptions.

"selling to kids, selling to other peoples family members, dragging people who have an addiction further into the deep hole they are already in."

Prove it, I think you're imagining. Prove it!

"If he was such a great person and such a kind and giving person"

Who said he was great, or such a kind person?
You are in more delusion than the deceased guy you beat on!

To beat on a dead guy who had reformed, and who turned the tables on the REAL dangerous drugsters, this dear Sir or Madam, is light years beyond your attempt to play big shot.

I'm no druggie, but you are certainly more evil than a reformed guy who is not here to defend himself.

People do fall down on their luck and unfortunatly turn to drugs but........ this man was a drug dealer, getting people to try things, getting them hooked, selling to kids, selling to other peoples family members, dragging people who have an addiction further into the deep hole they are already in. If he was such a great person and such a kind and giving person why would he be selling drugs and further damaging peoples lives. I call it like i see it a saint is a saint and deserves kind words, a drug dealer is someone who doesnt deserve those praises.

yes pat wasn't a saint but he was a down to earth simple good man who would give someone the shirt off his back if you needed it more than him.I bet nobody will say the same about you

Nobody is saying that this man was a saint, or a "great person". But he was a human being, nothing more, nothing less, and should not have died like this.

All of you people being so judgemental out there should really be very careful with your words...No one wakes up one day and says, gee I think I will become a druggie loser....

10 years ago I was a stay at home mom with a husband who had a good job and 2 beautiful young children. My husband had surgery on his hand, and he liked the Rx's the doctor's gave him...alot. We have now been divorced for 5 years, he hasn't seen his children in 6, hasn't worked in over 7. He is literally homeless with his every existence dedicated to his next high. He did not come from "one of those" families, he was not a user before, and there was nothing I could do to stop him.

So you never know what will happen to you or ones that you love. What comes around goes around, so don't be so quick to judge.

Either way you look at it, this man had family that loved him and remember him as a good person. My sympathies go out to them.

C'mon, Dave. Do you really believe that Marquette is a "better place," because someone lost his life? What makes it "better," Dave? The fact that a person with an addiction who has made mistakes lost his life? Or, do you mean that Marquette is "better" because a person who was convicted of selling drugs is now off the street?

If it's the latter, I can understand. Crack cocaine, and other drugs are very dangerous and harmful to the community at large and those that illegally sell them should be taken off of the streets. That's a positive, however, Mr. King was on his way to prison, and would no longer be able to sell harmful drugs around town.

The fact is that this man died. A life was lost, and that, sir, is a tragedy in and of itself. It's a tragedy for all of his family and for all of those who loved and cared about him. After all he was a human being, and every life has value.

I never knew Mr. King, but I know well enough that there are people out there who will miss their son, brother, cousin, etc. for the rest of their lives. I also wish that we all could go back to the time when every person's life mattered and respect for the feelings of those who have been left behind was an important priority.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family of this man. My hopes are that they will somehow find comfort and peace throughout this trying time.

You have got to be kidding me. So it's society's fault that people do drugs? I don't see being down on your luck as an excuse to do and sell drugs. There is no excuse for being a dirt bag druggie. Drugs is the easy way out, not the right way or the only way.

And why is it when someone dies we have to say how great they were. I say, call a spade a spade. The guy was a druggie loser before he died, let's not raise him up to be anything more now.

It's bad enough when someone gets crippled - every dope dealer targets them as their new friend with either prescription pain pills or a monthly check.

At least Pat did name names, and go to treatment.

I think the intentional distress inflicted by posters here are worse than anything Pat did. After all you wise "know it alls" aren't on crack, yet you're the bloodthirsty ones.

You should ride a mile in his wheelchair and see if it's so easy to point your crap-covered finger!

It is sad that people feel the need to say bad things about someone when a tragedy like this happens. This man may have done some things wrong in life, but who hasn't? Is everyone out there "above the law". Are you perfect? Would you want someone to say that your death is not a loss and that the area is better without you? Maybe someone out there thinks that about you too, but I would hate to have them say it outloud after you pass. This man, who was far from perfect, has family. He has parents who loved him, friends who will miss him, and extended family who will mourn his loss. Have some sensitivity and keep your derogitory comments behind your own closed doors. You are welcome to your opinion, but they will not hurt him for what he has done in his life..they will only hurt those he left behind.

Yes drugs are bad, but the way that this was brought to us brings people to feel that what people who deal drugs deserve. They dont. He was probably a lonely person, had no income, and no out but drugs. Its society's fault to make people have to do desperate things in desperate times. The way this was reported is basically spitting on his grave.

there were obviously some pretty big mistakes this mans
made in life,unforgivable?of course not!those who are quick to judge and condemn should really keep their opinions based upon ignorance to themselves.when did it become okay to speak so offensively of the dead?He had a family and people who loved him.

So 3 possible scenarios. 1: Offed himself in a fire to get out of jail. 2. Someone killed him (maybe he was going to rat on his suppliers) and set the place on fire to make it look accidental or suicide. 3. A fluke accident.

Facing 20 years in prison, want to off yourself, fine but dont put the lives of innocent people in danger. Thank you to to the firefighters, police officers and any volunteers who were on the scene.

None, but he's dead. You do realize that right? It's right in the article. Read it again.

In my opinion the Marquette area is now a better place!!

How many lives have been lost or ruined by the drugs that he was selling?

although he had some illegal issues, hes still a person who has a heart and i hope he rests in peace.