CNN live: Pittman convicted of murdering grandparents

[Dookus]

This was the kid who was 12 years old, on Zoloft, and murdered his grandparents.

He faces 30 years to life in prison. He is now 15.

I don't understand how he could be treated as an adult - it makes no sense to me. And by all accounts, prior to this acct, he had no behavioral problems. The jury didn't believe the Zoloft defense, I guess.

[Placebo]

1. Damn it all...

I wanted him to be found innocent. x(

[Dookus]

2. Well that was unlikely

but there were other options that took into account his possible mental state.

But i still think it's insane to try him as an adult.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. We will be facing the consequences of this

sooner or later as a society... we will

But the prison industry NEEDS these kids... it is called job security.

By the way, you still have a stomach for CNN?

:-)

[Maraya1969]

4. What a shame

Our country has NO compassion! Anyone who knows or has experienced bi-polar disorder KNOWS that if you give an antidepressant to someone with this dx they have a really good chance of shooting up right past "normal" into mania.

And the explanation of, "reason of insanity" bugs the heck out of me also. If the person knows the difference from right or wrong even if it is only in the eyes of the law?" Geeze, who doesn't THAT include? The only ones I can think of are persons who's psychosis include believing the world will be happy that they killed "whomever".

You can't judge psychosis by what crazy beliefs it contains. And that thing about, "Well he could be really crazy because he covered up the crime". Bull! A person who believes he is Jesus often does not tell everyone because he KNOWS that most people will not believe him. So he has a cognizance that the world is not on his plane but he still truly believes in who he is.

I realize I am ranting and my words may be twisted and I don't feel like going over every single sentence with a fine toothed comb. That's because I just wake up in a real fog and have some sort of dyslexia going on. And just I am quite certain that, given a jury of my "peers" they would find that excuse inadequate!!!!!!!!!

At least I can use the spell checker.

[Nancy Waterman]

5. The reality is that antidepressants sometimes release suppressed impulses

I have seen this in kids on antidepressants, who are normally shy and cautious, but then become unable to control impulsive behavior while on meds. It doesn't always happen, but certainly this is a line of defense for a 12 year old.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dookus]

8. bumpersticker justice

doesn't impress me.

[alittlelark]

9. That's just sick. eom.

[Dookus]

16. well

i see our visitor has been given the granite tribute already. Good job, Mods.

[egoprofit]

25. don't mean to sound stupid but what is "eom"?

[Dookus]

27. it means

"end of message", used at the end of a subject line that has text following it. Same for "n/t" which means "no text"

[twaddler01]

77. wow

I learned something today :)

[Dookus]

87. lol

well if you read my post literally, I misinformed you. I meant, of course, to write that it's used at the end of a subject line that has NO text following it. I is a dunce.

[maddezmom]

7. AP Link here:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=718&e=2&u=/ap/20050215/ap_on_re_us/zoloft_trial

[youspeakmylanguage]

10. There is an explanation...

...this is South Carolina.

A state which, by almost any definition, is a bastion of ignorance and lunacy. Unfortunately, I work there, although I take pride in living across the border in NC.

What I really don't understand is why special judicial distinctions for juveniles are even part of our laws if they are never enforced. If children that murder will always be tried as adults, why even offer the option?

[yinkaafrica]

11. Booooo!

He will spend one year in juvenile and
then be placed in adult population.
With no counseling. Fuck this shit.
He was TWELVE YEARS OLD!

[Placebo]

14. Yup, it's pretty sick.

Sending him into a life of violence, fear, violent sexual abuse, and living in total hell over something he did when he was 12 years old.

*sigh*

[DistantWind88]

20. And his grandparents,

one of whom he shot straight in the face, are dead.

[Dookus]

21. Thank you for clarification

most of us where unaware of what "killing" or "murder' meant. :eyes:

[DistantWind88]

24. Just a reminder of what the little

bastard did.

[Dookus]

29. We were already aware

in fact, that's why we're discussing it. If he hadn't killed them, this wouldn't be in the news.

Oh, I get it... you're one of those people who thinks there's no discussion to be had about juvenile crimes, sentencing, drug-induced psychoses, or anything other than "the victims are dead".

You're free to start a thread saying "the victims are dead" and see what kind of valuable discussion you get started. The rest of us will discuss some of the more subtle aspects of the case.

[DistantWind88]

33. What drug induced-psychoses?

The one the jury members who actually heard the case rejected?

[Dookus]

36. We get it

you're happy "the little bastard" will be thrown into the garbage disposal that is our prison system.

I am not.

It's barbaric to treat a 12 year old as an adult, regardless of his mental problems.

[DistantWind88]

37. I said I don't agree that

he should be locked up with adults.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

76. What's your opinion on what should be done then? (nt)

[DistantWind88]

81. Lock him up in Juvi,

get him the help he needs, get him an education, and re-evaluate on his 21st birthday

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

117. THAT, unlike what the jury decided, sounds reasonable.

Therefore, we can bash this jury's judgment to hell and back. But hey, we both live in democracies. We can bash sliced bread if we want... can't we?

[DistantWind88]

119. Not without knowing the facts, we can't

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

120. Who died and made you Speech Police? Good grief.

When I believe someone screwed up I'll say "XYZ screwed up." Sometimes only a very limited amount of information is needed to reach such conclusion. Feel free to disagree with my assessment all you want, but don't tell me I "can't" say something.

[DistantWind88]

122. Good point

BTW don't tell me I can't tell you you can't... :-)

[Maraya1969]

43. Perhaps you should educate yourself instead of expecting to be

spoon fed information. Oh wait, I forgot you don't want any inconvenient information.

[DistantWind88]

44. Sorry!

Did not realize you wre on the jury. My mistake.

[Maraya1969]

42. You sound just like a "Compassionate Conservative"

Or Hypocritical Egotist. Or a Pro-life Death Penalty lover.

May I suggest you examine your beliefs and your attitudes. Just give it a try. You might just find a snake hiding somewhere in the recesses of your mind.

[DistantWind88]

48. Amazing how you jump to conclusions.

The fact that I feel this boy SHOULD be punished for the cold-blooded murder of his Grandparents now makes me a "Pro-life Death Penalty lover" does it? Amazing. I wonder how you derive the one from the other, could you explain?

[Maraya1969]

55. Easy - the hypocrisy of Pro-Lifers who believe in the Death Penalty

I consider them Pro-Birthers because they obviously believe that once a person is born, 12 people who agree can justify killing them.

In other words, they deserve to live only if they behave. That is not pro-life any way you want to twist it.

[DistantWind88]

56. How did you get to

pro-life out of this???

[Maraya1969]

64. I just have an inkling that you are a Pro-lifer because you

seem to have no compassion for this child. I see it all the time with <Many> Pro-lifers. Biggest hypocrites I've ever had the displeasure of meeting.

[DistantWind88]

66. You have an inkling...

probably the same type you had to conclude this child was incompetent without hearing the evidence. I see now--conclusions without any facts. Good job!!!

[egoprofit]

22. whos to say he wouldn't kill again...

if he was found innocent? would that slap on the wrist make him a stable productive member of society?

[yinkaafrica]

28. His greatest crime may have been bad luck

At any rate he needs therapy in an openly locked facility. Never said he should be set free, but twenty years in a cage with hardened
men is wrong. TWELVE years old.
(Anyway, his grand parents are in heaven now, right?)

[DistantWind88]

30. Agree with you there

I don't condone locking him up with adults.

[Evergreen Emerald]

132. he will not be locked up with adults

He will be in a juvenile facility until he is 21--with other juveniles. I disagree that he should be in juve...those kids who are in juve are in for trespass and burglary and should not be housed with murderers.

[egoprofit]

52. i agree he should go to juvie instead.. n/t

[egoprofit]

53. grandparents in heaven? who knows??? does it matter?

[Dookus]

31. there were options besides

simply guilty and not guilty.

He needs help, not 30 years in prison. Nobody is served by this sentence.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

47. And if his grandparents molested him the jury would cringe because

he's just a kid but if he shoots his grandparents the jury finds that he is an adult. What fucking idiocy.

[Maraya1969]

59. What an great comparison!

"And if his grandparents molested him the jury would cringe because
he's just a kid but if he shoots his grandparents the jury finds that he is an adult. What fucking idiocy."


You have just made one of the best comparisons I have heard in a long time. It is so true and so tragic.

:cry:




I wish we could send this thread to the prosecutor's office. They should be locked up.

[sybylla]

61. If the governor has a heart and a brain and courage, he'll commute this

before this boy gets to the adult population.

This is so fucking sad! :cry:

[youspeakmylanguage]

73. You obviously don't know the SC governor...

Gov. Mark Stanford, Republican, is a close personal friend of Rush Limbaugh.

[sandnsea]

12. The death of Civilized Society

Examples are all around us, their way is an Abandonment Society, a barbaric society. There is no way a 12 year old kid should ever be tried as an adult, the fact that he was even on Zoloft is proof the kid had very serious problems.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=371

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

130. I agree. This is heartbreaking and horrific. n/t

[rocktivity]

13. Pittman shot his grandparents while they were asleep

then took money, guns, the family dog, and a truck before setting the house on fire and making up a story about a black assailant. That's far too much malice, premedidation, and consciousness of guilt to consider any kind of drug defense.

But the judge has the discretion to give him a sentence that in more in line with a juvenile's. Despite what he's done, I hope he gets a sentence that will give him the incentive to straighten up.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Dookus]

15. None of what you listed

precludes mental illness, perhaps drug-induced psychosis.

[DistantWind88]

23. And you know he was mentally-ill, how?

[Dookus]

35. the evidence presented at trial

suggest he was less than fully-healthy regarding his mental state.

But even if he was fully in control of his faculties, I don't believe 12 year olds should be treated as adults in the justice system. it's barbaric.

[DistantWind88]

38. Twleve people who heard the evidence

disagree with you. But I suppose you know more than they do about his mental state; after all, they were just the jurors.

[Dookus]

39. Perhaps

the problem is with the law, not the jurors.

But it's also quite common for jurors not to understand mental illness.

But nonetheless, the problem is the law that allows a 12 year old to be tried as an adult, and receive adult sentences.

It's barbaric.

[DistantWind88]

40. So you understand

what you did not even hear, better than the twelve who heard it and came to a different conclusion. I see...

Barbaric? Perhaps; but shooting your grandfather in the mouth as he probably pleaded for his life is barbaric as well.

[Dookus]

41. Look....

I'm glad you're able to take some joy in this. The majority of us think your view of this is callous and mean. C'est la morte.

[DistantWind88]

46. No joy at all on my part

I feel for the kid. Shoudn't have shot his grandparents though.

[Dookus]

51. yes, you've said

but we're discussing something else.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

62. oh please..what do you expect from 12 people who are too stupid to get out

of jury duty.

The jury were idiots as was the prosecutor. There is plenty of MEDICAL evidence neurologically that the brain development of a 12 year old is nowhere near the brain development of an adult. That alone should be admissible to preclude this punishment but unfortunately a civil case requires more substantial scientific probablity than a criminal case.

[DistantWind88]

65. Glad to know you think

we have a system of "trail by the stupid."

many people GLADLY perform their civic duty and serve on juries when called. I guess I know where you stand when asked to serve.

BTW, this WAS a criminal case...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

68. I know it's a criminal case and have worked as a jury consultant

most people who CAN serve are not rocket scientists.

[DistantWind88]

69. MOST people are not rocket scientists

Many bright people serve on juries. Are you saying that we have "trial by morons?" Are you advocating that we go to something like a three judge system instead of a jury of our peers?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

70. No..it's the public's right to be stupid..the south has repeatedly proven

that ..I am simply saying that using "12 people thought otherwise" has jackshit to do with whether justice was accomplished in this case. Many people have been convicted by 12 people only to eventually be found factually innocent.
What the jury thought about what they saw has no bearing on whether the outcome was just.

[DistantWind88]

72. "it's the public's right to be stupid.

..the south has repeatedly proven."

Gee. You're not judge mental, prejudiced, or close-minded at all. Sure you're a progressive?

Goodbye.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

78. Same to you :)

[Dookus]

74. LOL

:thumbsup: , NSMA!

[genieroze]

121. Don't ya know that they give Zoloft to everyone?

[Maraya1969]

45. Read my post #4 on psychosis

[youspeakmylanguage]

57. That is a MO among white SC residents...

...if you committ a heinous crime, blame it on a black assailant.

Anyone remember Susan Smith?

[SW FL Dem]

17. He Got 30 years for each offense

to be served concurrently. So sad

[Dookus]

18. yes, it is

this serves nobody.

[DemGa]

19. Zoloft responsible, no question ---nt---

[DistantWind88]

26. Seems 12 people

who HEARD the case disagreed.

[yinkaafrica]

32. Courts are often wrong, the 'better' attorney often wins the day

Remember Ellis Unit One?

[DistantWind88]

34. And they are more often right.

[Maraya1969]

54. Really? And what is your source for that amazing information

when it comes to juveniles? And really, what does it matter when the courts are sending a child to jail for 30 years.

We are the only "civilized" (I say that word very lightly) society that would treat a 12 year old like this.

We are the only ones who would murder in the name of justice also.

[DistantWind88]

60. It's amazing

information that juries are more often right than wrong??? If you think that is not true than there is no further point debating with you, because next you'll ask for proof that water is wet.

BTW, Japan has a death penalty as does China and South Korea. Are you saying they are uncivilized, too? Is the presence or absence of the death penalty the only thing that makes a country civilized/uncivilized.

Before you ask, I am against the death penalty.

[Say_What]

116. US leads the pack in EXECUTING JUVENILLE OFFENDERS

Demand an End to Child Executions

Since 2000, only five countries are known to have executed juvenile offenders: China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Pakistan, and the USA. 13 of these 21 executions have been in the USA. On January 21, 2004, Amnesty International launched its Stop Child Executions campaigning action to end this "shameful practice" once and for all. Take action! »

http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/index.do

[DistantWind88]

118. I'm against all executions

not just some.

[Say_What]

124. As usual, your posts are full of BOGUS information--do some research

so you don't appear to be so pathetically uninformed.

[DistantWind88]

128. What was bogus?

Can you point to anything that was wrong? Or is it just stuff you "disagree" with.

[youspeakmylanguage]

50. You're turning into a skipping record...

We know how you feel, guy.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

63. again.. 12 people who were too stupid to get out of jury duty

[HuckleB]

75. I'm sorry, but that's a cop out.

Unless you are arguing for getting rid of the jury system altogether.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

83. No I am simply saying basing the argument that justice was accomplished

since a jury said so is a slippery slope since there are plenty of examples throughtout the history of trial by juries to argue against it.

[HuckleB]

84. So you'll never say that a jury's decision led to justice?

Even if you agree with the jury's decision?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

88. No you are putting words in my mouth. Best to only surmise what YOU would

say.
Sometimes I trust juries. I don't trust any jury that would convict a 12 year old child as an adult since that same jury would feel he were a child if he were molested. I believe the conviction defies logic.

Anything else you wish to assume about what I would think?

[DistantWind88]

89. Is it safe to say you trust juries when you agree with them,

but not when you don't?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

91. Again..were all those white juries that acquitted white men for the murder

of blacks in the 50's and 60's arbiters of justice?

[DistantWind88]

93. Some of the white men MAY have

been innocent. Most assuredly, some of the guilty were allowed to go free,

Like I've asked you before, what do you want? To do away with the jury system?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

94. No. I simply wouldn't use as the crux of my argument the fact that

12 people agreed. Sometimes 12 people are wrong. You are the one arguing that as though it means substantial justice occurred in this case.

[DistantWind88]

96. And more often than not, they are RIGHT

Here's what it comes down to: unless you have the same evidence, facts, and knowledge that the jury does, you CAN'T yet say that they are wrong, can you? My point is the JURY is better able to judge this case than YOU are ATT.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

97. And I disagree..you have no idea whether they slept through the whole

or didn't have cream in their coffee.

[DistantWind88]

101. At least they were THERE

you were not.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

110. So you are saying if they slept through the trial and did not pay

attention substantial justice was accomplished? I am beginning to feel the way about you that I feel about that jury...

[DistantWind88]

112. Do you have any evidence they slept through

the trial??? What's with your hypothetical? As far as I know they paid rapt attention. Do you have proof otherwise?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

113. Neither one of us do..that's why I wouldn't place any stock in their

decision. For all you know, they just wanted to hurry up and go home.

[DistantWind88]

115. So. Again.

You saying we should do away with the jury system?

I think we'd have heard if the jury slept through this trial, don't you?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

126. How many times do I have to say NO! And no I don't believe

we'd have heard it. Any other triangulation? Or are we done for the day. I provided my issue and my reasoning...I got it...you don't agree.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

99. OK, that settles it then. OJ didn't kill anybody and I can't say otherwise

Glad we cleared THAT up.

[DistantWind88]

108. You can say what you want

I believe OJ was guilty as well, BUT I did not hear all the evidence in the case...did you?

[DistantWind88]

86. So you're saying that

justice is not possible under the jury system???

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

90. Nope. Read my other post.

BTW...are YOU saying that all those white men acquitted for lynching blacks in the 60's by all white juries were just decisions?

BTW.. I am assuming you think justice was accomplished in the OJ Simpson case as well, correct? After all, 12 people found him innocent..right?

[DistantWind88]

92. No, I'm not

Sometimes juries are corrupt. Are you saying this one was?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

95. No I am saying they were stupid...didn't I already infer as much?

Yes..I believe that 12 people who would consider punishing a child as an adult are STUPID and reactionary..I am not just saying it..I am asserting it to be true...if that same jury had this same child in front of them and he had been molested, they would all quiver because he was just a child. Does the actions of a person or their biological and neural development determine whether they are an adult or a child?

[DistantWind88]

98. Amazing how

you can conclude twelve people you never met, using evidence you never heard, reached a conclusion you don't agree with (without you knowing all the facts)are therefore stupid.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

100. I gave you the facts I used as a litmus test which is more than you offer

in defense of your position. Yes..12 people who would find a 12 year old to be an adult are FUCKING STOOOOOPID. :D

[DistantWind88]

109. They found him to be GUILTY

They didn't find him to be an adult. Pay attention.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

111. No...they found him to be guilty under the laws that TRIED him as an adult

[DistantWind88]

114. They found him guilty of the crime of which he was accused

PERIOD. They had no determination as to his status as an "adult." That was requested by the prosecution nd allowed by the court. The jury has nothing to do with making those types of determinations. Are you sure you served as jury consultant?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

127. They knew what the ramifications of finding him guilty

who are you to question my qualifications. Frankly you have posted so many conservative opinions on this board I have a few questions about you too.

[DistantWind88]

129. It's conservative to

feel that even 12-year olds should be punished for murdering someone? Other than that, what "conservative" opinions have I posted?

[genieroze]

123. Most mental midgets are hypocrites, look at Douche Limpballs, Oooo

all druggies should go to jail except me. Lets convict some more twelve year olds except if they work at Abu Ghraib and then they are just havin some fun. Oh that's right, adults were the ones doing it, never mind that they were ordered by * to do it.
(sarcasm)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

79. And that is a good thing or a bad thing? (nt)

[underthedome]

49. Why even have a trial then? n/t

[jbnow]

67. Health Canada

has warnings of Zoloft increasing the risk of self-harm or harm to others, especially in the early weeks. There was no question that he had the signs of agitation it can cause and he had only been on it a few weeks.

Unfortunately the FDA only notes risk of self harm. Guess Canadians have different blood chemistry?

[William Bloode]

58. Well.....

From where i stand, he deserves punishment, and a nice long one at that. I do feel 2 30yr consecutive sentences was a bit much. I see 10yrs as a good sentence. At least he would not be and old man upon release. 10yrs takes into consideration his age, and the drug factors.

The way it work in S.C. penal system, up to the age of turning 16 you are a juvenile. After that you go to prison. This is not adult prison. It is young adult prison for ages 16-19/20, after which you go on to adult prison 21 and up. So he is not going to be thrown in with the old wolves.

So yes i think he deserves to be punished, i do believe sentencing should have considered such mitigating factors and his age, mental state etc.

[HuckleB]

71. First, it's immoral to convict a 12-year-old as an adult.

Second, what this kid's defense attorneys did was nothing short of malpractice. The kid's defense was simply incompetent from the word go, and now he's the one who must pay for it.

Ugh.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

80. I hate punishism. It is a sick, dangerous, infectious, evil ideology. (nt)

[DistantWind88]

82. Good Grief N/T

[Gemini Cat]

85. Disgusting.

Not that this would happen of course, but the drug company and the shrink need to be held accountable, not this kid. The kid was only 12 when his mind was fried on Zoloft. Twelve! Zoloft a dangerous drug, given to him by his parents who thought they were doing the right thing, by doing as the shrink said to do!!

This is an outrage!

[Sandpiper]

102. Teen Gets 30 Years in Zoloft Murder Case

Teen Gets 30 Years in Zoloft Murder Case

1 hour, 1 minute ago Top Stories - AP


By BRUCE SMITH, Associated Press Writer

CHARLESTON, S.C. - A 15-year-old boy who claimed the antidepressant Zoloft drove him to kill his grandparents was found guilty of murder Tuesday and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Christopher Pittman hung his head as the verdict was read after about six hours of deliberations. He spoke briefly to the court before the sentence was handed down.

"I know it's in the hands of God. Whatever he decides is what it's going to be," Pittman said quietly.

The trial was the first case involving a youngster who says an antidepressant caused him to kill, Pittman's lawyer said. It came at a time of heightened scrutiny over the use of antidepressants among children.

<snip>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=3&u=/ap/20050215/ap_on_re_us/zoloft_trial

[HuckleB]

103. First, it's immoral to convict a 12-year-old as an adult.

Second, what this kid's defense attorneys did was nothing short of malpractice. The kid's defense was simply incompetent from the word go, and now he's the one who must pay for it.

Ugh.

[Beaverhausen]

104. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1239398

[flordehinojos]

105. unless the child/teen/young adul/ and finally adult receives lots of

psychiatric treatment during those 30 years in jail ... possibilities are that he may come out and repeat his offense... He would only be 42 years old and so .... unprepared to meet/face society ... it is tragic but blaming the medication for his crime is no defense.

[stillcool]

107. What you put in, is what you'll get out...

and in his young life there doesn't appear to have been much good going in. This boys life is a very sad commentary on how sick our society is. I hope he finds some peace.

[Say_What]

106. "12-year-old Pittman knew exactly what he was doing..."

How f*ck'n pathetic. 30 years in prison to a kid--now that's compassionate conservatism in action. It comes as no surprise that the US of A is the leading executioner of juvenille offenders. :puke: :puke: :puke:

From AI:

<clip>

...Virtually every industrialized nation in the world—even those that still practice the death penalty—treats children differently from adults. Children cannot vote or buy alcohol, for example, because they are correctly regarded as less fully developed and hence less responsible for their actions than adults. The same rationale for placing those limits on children, however, is utterly ignored when it comes to holding them responsible for crimes and sentencing them to death. The Court must correct this inconsistency and end this outdated, almost singular practice, once and for all."

http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/document.do?id=C020235668D5789385256F2E00518BF2

---

Demand an End to Child Executions
Since 2000, only five countries are known to have executed juvenile offenders: China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Pakistan, and the USA. 13 of these 21 executions have been in the USA. On January 21, 2004, Amnesty International launched its Stop Child Executions campaigning action to end this "shameful practice" once and for all. Take action! »

http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/index.do

[Selteri]

125. From someone who watched and followed this case

I have to say that I thought he should have been found guilty by reason of insanity.

Translation - The Zoloft and his mind didn't work together and it brought out demons that were already there. It is a trajedy that he killed his grandparents, but there it little that can be done about that. He desperately needs help and to be taught how to control what he has on the inside.

Where this opinion comes out of (My *** / JK) In college I minored in Psychology and also have suffered from Seasonal affective disorder which was misdiagnosed as depression with a resultant perscription of Zoloft.

Drugs don't create what isn't already there. - No matter how much I've heard this argued, drugs don't create the monsters, they just let them out of their cages. - Zoloft is no exception, while it can be reasonably argued that these demons were brought out on these happy pills that crack heads use when they can't score crack, they did exist. After that consideration, the level of trauma that being a participant in that kind of event would leave more than enough trauma to justify multiple years of carefully directed therapy.

Now, Zoloft is a NASTY NASTY drug that should be removed from the market, not expanded into more of the marketplace. It causes wierd thought connections, at 19 years of age I had difficulty handling it. To compare it to the 'adult' drugs of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and LSD I consider it to be on a level equal to someone stupid enough to drink alcohol while tripping on LSD. Zoloft impairs your judgement and alters her perception of the world around you, everything is happy, every thought is... good. You lose some of your judgement because everything is happy and good, no matter how bad it is and you know it. At that time any suggestion made to me seemed like a good idea.

Once I was off that nasty crap I went through severe mood swings, weight gain of 40 pounds and took about 6 months to adjust back to reality.

The worst part of the experience was that when I was perscribed the drug I specifically asked about side affects and was told by the psychiatrist that there were none. So far as I know, that is illegal.

[leesa]

131. They'll have to come up with something better than this if they want us to

ignore Gannon-Plame, IranSyria, Inc., and a newly Shiite Iraq.