Drug Styles of the Rich and Famous: A Guilty Verdict in Michael Jackson’s Murder Trial – what the Jury’s decision could mean for the rest of us.
Los Angeles, CA.: After six weeks of hearing testimony, closing arguments were made on Friday in the Michael Jackson murder trail claiming involuntary manslaughter and negligence against his cardiologist, Conrad Murray. The Los Angeles jury began deliberating the fate of Dr. Murray before the weekend.
Chronic insomnia was among the symptoms Jackson was being treated for. The defense claimed Jackson’s sleep disorder was a side effect of his prior dependence on the narcotic painkiller Demerol.
Prosecutor David Walgren called into question the ethics of using the drug Propofol to treat the pop star’s insomnia:
“It is not an agent for the treatment in insomnia and to use it to put someone to sleep in that manner is an extreme deviation from the standard of care and amounts to gross negligence.”
Various articles regarding the cocktail of medications that Jackson has reportedly taken include: the muscle relaxant Soma, sedative Xanax, anti-depressents Zoloft, and Paxil, as well as lorazepam, an anti-anxiety drug
Prosecutors concluded their arguments claiming that Jackson “paid with his life” for the criminal negligence of Dr. Conrad Murray, while the defense said Murray was being held responsible for Jackson’s own actions.
Defense attorney Ed Chernoff made an attempt to persuade the jury to disregard Jackson’s celebrity status in the decision-making process by stating:
“If it were anybody else but Michael Jackson, would this doctor be here today?”
“If you are going to hold Dr Murray responsible, don’t do it because it’s Michael Jackson.”
“This is not a reality show. This is reality.”
Considering some of the symptoms Michael Jackson suffered can be classified as psychiatric, and treatment involved the overuse of psychiatric medications and sedatives, I feel mental health advocates should pay close attention to what a guilty verdict would imply to others who have also been harmed by “medication management“.
In my opinion contracting the services of a medical doctor, who has no training in mental health care, to administer anesthetizing drugs and psychiatric medications to treat insomnia, anxiety and pain is nothing more than extreme polypsychopharmacology.
As I am writing this post the nightly news covering the Jackson murder trail commented that, “historically juries do not like to convict doctors.”
I think those of us who are familiar with the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Gabriel Myers and Rebecca Riley and the many other SSRI Stories would say this holds true, especially in cases involving psychiatric medications.
A lesser known case involving medications used to treat symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the death of a child is that of Tyra Lynn Ehlis.
Tyra was not treated for ADHD herself, but her father Ryan was. Ten days after Ryan began taking Adderall he slipped into a psychotic fog, shot and killed his infant daughter, then shot himself in the stomach. He said God told him to do it.
Ehlis was charged with murder, but the charges were dismissed after various doctors testified about Ehlis’s mental condition, reporting that he suffered from an “Amphetamine-Induced Psychotic Disorder” (DSM-IV Code 292.11) and did not have the necessary criminal responsibility.
While the manufacturer of Adderall, Shire US, Inc., issued this public statement about Ryan’s case: “despite the slaying, Adderall remains a safe and effective drug for controlling ADHD.” no media picked up on the blatant indifference and disregard for human life by the drug company.
Twins Tessara & Samantha Crespi, also lost their life when their father David suffered an apparent substance-induced psychosis from polypsychophramacology. David’s psychiatrist prescribed a cocktail of medications including Prozac, Ambien, Trazadone and Lunesta that in his family’s opinion completely changed his behavior.
David’s wife Kim Crespi is a member of ISEPP who I have been in contact with for the past three years. After speaking with Kim on numerous occasions and listening to the 911 tapes myself, there is no doubt in my mind that David’s case was one of a Substance Induced Psychosis. Within seconds of speaking with him, the 911 operator picked up immediately that David was heavily medicated.
Julie Schenecker, the Tampa, FL mother who shot and killed her two teen-age children earlier this year also seems like she could be a victim of polypsychophramacology. Julie’s friends told reporters that she was on about a dozen different medications that were not “meshing” and the long-term use of high-doses of antipsychotic drugs induced tardive dyskinesia.
Detectives took 567 pills from the home, as well as two empty prescription bottles, one of oxycodone, another for hydrocodone — both strong, addictive painkillers. They also found an open bottle of Clonazepam.
I also question the relationship of medication induced psychosis in the gruesome Texas infantcide cases of Dena Schlosser and Otty Sanchez.
Polypsychopharmacology has been a growing trend in psychiatry. For example, from the 1970s to the 1990s, there was a 14-fold increase in the likelihood that a patient being seen by the biological treatment branch of the intramural program of the National Institute of Mental Health would be receiving 3 or more psychiatric medications.27
$2.5 Million Settlement in Wrongful Death of Rebecca Riley against Psychiatrist
By Maria Mangicaro
Four-year-old Rebecca Riley died in 2006 after prolonged exposure to various medication caused her lungs to fill with fluid. The medical examiner’s office determined Rebecca died from “intoxication due to the combined effects” of the drugs Clonidine, valproic acid (Depakote), Dextromethorphan, and Chlorpheniramine and that her heart and lungs were damaged due to prolonged abuse of these prescription drugs. Investigation into the cause of her death revealed she was taking 750 milligrams a day of Depakote, 200 milligrams a day of Seroquel, and .35 milligrams a day of Clonidine.
Since the age of two Rebecca had been prescribed psychiatric medication after being labeled with bipolar disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by psychiatrist Kayoko Kifuji of the Tufts-New England Medical Center.
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