Zoloft: Good Morning America looked at Pittman murder trial....

[Guest guest]

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This article states: " " And I think what Pfizer is not telling you is that

they have internal documents they've not provided to the public, they've

not provided them to the prosecutor, they've not provided them even to

the FDA, that show they know that this drug can cause in some people

violent reactions, including homicide " .

Paragraph 14 states, in part: " Pittman's defense team is seeking to have

these documents, which they've seen in other cases, allowed to be used in

this case " .

http://www.heraldonline.com/local/story/3792641p-3399930c.html

" Show looks at Pittman murder trial "

" Family, attorneys make case against drugs on 'Good Morning America' "

By mailto:jcato@... Cato

The Herald

(Published September 4, 2004)

Pittman didn't make the trip, but his story was heard across

the country Friday thanks to an appearance by his attorneys and

grandmother on " Good Morning America. "

Host Gibson interviewed Del Duprey, the boy's maternal

grandmother, and attorneys Andy Vickery and Menzies for nearly

eight minutes, with the segment spliced with photographs of Pittman

provided by his family and The Herald. Footage also was shown of Joe D.

Pittman, the boy's father, reading a letter from his son about the

killings to the Food and Drug Administration during a hearing in

February.

The segment, titled " Dangerous medicine? Anti-depressant murder trial, "

was the latest major coverage of the Chester County murder case. The New

York Times ran a front page story about the case on Aug. 23.

Pittman is charged with shooting his grandparents, Joe Pittman and

Joy Pittman, while they were in bed in November 2001 and then

setting the rural Chester County house on fire before fleeing. He was 12

at the time and will be tried as an adult. If convicted, he could

receive up to life in prison.

His defense will focus around the claim that an adverse reaction to his

antidepressant medication caused his violent behavior. Pittman had been

taking antidepressants, first Paxil then Zoloft, for about five weeks

before his grandparents were killed.

Gibson asked Duprey what it is that makes her believe the medicine caused

Pittman's violence.

" The child that he is, still this day, is not the child that killed his

grandparents, " Duprey said. " And something had to have done that. "

Representatives from Pfizer, the company that makes Zoloft, were invited

to appear on the show but declined to come, Gibson said. Instead, they

provided a written statement that said an FDA review of antidepressants

and potential problems with children found there was no difference

between the rates of suicidal thoughts or actions in patients treated

with Zoloft and those treated with a placebo.

" We're not talking about rates of violent behavior. We're talking about

an individual, " Vickery said. " We're talking about can this drug, which

was designed to affect brain chemistry, trigger violent behavior towards

one's self or others -- in an individual.

" We intend to show that this young man was under the influence of a very

powerful, mind altering drug that was designed to affect the very

chemical in the brain that affects violence and aggression. "

Asked if it's possible that Pittman's violent act could have been due to

his mother abandoning him as a baby and problems with his father, Menzies

said stronger evidence shows that the violent behavior was out of

character for Pittman.

" In fact, as soon as he started taking the medication, everybody saw that

his behavior changed, " she said. " And I think what Pfizer is not telling

you is that they have internal documents they've not provided to the

public, they've not provided them to the prosecutor, they've not provided

them even to the FDA, that show they know that this drug can cause in

some people violent reactions, including homicide. "

Pittman's defense team is seeking to have these documents, which they've

seen in other cases, allowed to be used in this case. Pfizer is fighting

the attempt, and the judge has not scheduled a hearing yet to address the

issue.

A hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday in Walterboro, however, where

Judge Pieper of North ton is likely to hear arguments for

replacing Pittman's lead attorney. Vickery said Friday from New York

that he filed a motion to replace Chester County Public Defender Yale

Zamore " on 's specific request. " Zamore could not be reached

for comment.

Back on the television show, Gibson asked Duprey if there's a lesson to

be learned from her grandson's ordeal.

" We need to quit just being so all-trusting of our physicians and drug

companies, " she said. " I do know without a shadow of a doubt if Joy

Pittman had the information it takes to make an informed choice, she

would have never in a million years entrusted her grandchild's life to

that medication. "

Cato . 329-4071

<mailto: jcato@...>jcato@...

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