ZOLOFT: Lawsuit over daughter's murder

[Guest guest]

From Rosie:

http://www.kxmc.com/news/local.asp?ID=4669

Murder Victim's Mother Files Suit

(AP) _ The question of whether the anti-depressant ``Zoloft'' contributed to

the killing of a woman in Minot two years ago could be back in court soon.

The mother of Lexi Walter has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of

her daughter, who was shot and killed in November 2003.

Zachary Schmidkunz was convicted of the crime last year and was sentenced to

35 years in prison. Part of his defense in that trial was that Zoloft he was

taking impaired his mental state.

The civil lawsuit, filed by this week in Northwest District

Court in Minot, names Schmidkunz as a defendant. It also names his parents,

Rhonda and Gail Schmidkunz, and Pfizer, the manufacturer of Zoloft, as

defendants.

The lawsuit claims the Schmidkunz's parents should have identified his

depression and suicidal thoughts kept him away from his shotgun.

It also claims the drug manufacturer knew of but failed to warn that

Zoloft's side effects could lead to uncontrollable rage in young patients.

The civil lawsuit does not specify damages being sought. It has been

assigned to Judge McLees.

A witness for the prosecution testified at Schmidkunz's trial that such

anti-depressant drugs do not cause aggression unless the people taking them

have underlying problems. Roerig of Fargo said he did not think Zoloft

played a role in the killing.

[Guest guest]

From Rosie:

http://www.kxmc.com/news/local.asp?ID=4669

Murder Victim's Mother Files Suit

(AP) _ The question of whether the anti-depressant ``Zoloft'' contributed to

the killing of a woman in Minot two years ago could be back in court soon.

The mother of Lexi Walter has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of

her daughter, who was shot and killed in November 2003.

Zachary Schmidkunz was convicted of the crime last year and was sentenced to

35 years in prison. Part of his defense in that trial was that Zoloft he was

taking impaired his mental state.

The civil lawsuit, filed by this week in Northwest District

Court in Minot, names Schmidkunz as a defendant. It also names his parents,

Rhonda and Gail Schmidkunz, and Pfizer, the manufacturer of Zoloft, as

defendants.

The lawsuit claims the Schmidkunz's parents should have identified his

depression and suicidal thoughts kept him away from his shotgun.

It also claims the drug manufacturer knew of but failed to warn that

Zoloft's side effects could lead to uncontrollable rage in young patients.

The civil lawsuit does not specify damages being sought. It has been

assigned to Judge McLees.

A witness for the prosecution testified at Schmidkunz's trial that such

anti-depressant drugs do not cause aggression unless the people taking them

have underlying problems. Roerig of Fargo said he did not think Zoloft

played a role in the killing.