ANTIDEPRESSANT: Owosso man judged incompetent to stand trial

CORUNNA –
The 33-year-old Owosso man accused of two Sept. 11 murders was found incompetent
to stand trial and will be remanded to the State Department of Mental Health for
treatment.

Sixty-sixth District Court Judge Terrance P. Dignan signed an
order Wednesday afternoon finding Harlan Drake incompetent. However, Dignan, in
his written opinion, said there is a substantial probability Drake will attain
competence with treatment.

Dignan’s decision was based on a report filed
by the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Ann Arbor, where Drake was
evaluated.

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ZOLOFT: NY Judge to Allow Zoloft Defense in Assault Case

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) A Long Island judge has said she will allow a man accused of punching and kicking his former girlfriend to use the so-called “Zoloft defense.”

The attorney for Coram resident Brandon Hampson says he plans to argue that his client became violent and beat Lisa Essling on Aug. 25, 2006, because he stopped taking the popular antidepressant Zoloft days before the attack.

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ANTIDEPRESSANTS: Police Stop Man From Committing Suicide: England

The attorney for Coram resident Brandon Hampson says he plans to argue that his client became violent and beat Lisa Essling on Aug. 25, 2006, because he stopped taking the popular antidepressant Zoloft days before the attack.

Nassau County District Court Judge Rhonda Fischer said Friday that she will allow a defense witness to testify that withdrawl from the antidepressant can cause a person to become aggressive.

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