A former southern California police detective and Iraq war veteran charged with rape will be allowed to argue that an over-prescription of antidepressants for combat-related PTSD left him “mentally unconsciousness.” “But for the use of Zoloft, Mr. Orban would not have committed these acts” his lawyer asserted to the court. “…This was totally out of character.” If found not guilty according to this defense, Orban would face an indefinite sentence in a state mental hospital.
Related Items:
Utah Supreme Court Allows Lawsuit for Psychotropic-Induced Murder (MadinAmerica.com)
The Big Chill: Psychiatric Medications Now Are on Trial For Murder (MadinAmerica.com)
Army Restores PTSD Diagnoses in a Servicewide Review (MadinAmerica.com)
Former Cop Will Use ‘Zoloft Defense’ In Disturbing Rape Case
Former cop’s rape trial: Zoloft defense can be used
Accused Rapist Can Use ‘Zoloft Defense’
Anthony Nicholas Orban, Ex-Westminster PD Detective, Blames Rape of Waitress on Meds for Stress
Ex-cop on Zoloft, mentally ‘unconscious’ during rape, lawyer says
Orban defense to feature unusual move
The irony… is making me head hurt. If he’s found not guilty, he’s going to a mental hospital for an indefinite period of time, where he will be forced to take all sorts of drugs, which his defense would have successfully argued were what was responsible for the crime in the first place… Wow.
Report comment
I agree. I resisted putting this piece up for several days, because the levels of irony, complexity, dark implications and potential precedents were painful to think about when it was just a hypothetical defense, however valid that defense may turn out to be. But I just couldn’t get on the prurience bandwagon. Not to mention how awful it is to contemplate all these implications in respect to the issues we discuss here, when it’s impossible to also ignore how awful, whatever happens or happened to him, the experience of the woman was and, I’m sure, still is. But now that the judge has allowed the plea, it starts to become something greater on a social level, and I felt I had to post it here to be part of the discussion. I just wanted to say it was not an automatic or easy thing for me to do.
Report comment
Indeed, the moral complexities are huge.
However, it does fit a pattern of psychiatric drugs (especially SSRI’s) being implicated in acts of both violence and sexual acts that are out of character to the individual.
No matter what the individual implications of this case, and the moral questions raised, it raises serious public health concerns about the safety and validity of prescribing these medicines.
Report comment
Absolutely. It was just hard to post this one because of the particular crime, and the possibility that the drugs were not the cause. If a history of such behavior were to come out, it would discredit the Zoloft defense for a long time. But when the judge agreed to hear it, I hoped it would turn out to be proveable.
Report comment