Suspect claims pot psychosis made her stab/kill boyfriend, stab her dog and self.

fuzzybuddy said:
This woman thoroughly tenderized her beloved by stabbing him 100 times. Then it dawned on her that some might think that was a bad thing to do.
So, of course," I'm crazy so I stabbed the dog and myself."
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If she stabbed him for no reason and then thought it was a bad thing to do, wonder why she stabbed herself and her dog to change the probable outcome from 20 years in prison to life without parole in an asylum?
fuzzybuddy said:
The " I'm crazy" defense is pretty common.
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It's not common at all. Only about 1% of cases use the insanity defense. It just gets a lot of media coverage every time it's used because people are outraged to think that a sick person might not be punished enough for their satisfaction.
fuzzybuddy said:
So far, the "pot mad me do it" is only what some defense lawyer came up with. I'm no legal eagle, but the problem with using a chronic pot defense is that she knew how it affected her, and yet she continued to use it. It's the same defense drunk drivers use, which got shot down by courts.
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Nowhere does it say she was a chronic user.
 

I don't know about this case, obviously. However, there are known links of Cannabis use with psychosis. It may not be the sole cause, but it is a factor with some people.

It's worth remembering, that the strength of weed (the THC content) is rapidly increasing, which may heighten this issue. Over the last 20 years it's gone from an average of 4% THC to 17%. In the 60's and 70's it was 2%. So the weed of today is far far stronger, and increasing every year.

Best let the professionals sort this out, but despite such a heinous act, let's not go to far with our condemnation just yet. At least until the professionals give us their thoughts.

Is there a link between marijuana use and psychiatric disorders? | National Institute on Drug Abuse
 
VaughanJB said:
I don't know about this case, obviously. However, there are known links of Cannabis use with psychosis. It may not be the sole cause, but it is a factor with some people.

It's worth remembering, that the strength of weed (the THC content) is rapidly increasing, which may heighten this issue. Over the last 20 years it's gone from an average of 4% THC to 17%. In the 60's and 70's it was 2%. So the weed of today is far far stronger, and increasing every year.

Best let the professionals sort this out, but despite such a heinous act, let's not go to far with our condemnation just yet. At least until the professionals give us their thoughts.

Is there a link between marijuana use and psychiatric disorders? | National Institute on Drug Abuse
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That's the thing. Even ERs in legalization states including California have seen an increase in pot related incidents.

San Diego ERs seeing up to 37 marijuana cases a day — mostly psychosis

And yes today's weed is not the laugh and giggle pot from a Cheech and Chong movies last century. That's what many don't get.-
 
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The thing about drugs these days is that you don't know what's really in them. Even with marijuana, unless bought from a licensed store, it could laced with anything. Since what they found doesn't seem the likely culprit, maybe she took another drug before that.

@Della I was wondering about that yesterday. Why do people who are obviously guilty of crimes get to plead "not guilty"? :unsure:
 
OneEyedDiva said:
The thing about drugs these days is that you don't know what's really in them. Even with marijuana, unless bought from a licensed store, it could laced with anything. Since what they found doesn't seem the likely culprit, maybe she took another drug before that.

@Della I was wondering about that yesterday. Why do people who are obviously guilty of crimes get to plead "not guilty"? :unsure:
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This is a real possibility. More than people think. I have a problem neighbor pot head who stays awake playing video games 10-20 hours a day. I just can't picture that being pot only. Just the focus let alone physical stamina would need some help to say the least. People don't want to hear it today with stronger pot it's a gateway drug to other drugs. Recently saw an article where rehabs are seeing more with multiple addictions/substances.

But even if the suspect/pot dosed with an unknown substance drugs don't manufacture ideas but rather lower impulse control and allow them to act on thoughts and. emotions running through their head. The suspect did not like being coerced by her boyfriend to do pot. So even without pot she's already ticked at the boyfriend. My guess their were already other issues in the relationship.
 
Pepper said:
I'm gonna guess they have a right to a defense under our constitution.
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Correct. The 5th and 14th Amendments state no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without Due Process of law. If one were not permitted to plead not guilty, that deprives the person of DP.

California Penal Code:

1016. There are six kinds of pleas to an indictment or an
information, or to a complaint charging a misdemeanor or infraction:

1. Guilty.
2. Not guilty.
3. Nolo contendere, subject to the approval of the court. The
court shall ascertain whether the defendant completely understands
that a plea of nolo contendere shall be considered the same as a plea
of guilty and that, upon a plea of nolo contendere, the court shall
find the defendant guilty. The legal effect of such a plea, to a
crime punishable as a felony, shall be the same as that of a plea of
guilty for all purposes. In cases other than those punishable as
felonies, the plea and any admissions required by the court during
any inquiry it makes as to the voluntariness of, and factual basis
for, the plea may not be used against the defendant as an admission
in any civil suit based upon or growing out of the act upon which the
criminal prosecution is based.
4. A former judgment of conviction or acquittal of the offense
charged.
5. Once in jeopardy.
6. Not guilty by reason of insanity.
A defendant who does not plead guilty may enter one or more of the
other pleas. A defendant who does not plead not guilty by reason of insanity shall be conclusively presumed to have been sane at the
time of the commission of the offense charged; provided, that the
court may for good cause shown allow a change of plea at any time
before the commencement of the trial. A defendant who pleads not
guilty by reason of insanity, without also pleading not guilty,
thereby admits the commission of the offense charged.
 
Found guilty but sentenced to probation, no prison time. 100 community service hours talking about the perils of pot induced psychosis which the court/judge apparently bought.

Woman who fatally stabbed man 108 times gets probation, no prison time

This is a slippery slope. State legalizes substance known to cause psychosis among other issues. The excuse abuse door is now open for business.

Most drugs enable a person to act on existing thoughts and emotions. They don't manufacture them.
 
Well as the posted link states, the rate of THC psychosis is about 1 in 200 people. And of course, there are small numbers of mentally unstable and psycho people about in society. And yeah they ought not be taking any recreational drugs. Personally, I suspect the judge given that decision might be one of them. The defendant is nearly deaf that only reads lips that felt the person she murdered was responsible for making her feeling like vomiting.

Cannabis and Psychosis Through the Lens of DSM-5
snippet:

...Given the significant rate of CAPS in our study (about 1 in 200 PWUC), our results suggest that acute self-limiting psychotic symptoms in the context of cannabis use can occur. ...Rates of CAPS as observed here are comparable to rates of other drug-induced psychosis, such as alcohol-associated psychosis (around 0.4–0.7%), while rates of stimulant-induced psychosis are likely to be somewhat higher.
 
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WhatInThe said:
A murder suspect in California is claiming a pot psychosis episode made her stab her boyfriend 100 times, her dog then herself. A shrink said the fact she stabbed the dog shows she was experiencing somekind of psychosis.

Calif. woman says cannabis made her psychotic, stab boyfriend 100 times

Psychosis is possible side effect of excess or prolonged pot use but is unclear if she was a pot addict. I guess pot will be the modern day twinkie defense. Which I believe also came out of California
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As has been mentioned in other threads, the weed of today is not the weed of yesterday. It is magnitudes stronger, with much much more of the active ingredient (THC). It causes psychosis in some people. This is info that is very easy to find online.
 
Della said:
Cases of marijuana causing violence are not that rare.
From the NIH:
A Review of Cases of Marijuana and Violence
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I'll bet we could find an even greater abundance of instances where drunk people did terrible things as mentioned by Nathan.

And as far as the health effects of it, from a statement published in the Lancet, 'No level of alcohol consumption is safe when it comes to human health, according to a WHO statement released in January, 2023. The data behind this dire warning come from a 2021 study that estimated the number of incident cancers attributable to alcohol consumption in the EU in 2017—light to moderate drinking (1–2 drinks per day) was responsible for 23 300 new cases of cancer.'

So how many people are going to give up their beer or glass of wine with dinner, or drinks with friends while expounding on the poor health choices of pot smokers?

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/...nsumption,statement released in January, 2023.
 
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Debrah N. said:
I'll bet we could find an even greater abundance of instances where drunk people did terrible things as mentioned by Nathan.

And as far as the health effects of it, from a statement published in the Lancet, 'No level of alcohol consumption is safe when it comes to human health, according to a WHO statement released in January, 2023. The data behind this dire warning come from a 2021 study that estimated the number of incident cancers attributable to alcohol consumption in the EU in 2017—light to moderate drinking (1–2 drinks per day) was responsible for 23 300 new cases of cancer.'

So how many people are going to give up their beer or glass of wine with dinner, or drinks with friends while expounding on the poor health choices of pot smokers?

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(23)00073-5/fulltext#:~:text=23)00073-5-,Alcohol and health: all, none,, or somewhere in-between?&text=No level of alcohol consumption,statement released in January, 2023.
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Well, I think these things need to be looked at in the bigger picture. In many of these studies, you can show association, but not necessarily cause, especially since cancer is a complicated disease. Two people can ingest the same thing, and one will develop cancer and the other won't. Genetics, lifestyle, gender, amounts, stress, and foods are all involved. Processed foods, red meats, BBQ'ing, trans-fats, plastic containers, bottled water, the buildings we live in, some of the clothes we wear, the air we breathe, and lotions we use, can all contribute to cancer.

I think moderation and being mindful is important, but there is also quality of life to consider. One could choose to live in a sterile bubble and be isolated from all possible cancer-causing elements in our lives, but that doesn't sound like much fun to me. I think minimizing risk is wise, but if I had to choose between a beer and a soda, I'm gonna have the beer. JMO
 
Marijuana psychosis is real. Happens to some people when they take too much. It's a drug. One can kill oneself with too my Tylenol too. That's how drugs are. They can help or harm us if taken in large quantities. Alcohol is the same way. Too much is poison.

Two Denver deaths tied to recreational marijuana use
Mom Loses Son, 19, to Suicide and Warns Others of High-Potency Marijuana Addiction: 'I'm So Angry'
Man fatally shoots himself after eating 5 marijuana candies
Spring Breaker Fell to His Death After Eating Pot Cookies

I'm not going to get into a discussion of this lady's case. Doesn't matter what I think. But pot can really mess some people up so I guess her defense won the day. This is why when advocates say Cannabis is a cure-all for everything, I roll my eyes.
 
If 5 in 200 drunks go nuts and kill people, and 1 in 200 drug addicts go nuts and kill people... do we really want more going nuts and killing people?

Seems like a pretty weak argument to encourage drug abuse.
 
dilettante said:
If 5 in 200 drunks go nuts and kill people, and 1 in 200 drug addicts go nuts and kill people... do we really want more going nuts and killing people?

Seems like a pretty weak argument to encourage drug abuse.
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One could say the intoxication excuse is how society rationalizes the act and finds reason to give the offender a second chance.

The problem with pot is legalization and wide spread/acceptable use is a recent phenomena. So there is still alot of data to be studied and things to learn. Even with alcohol recent studies show as few as 4 drinks a week could be an issue or gateway to other problems for some.

And for some reason pot smokers seem to get a lot of free passes even cigarette smokers or beer guzzlers don't. It's like hands off the stoner.

Even the killer in the op only got 2 years probation. She should have gotten 5 to 10 years probabtion if they didn't think prison was deserved. I don't care how mad she was at him or how much he pressured her to smoke(which is an issue in itself). Even though dating for only a month I think she was already discovering things about her new bf she didn't like and the night of killing was the last straw not the only one.
 
dilettante said:
do we really want more going nuts and killing people?
Seems like a pretty weak argument to encourage drug abuse.
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Society's policies ought not be determined by the lowest common denominators of human behavior or pure unfortunate rare chance. Almost everything the vast majority enjoy has a few low numbers causing injury and even death. I'm a long time snow skier, yet each winter a few people ignoring avalanche warnings, go into such areas and trigger avalanches that kill. There is a long list of dangerous sports with Base Jumping the most extreme. Even popular media sports as US pro football and international soccer result in a few life long deaths. Worse none of us would be driving vehicles in this modern era. And many vastly important medicines and drugs would never become authorized for use.

That noted, yes we can ban some activities like kids driving racing stock cars or ban truly dangerous Level III drugs like opiates. But NO for other issues where to draw a line requires more consideration. Instead society in each generation must make reasoned balanced decisions.
 
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