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 * Teen Uses Zoloft Defense in Murder Case** **By: Jesse Barry**

Christopher Pittman, a twelve year old boy who was known to be shy and decent, lived in Charleston, South Carolina when a tragic incident took place. His mother abandoned Christopher and his sister when they were both very young. Ever since, the children were raised by foster families and eventually ended up with their grandparents. It was on November 28, 2001 that Christopher committed the crime. The young teenager took a pump-action shotgun and murdered his grandparents Joe and Joy Pittman while they were in bed. He set the house on fire, and fled in the family car. Both of his grandparents died and he was caught soon after.

When Christopher turned twelve, he began to act grouchy and hateful towards his grandparents. One day he ran away, and that was the last straw. He was prescribed to Zolofot, a common anti-depresent which is not normally recommended for children. Just two days before he slaughtered his grandparents, his dosage was doubled. His defense in the case was that the Zoloft "made him do it". People who are on his side, such as his aunt Melinda Pittman Rector, claim that he was not his normal self that night because he was drugged. Because he committed the crime when he was only twelve, he believed that it would be unfair to try him as an adult. Prosecutors said that Christopher murdered his grandparents because they were scolding him for getting in a fight on the school bus. To them, the case is not about Zoloft, but about Christopher as a person. Prosecutor Lucinda Mckeller said that she thought Christopher was well aware of his rights as a citizen, and had no reason to defend himself by using Zoloft as an excuse. This case was so controversial among the jury that they had to hold the case for three years.

Despite Christopher's Zoloft defense, the prosecutors won the case. For the three years that Christopher awaited the life-determining decision, he was sent to a juvenile detention center. When he was fifteen years old, he was convicted and sentenced 30 years in an adult jail.

Even after looking through a whole entire website called "Free Christopher Pittman", I still believe the case was just. The whole website is in Christopher's defense because he was just an adolenscent and anti-depressents made him act out. If the Zoloft was truly creating hallucinations in Christopher's mind, he would have wrecked when he stole the family car. I do believe, however, that it was unfair to sentence him to an adult jail at fifteen years of age. A juvenial home or institution would have been necessary until he turned at least sixteen. Taking away the rights that he shares with others is unjust. What is justice anyway? Perhaps it's fairness, perhaps it's giving someone what they deserve. 30 years in jail is not an exaggeration considering the crime he committed, so therefore, the case is just enough. If Christopher had been older when he shot his grandparents, I'm sure he would not be recieving as much public sympathy, and he would have most likely gotten the death sentence.



(February 1, 2005). //Teen uses zoloft defense in murder case//. Retrieved from: []
 * References **

(2006). //Free Christopher Pittman//. Retrieved from: []

//Online Zoloft//. [Online Image]. Retrieved on November 12, 2009 from the Zoloft website: []

//Christopher's Story//. [Online Photograph]. Retrieved on November 12, 2009 from the Christopher Pittman Info website: []