trainwreckmolly
Bluelighter
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/2008/12/17/7776116-sun.html
Pot use drove man to pluck out own eye, court told
December 17, 2008 - edmontonsun.com
KITCHENER, Ont. -- A court heard yesterday that a man who gouged out his eye in a Kitchener police station last summer was suffering from a drug-induced psychosis caused by chronic marijuana use.
Derrick Penney was found not criminally responsible for a dangerous driving rampage last July where he rammed cars, hit a bus and drove at high speed into oncoming traffic in south Kitchener.
BIZARRE
Prosecutor Lynette Fritzley says he'd been behaving bizarrely and thought people were out to kill him that day.
His wild behaviour culminated a month later, in August, when Penney walked into a police station, sat in the lobby and began praying loudly, then plucked out his right eye.
Penney, 45, pleaded guilty yesterday to dangerous driving and possessing marijuana, but was found not criminally responsible.
His case will now go to the Ontario Review Board, which must decide on his future within 45 days.
PSYCHOSIS
Penney's behaviour was the result of drug-induced psychosis, and the drug was marijuana, psychiatrist Dr. William Komer concluded in a report presented in court.
Penney was a chronic marijuana user.
The fact that chronic marijuana use can cause active psychotic symptoms is a fairly recent concept which isn't well known, said Steve Gehl, a lawyer who specializes in mental health cases.
"You don't know when you buy marijuana what other chemicals are used," such as crystal methamphetamine, Gehl said.
The review board can discharge Penney absolutely, detain him in hospital or discharge him with conditions in the community.
Pot use drove man to pluck out own eye, court told
December 17, 2008 - edmontonsun.com
KITCHENER, Ont. -- A court heard yesterday that a man who gouged out his eye in a Kitchener police station last summer was suffering from a drug-induced psychosis caused by chronic marijuana use.
Derrick Penney was found not criminally responsible for a dangerous driving rampage last July where he rammed cars, hit a bus and drove at high speed into oncoming traffic in south Kitchener.
BIZARRE
Prosecutor Lynette Fritzley says he'd been behaving bizarrely and thought people were out to kill him that day.
His wild behaviour culminated a month later, in August, when Penney walked into a police station, sat in the lobby and began praying loudly, then plucked out his right eye.
Penney, 45, pleaded guilty yesterday to dangerous driving and possessing marijuana, but was found not criminally responsible.
His case will now go to the Ontario Review Board, which must decide on his future within 45 days.
PSYCHOSIS
Penney's behaviour was the result of drug-induced psychosis, and the drug was marijuana, psychiatrist Dr. William Komer concluded in a report presented in court.
Penney was a chronic marijuana user.
The fact that chronic marijuana use can cause active psychotic symptoms is a fairly recent concept which isn't well known, said Steve Gehl, a lawyer who specializes in mental health cases.
"You don't know when you buy marijuana what other chemicals are used," such as crystal methamphetamine, Gehl said.
The review board can discharge Penney absolutely, detain him in hospital or discharge him with conditions in the community.
