NEWS: Herald Sun - 30/06/09 'Man researched poison that killed two'

[hoptis]

Man 'researched poison' that killed two
Article from: AAP
June 30, 2009 02:36pm

THE ex-girlfriend of a man accused of poisoning five people - two of them fatally - has told a Sydney court he spent years researching a potentially fatal drug cocktail to get high.

Shaun Bateson, 22, and Brian Hadfield, 29, died in mid-2004 after ingesting a toxic combination of the anti-depressants Aurorix and Effexor.

In January 2005, two people were taken to hospital and a third became unwell after taking the same drug cocktail.

Daniel Charles Riley has pleaded not guilty to two counts of manslaughter and three counts of using poison to endanger a life, after allegedly introducing all five to the lethal combination which prosecutors say gave him a high.

The 39-year-old from Burrier, on the NSW south coast, who has a history of depression, is accused of recommending the practice of combining the prescription medication despite knowing of its potentially fatal consequences.

Giving evidence against him at his trial in the Downing Centre District Court today, Mr Riley's ex-girlfriend Jodi Bailey - who lived with him from 1998 to 2003 - said he had thoroughly researched the drug combination and he had said it helped him deal with his psychiatric issues.

But he was aware that taken together, the medications could prove fatal, she said.

"He told me that the two drugs Aurorix and Effexor had contra-indications - he told me that they can produce a high together," Ms Bailey told the court.

"He also told me that they could potentially be fatal if taken in combination."

Ms Bailey said that when Riley was on the drugs he became socially inappropriate, crude and histrionic and always regretted it later.

"When he was sober, he would regret taking them and either relay events that had occurred or be reminded of events that had occurred and be remorseful or embarrassed and decide not to take them again," she said.

She told the court a woman with whom Riley had been staying had become critically ill after ingesting the drug cocktail in June 2000.

She said Riley gave Nicole Mullane, 22, the drugs at her home at Taree on NSW's mid-north coast and saw her lapse into a coma for days after falling sick.

"A few weeks later ... I had asked him why he did that, why he gave her the pills and he said he didn't realise it would hurt her," Ms Bailey told the jury.

"He said he didn't realise that she could die and he seemed very sorry.

"He told me that he would never take that combination of pills again."

Years later, after their relationship had ended and he had moved out of their shared home, Mr Riley resumed contact with Ms Bailey after a friend of his - Mr Bateson - became ill after taking the same toxic combination.

Mr Riley told her he had given his friend the medication, Ms Bailey said.

Herald Sun

 

[hyroller]

who needs enemies when you've got friends like that.

fucken tool. how irresponsible. and then to go on denying it.... indicating zero remorse.

 

[the_ketaman]

Yeah what a dick...I seriously hope he doesnt get a lesser sentence because of his "psychological issues" he needs a good 20 or more years in jail if you ask me.

Is there such a charge in Australia "attempted manslaughter"? If so I reckon he should be charged with that and if he was trying to hurt these people why doesnt he get chaged with (attempted)murder because my impressions is that he wanted to hurt/kill these people and it was premeditated, not try and get them high or just make them sick, so why is it manslaughter he is getting charged with I guess we wont ever know because none of us will be sitting in that court room. But it seems that Australian magistrates have been going easy on a lot of people lately, even for people who commit serious crimes like this I say give em hell, no remorse.

Maybe someone with a little more knowledge on law could comment?
this is really sad btw, some people are relly sick in the head...also its sad how some people will take whatever drugs they are given, I encourage all my acquaintances to look up any new substances they plan on taking because often people have asked me if 2 drugs they plan on taking will affect each other badly and often they will have some kind o interaction..Only yesterday someone asked me if two drugs they were going to take could hurt them and yep, they could have seriously hurt themselves it they did take what they were going to..drug research and harm minimization really is something the world needs and BL is a lifesaver. Im really happy this place is here. As I am also happy there are so many people here with the knowledge to help people and people do come here to seek information, though it also saddens me that there are dickheads who come here and make a thread seeking information but then take the drugs before someone replies and then whinge because theyre worried something is going to happen to them, some people have no comon sense. There are countless threads of people who have taken too much APAP or whatever and then are scared to go to the hospital despite the many people who have said go to the hospital or suffer the consequences of their actions...

 

[danzaman]

Is there such a charge in Australia "attempted manslaughter"?

No. As soon as the prosecution can prove an intent to kill, attemped murder charges would be laid. Manslaughter is what you are charged with when you kill someone, but it can't be proven you intended too.

I'm sure fortehlulz can enlighten us further though.

 

[static_mind]

Isn't manslaughter when you kill someone by accident while commiting another crime ie you kill someone while speeding or drink driving?

Attempted manslaughter sounds like attempted accident. Doesn't make any sense. Either he ment to kill them or he didn't.

 

[drug_mentor]

Thats pretty fucked up imho, but I would need more facts to have a real opinion on this.

If he just gave these people the 2 pills himself without stating what they were and told them to take them then yeah, he is definately at fault for their deaths and deserves manslaughter charges.

However if he just reccomended combining the two medications and these people senselessly obtained and combined these meds some of the blame has to fall on them. I am not saying he is not at fault if he ommitted the fact it could be dangerous but seriously you can't blame him fully for their deaths if they didn't do their research, it is not as though they could not have prevented their own deaths with 5 minutes of research in this case.

It also does not indicate that he did not warn these people of the possible complications, these people could have full well been informed of the danger but concluded based on this guys experience that death was not likely to occur. In this situation I would consider the man virtually blameless.

This article doesn't give nearly enough information for me to personally condemn this guy. He obviously behaved wrecklessly but the fact he was willing to use the combination himself and the fact he was actually mates with these people indicates to me there is a good chance that in reality the people who took it did so knowing what they were doing and ultimately the consequences have to be put on them.

 

[Sustanon]

I think before taking any sort of medication it should be researched by the person that wants to take them.