A Nassau, NY, judge reiterated her earlier decision to allow Brandon Hampson, 39, of Coram, NY, to use the so-called Zoloft defense at his upcoming trial. His attorney plans to argue that once the defendant discontinued use of the antidepressant medication, he became violent and beat his ex-girlfriend. District Court Judge Rhonda Fischer said Friday, for the second time, she will permit a psychiatry expert witness, to testify at trial that a withdrawal from Zoloft, a widely prescribed antidepressant, could cause a person to become hostile and aggressive.
Hampson is accused of punching and kicking his former girlfriend, Lisa Essling, 28, of Malverne, on Aug. 25, 2006. Hampson "had stopped taking Zoloft" at least several days before he attacked Essling and the withdrawal from the pill made him violent, defense attorney Eric Bernstein said.
Excerpted from www.newsday.com.
