Posted 12:19 pm Wednesday, May 30, 2012
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UPDATE: Closing Arguments In Punishment Phase Tomorrow
Updated Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 12:18 p.m. CDT
Closing arguments in the punishment phase have been set for 8:30 a.m. Thursday. The prosecution will argue for the death penalty, and the defense will argue for something less than that.
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Updated Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 11:54 a.m. CDT
Dr. Edward Grippon, a psychiatrist called by prosecutors this morning, said that Cargill's reaction to two psychiatric drugs, along with two chronic diseases, Lupus and Crohn's disease could not cause her to kill someone.
The doctor examined Cargill on Monday night, he said, and found that the crime she committed "boils down to bad choice."
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The doctor examined Cargill on Monday night, he said, and found that the crime she committed "boils down to bad choice."
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Updated Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 10:06 a.m. CDT
The defense rested this morning in the capital murder trial of Kim Cargill.
Prosecutors have called a rebuttal witness, Forensic Psychologist Dr. Tim Proctor is testifying.
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Prosecutors have called a rebuttal witness, Forensic Psychologist Dr. Tim Proctor is testifying.
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By DAYNA WORCHEL
Staff Writer
A neuropharmacologist testified Tuesday that a drug commonly prescribed for some autoimmune conditions can cause psychiatric problems, even in someone who does not have a history of such problems.
Dr. Jonathan Lipman testified for the defense in the second week of the punishment phase of the Kimberly Cargill capital murder trial. A Smith County jury in the 241st District Court found Ms. Cargill guilty May 18 of killing her mentally challenged babysitter, Cherry Walker, in June 2010.
Ms. Cargill could face the death penalty.
The defendant took prednisone for two documented chronic autoimmune conditions, lupus and Crohn's disease. The prednisone is designed to reduce the inflammation that comes with these conditions, Lipman testified to the jury.
Staff Writer
A neuropharmacologist testified Tuesday that a drug commonly prescribed for some autoimmune conditions can cause psychiatric problems, even in someone who does not have a history of such problems.
Dr. Jonathan Lipman testified for the defense in the second week of the punishment phase of the Kimberly Cargill capital murder trial. A Smith County jury in the 241st District Court found Ms. Cargill guilty May 18 of killing her mentally challenged babysitter, Cherry Walker, in June 2010.
Ms. Cargill could face the death penalty.
The defendant took prednisone for two documented chronic autoimmune conditions, lupus and Crohn's disease. The prednisone is designed to reduce the inflammation that comes with these conditions, Lipman testified to the jury.
“Prednisone can cause people with borderline personality disorder to have mood instability and can cause them to become agitated,” Lipman said. He added that the medication can cause someone with no psychiatric problems to have increased anxiety, mania and delirium. A forensic psychologist testified earlier on Tuesday that she had diagnosed Ms. Cargill as having borderline personality disorder with anti-social tendencies.
Lipman said he never treated or interviewed Ms. Cargill. He also discussed the effects of two medications the defendant had taken for depression and anxiety, Celexa and Klonopin, which is commonly given for panic attacks.
Defense attorney Jeff Haas questioned Lipman about the possible side effects for someone on those medications who stopped taking them.
“For someone with borderline personality disorder, the effects can include violence and impulsive misbehaviors — if someone is suddenly removed, the person will have greater anxiety than before treatment started, and it can cause tremor, rapid heartbeat and sweating,” Lipman said.
Lipman said discontinuing the drug suddenly can cause a “rebound of depression — often worse than when it began.” People who have borderline personality are “exquisitely vulnerable” when ceasing the medications abruptly, Lipman said.
Lipman said he never treated or interviewed Ms. Cargill. He also discussed the effects of two medications the defendant had taken for depression and anxiety, Celexa and Klonopin, which is commonly given for panic attacks.
Defense attorney Jeff Haas questioned Lipman about the possible side effects for someone on those medications who stopped taking them.
“For someone with borderline personality disorder, the effects can include violence and impulsive misbehaviors — if someone is suddenly removed, the person will have greater anxiety than before treatment started, and it can cause tremor, rapid heartbeat and sweating,” Lipman said.
Lipman said discontinuing the drug suddenly can cause a “rebound of depression — often worse than when it began.” People who have borderline personality are “exquisitely vulnerable” when ceasing the medications abruptly, Lipman said.
Ms. Cargill took the stand in her own defense during the guilt-innocence phase of the trial. She testified that Ms. Walker had a seizure while the two rode in Ms. Cargill's car on June 18, 2010. Ms. Cargill said she panicked after she saw the victim had died and dumped the body on County Road 2191, setting it on fire. Ms. Walker had been subpoenaed to testify against the defendant in a child custody hearing.
In his opening statements to the jury, defense attorney Brett Harrison said the defense was not offering the evidence of the drug interactions and mental disorders of his client as an excuse for murder, but to give “insight into the reasons for why she behaved in the way she did.”
In response to questioning from Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham, Lipman said he could not say for certain whether Ms. Cargill had ever taken Celexa for depression and Klonipin for anxiety and when she may have gotten off of the medication.
Forensic Psychologist Dr. Antoinette McGarahan testified that after 4 1/2 hours of interviews with the defendant in which Ms. Cargill was given about 20 psychological tests, she diagnosed the defendant as having borderline personality disorder with antisocial and narcissistic personality disorders. The doctor said she also examined more than 10,000 pages of psychiatric history, court records and police reports to make her diagnosis. She tested Ms. Cargill in September 2011.
In his opening statements to the jury, defense attorney Brett Harrison said the defense was not offering the evidence of the drug interactions and mental disorders of his client as an excuse for murder, but to give “insight into the reasons for why she behaved in the way she did.”
In response to questioning from Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham, Lipman said he could not say for certain whether Ms. Cargill had ever taken Celexa for depression and Klonipin for anxiety and when she may have gotten off of the medication.
Forensic Psychologist Dr. Antoinette McGarahan testified that after 4 1/2 hours of interviews with the defendant in which Ms. Cargill was given about 20 psychological tests, she diagnosed the defendant as having borderline personality disorder with antisocial and narcissistic personality disorders. The doctor said she also examined more than 10,000 pages of psychiatric history, court records and police reports to make her diagnosis. She tested Ms. Cargill in September 2011.
Dr. McGarahan said the defendant “knew right from wrong (at the time of the murder of Ms. Walker) and that she was not insane.” Dr. McGarahan said Ms. Cargill had a personality disorder and a mental disorder, according to her testing but was not mentally ill.
“There are no medications that will give someone a mental disorder, but some meds may exacerbate a personality disorder,” Dr. McGarahan said.
She added that her testing showed Ms. Cargill to have some mild cognitive dysfunction, but that her IQ was 114, and considered to be in the “high normal” range.
One test that the doctor said she administered to Ms. Cargill was the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. The results showed a “great deal of emotional dysfunction” in the defendant's life. Ms. Cargill was shown to be chronically angry, hostile, very impulsive, sarcastic, irritable and immature, the test showed.
“They do not have a lot of empathy, and are very suspicious of others,” Dr. McGarahan said. The doctor said such a disorder can be brought on by a “cold and unresponsive caregiver” or by some traumatic childhood event early in life.
Dr. McGarahan testified that Ms. Cargill had told her she was molested at the age of 11 by a family member.
The doctor said people who have Ms. Cargill's condition can be treated mainly with psychotherapy if the individual is motivated to do so.
“She lacks the motivation to change,” Dr. McGarahan said of Ms. Cargill.
The defense also called several Smith County jailers who testified they had not had problems with the defendant while she has been incarcerated there.
Testimony will continue today.
“There are no medications that will give someone a mental disorder, but some meds may exacerbate a personality disorder,” Dr. McGarahan said.
She added that her testing showed Ms. Cargill to have some mild cognitive dysfunction, but that her IQ was 114, and considered to be in the “high normal” range.
One test that the doctor said she administered to Ms. Cargill was the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. The results showed a “great deal of emotional dysfunction” in the defendant's life. Ms. Cargill was shown to be chronically angry, hostile, very impulsive, sarcastic, irritable and immature, the test showed.
“They do not have a lot of empathy, and are very suspicious of others,” Dr. McGarahan said. The doctor said such a disorder can be brought on by a “cold and unresponsive caregiver” or by some traumatic childhood event early in life.
Dr. McGarahan testified that Ms. Cargill had told her she was molested at the age of 11 by a family member.
The doctor said people who have Ms. Cargill's condition can be treated mainly with psychotherapy if the individual is motivated to do so.
“She lacks the motivation to change,” Dr. McGarahan said of Ms. Cargill.
The defense also called several Smith County jailers who testified they had not had problems with the defendant while she has been incarcerated there.
Testimony will continue today.
