Zoloft, Xanax and Paxil Mother On Trial For Killing Her Sons

[Guest guest]

Mother On Trial For Killing Her Sons

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?

storyid=49516

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FL -- Demeniuk's day in court has been five

years in coming.

In a St. s County Courtroom, she looked far different than that

March day in 2001 in which she killed her twin 4-year-old sons,

and . Now, Demeniuk's hair is brown and pulled back in a

pony tail, not the blond spikey short cut she donned in her mug

shot.

Jury selection got off to a slow start Tuesday. About 100

prospective jurors showed up at the courthouse, but by the end of

the day a jury had not been selected.

Not one juror saw the inside of the courtroom Tuesday. Demeniuk's

attorneys, Bill Sheppard and Gray argued too many potential

jurors had been dismissed for improper reasons. St. s County

Circuit Judge disagreed.

In 2001, Demeniuk's boyfriend called 911 and told the operator he

had found and dead in the bedroom. Demeniuk was on the

bed with the gun next to her. Prosecutors say she had shot both of

the boys to death in her father's Ponte Vedra home.

Demeniuk had been taking Zoloft and Paxil, antidepressants as well

as Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug. She had also been drinking the day

of the crime. Her defense is expected to argue that she drank to

calm and constant restlessness caused by the drugs.

In May 2001, Demeniuk pleaded not guilty. Two years later, she

changed her plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.

It's taken five years to get to a trial, in part because of two Frye

hearings. In the last one, the judge ruled Demeniuk's attorneys

could not argue her prescribed medication mixed with alcohol drove

her to kill her sons.

The State is no longer seeking the death penalty in this case.

Jury selection will resume Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at the St. s

County Courthouse.

Created: 1/3/2006 6:27:27 PM

Updated: 1/3/2006 11:26:44 PM

Edited by , Reporter

© 2004-2005 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may

not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Guest guest]

Mother On Trial For Killing Her Sons

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?

storyid=49516

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FL -- Demeniuk's day in court has been five

years in coming.

In a St. s County Courtroom, she looked far different than that

March day in 2001 in which she killed her twin 4-year-old sons,

and . Now, Demeniuk's hair is brown and pulled back in a

pony tail, not the blond spikey short cut she donned in her mug

shot.

Jury selection got off to a slow start Tuesday. About 100

prospective jurors showed up at the courthouse, but by the end of

the day a jury had not been selected.

Not one juror saw the inside of the courtroom Tuesday. Demeniuk's

attorneys, Bill Sheppard and Gray argued too many potential

jurors had been dismissed for improper reasons. St. s County

Circuit Judge disagreed.

In 2001, Demeniuk's boyfriend called 911 and told the operator he

had found and dead in the bedroom. Demeniuk was on the

bed with the gun next to her. Prosecutors say she had shot both of

the boys to death in her father's Ponte Vedra home.

Demeniuk had been taking Zoloft and Paxil, antidepressants as well

as Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug. She had also been drinking the day

of the crime. Her defense is expected to argue that she drank to

calm and constant restlessness caused by the drugs.

In May 2001, Demeniuk pleaded not guilty. Two years later, she

changed her plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.

It's taken five years to get to a trial, in part because of two Frye

hearings. In the last one, the judge ruled Demeniuk's attorneys

could not argue her prescribed medication mixed with alcohol drove

her to kill her sons.

The State is no longer seeking the death penalty in this case.

Jury selection will resume Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at the St. s

County Courthouse.

Created: 1/3/2006 6:27:27 PM

Updated: 1/3/2006 11:26:44 PM

Edited by , Reporter

© 2004-2005 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may

not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Guest guest]

Mother On Trial For Killing Her Sons

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?

storyid=49516

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FL -- Demeniuk's day in court has been five

years in coming.

In a St. s County Courtroom, she looked far different than that

March day in 2001 in which she killed her twin 4-year-old sons,

and . Now, Demeniuk's hair is brown and pulled back in a

pony tail, not the blond spikey short cut she donned in her mug

shot.

Jury selection got off to a slow start Tuesday. About 100

prospective jurors showed up at the courthouse, but by the end of

the day a jury had not been selected.

Not one juror saw the inside of the courtroom Tuesday. Demeniuk's

attorneys, Bill Sheppard and Gray argued too many potential

jurors had been dismissed for improper reasons. St. s County

Circuit Judge disagreed.

In 2001, Demeniuk's boyfriend called 911 and told the operator he

had found and dead in the bedroom. Demeniuk was on the

bed with the gun next to her. Prosecutors say she had shot both of

the boys to death in her father's Ponte Vedra home.

Demeniuk had been taking Zoloft and Paxil, antidepressants as well

as Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug. She had also been drinking the day

of the crime. Her defense is expected to argue that she drank to

calm and constant restlessness caused by the drugs.

In May 2001, Demeniuk pleaded not guilty. Two years later, she

changed her plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.

It's taken five years to get to a trial, in part because of two Frye

hearings. In the last one, the judge ruled Demeniuk's attorneys

could not argue her prescribed medication mixed with alcohol drove

her to kill her sons.

The State is no longer seeking the death penalty in this case.

Jury selection will resume Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at the St. s

County Courthouse.

Created: 1/3/2006 6:27:27 PM

Updated: 1/3/2006 11:26:44 PM

Edited by , Reporter

© 2004-2005 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may

not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Guest guest]

Mother On Trial For Killing Her Sons

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?

storyid=49516

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FL -- Demeniuk's day in court has been five

years in coming.

In a St. s County Courtroom, she looked far different than that

March day in 2001 in which she killed her twin 4-year-old sons,

and . Now, Demeniuk's hair is brown and pulled back in a

pony tail, not the blond spikey short cut she donned in her mug

shot.

Jury selection got off to a slow start Tuesday. About 100

prospective jurors showed up at the courthouse, but by the end of

the day a jury had not been selected.

Not one juror saw the inside of the courtroom Tuesday. Demeniuk's

attorneys, Bill Sheppard and Gray argued too many potential

jurors had been dismissed for improper reasons. St. s County

Circuit Judge disagreed.

In 2001, Demeniuk's boyfriend called 911 and told the operator he

had found and dead in the bedroom. Demeniuk was on the

bed with the gun next to her. Prosecutors say she had shot both of

the boys to death in her father's Ponte Vedra home.

Demeniuk had been taking Zoloft and Paxil, antidepressants as well

as Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug. She had also been drinking the day

of the crime. Her defense is expected to argue that she drank to

calm and constant restlessness caused by the drugs.

In May 2001, Demeniuk pleaded not guilty. Two years later, she

changed her plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.

It's taken five years to get to a trial, in part because of two Frye

hearings. In the last one, the judge ruled Demeniuk's attorneys

could not argue her prescribed medication mixed with alcohol drove

her to kill her sons.

The State is no longer seeking the death penalty in this case.

Jury selection will resume Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at the St. s

County Courthouse.

Created: 1/3/2006 6:27:27 PM

Updated: 1/3/2006 11:26:44 PM

Edited by , Reporter

© 2004-2005 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may

not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.