'It wasn't my ' Was medication to blame?

[Guest guest]

The fact of the matter is that every patient on a psychotropic drug has a

substance used disorder. These pushers come in white coats. I once

considered them legitimate members of my profession. Fred Baughman, MD

Gang, Here is a senseless, all-too-familiar, family tragedy. The time

frame and the symptoms of akathisia that appear in this story are well known

to those gang members who have lost loved ones. Gang member

Rapuzzi's 82 year old father is charged with attempting to murder his 79

year old wife of 60 years. Her father was newly prescribed the

antidepressant Wellbutrin. On the 12th day on the drug he attacked his wife

and was planning to take his own life. Vince

http://www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=0060212/NEWS/60212008

'It wasn't my '

A Yelm couple's lives are torn apart after one terrifying night.

Was medication to blame?

BY SCOTT GUTIERREZ

THE OLYMPIAN

YELM - Margaret Attwood's eyes opened just as her husband of 60 years thrust

the kitchen knife into her neck.

She had little time to react, not even out of disbelief. She turned over in

bed to see her husband, , his face with no expression, no emotion,

preparing to strike her again with the knife.

At that moment, as she looked into that vacant, cold face, she knew she had

to survive - not only for her daughters, her grandchildren and her

great-grandchildren.

She had to survive to be his witness. Only she could describe that vacant

expression, the proof to her that something had gone terribly wrong in his

mind.

" If I don't stop him, if he kills me, there won't be anybody to know how he

looks, " said Attwood, as she recalled her thoughts on the early morning of

Oct. 3. " There was no sign of an expression on his face. It was just blank,

just like a zombie. "

The previous six months had not been easy. Health and financial problems had

overcome Attwood, a retired Boeing draftsman, and he sank into an

uncharacteristic depression. Uncertain of what to do, his daughter took him

to a Yelm family doctor, who put him on the antidepressant Wellbutrin.

Twelve days after taking the first pill, attacked his wife, and was

planning to kill himself, court documents say. His family, now aware of

recent governmental warnings about potential risks associated with

antidepress- ants, suspect there is a connection between the drug and 's

violent outburst.

Now, Attwood, 82, is in jail, charged with attempted first-degree

murder. His mental state at the time of the stabbing will be key as the

justice system decides how to proceed. He has spent the past three months at

Western State Hospital in Tacoma, undergoing evaluation.

And at a time when Margaret Attwood, 79, and her husband should be enjoying

their grandchildren and their twilight years together, they are coping with

a horror that has torn their lives apart.

For the first time in their 60-year marriage, they are apart, prevented from

seeing each other by a court order that is standard in domestic violence

cases.

The separation is breaking Margaret Attwood's heart, and family members

worry that it is beginning to crumble the inner strength that enabled her to

survive the unfathomable knife attack.

" This has been a very sad part of our lives that I never expected to

happen, " she said, while sitting down with her two daughters,

Carlson and Rapuzzi, during an interview last month at 's home

in Yelm.

" We just still can't believe it, " said , 52, who lives in Lake Forest

Park. " It was a nightmare then, and it is a nightmare now. "

Margaret Attwood clenches a tissue and occasionally sobs as she recalls what

happened. A pink scar, about 7 inches long, traces down the right side of

her neck.

Building a life

She and married in 1946, just after World War II, in a Methodist church

in Bristol, England, where they lived. Household goods were being rationed

because of the war, and Margaret borrowed her wedding dress from a friend.

They raised two daughters, who describe their father as a gentle, dignified,

good-humored man devoted to his family. Although he and Margaret had

occasional arguments, he never laid a hand on her.

Margaret Attwood said her husband is her closest friend. had begun his

career as an apprentice at a British airplane manufacturer.

The couple immigrated to Canada in 1957 and 10 years later to Seattle, where

was hired by The Boeing Co. He retired from the company about 20 years

ago.

He enjoyed football, soccer and fishing. He also was fond of gardening and

tended to roses, irises and daffodils in his front yard.

Last July, the couple moved from their Tukwila condominium to a small home

next to their daughter, , who purchased the adjacent property with her

parents in mind. 's husband and son remodeled the home, widening the

doorways and making the shower wheelchair accessible.

By then, age and health problems were taking their toll on .

He had survived a heart attack in 2000 and undergone quintuple bypass

surgery. He had surgery for prostate cancer and suffered a pulmonary

embolism in 1997, which nearly killed him. He also has neuropathy, which

causes discoloration and pain in his legs.

After their parents moved into the new home, the daughters learned that

financial problems also were weighing on their father. Their parents had

started going to Muckleshoot Casino near Auburn and enjoyed playing the slot

machines.

The gambling, along with high costs for medication and medical treatments,

left them with unexpected credit card debt. It soon grew too difficult to

pay the monthly bills with income from Social Security and 's pensions.

, meanwhile, grew more detached and irritable, to the point his

daughters could no longer ignore it. Just seven months after moving into the

home on their daughter's property, , took her father to see a family

practitioner in Yelm. The doctor suggested an antidepressant. didn't

think he could afford a prescription so the doctor provided him with a

two-week sample of Wellbutrin.The doctor advised them to look for

personality changes or signs of aggression and said to return in a few

weeks, said.

noticed gradual changes that she didn't attribute to the medication.

Her father, for example, had begun pacing, wringing his hands and

complaining about a funny smell days after beginning the medicine. His moods

seemed to get worse. Ten days later, his daughter called the doctor's

office with concerns about her father's behavior. The doctor, however, wasn'

t in. She left a message for the on-call physician, but never got a return

call.

A moment of terror

Margaret Attwood went to sleep just after 1 a.m. on Oct. 3.

She nodded off, only to be awakened by the metal blade puncturing the right

side of her neck. Stunned, she looked up to see her husband on top of her,

lifting the knife for another strike. " , don't do this to me, " she

cried, reaching with her hand to grab the blade. It sliced into her fingers

but she prevented him from striking again. She kicked him in the stomach and

escaped.

Margaret ran out into the cold, blood pumping from her wound as she

staggered to 's home. ran out and took her into the house. They

called the sheriff. " The whole time she was crying, 'Please don't let them

hurt him - it wasn't my ,' " said.

Meanwhile, slumped into a chair and waited. His hands were coated with

blood.

A deputy knocked on 's door and, when he answered, asked what had

happened. said he had planned to kill his wife and then, if successful,

himself, court documents say.

Margaret Attwood was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where

she underwent surgery and spent several days recuperating. The mention of

suicide is what family members and his attorney think is significant.

Margaret Attwood said that as she and her husband have grown older, they've

talked more about death. Attwood said she always told her husband she wanted

to be the first to go because she couldn't imagine her life without him.

" I wonder if that got all scrambled up in his head. At our age, when you get

to this stage in life - we've been married so long, we can't imagine being

without the other, " she said.

At Harborview, a surgeon asked the family whether had taken any

medications that might have caused him to respond violently. They mentioned

the Wellbutrin, said.

" And he said, 'That's it.' "

Before then, and knew little about Wellbutrin, or other

commonly prescribed antidepressants. After they began researching, they

started to suspect a connection.

Back in jail

returned to Thurston County Jail from Western State Hospital last week.

A report on his competency to stand trial is expected to follow.

The family's hopes rest with court-appointed attorney Margaret Brammall, who

primarily represents indigent clients with mental health disorders.

Brammall, like her client, hails from England, in a town called Dorking, not

far from Bristol.

Brammall said she's waiting to see the hospital's report. If is found

incompetent to stand trial, which would require a court to find that he is

unable to comprehend the legal process or unable to participate in his own

defense, the charge would be dismissed.

also was evaluated for diminished capacity, which exists when emotional

distress, a physical condition or the influence of a medication prevents a

defendant from understanding what he was doing when committing a crime.

According to the family, was evaluated for Alzheimer's disease and

dementia and showed no signs of either. Even if there were other health

issues, the medication at the very least made them worse, his attorney said.

If the charges are dismissed, he still could be required to undergo

treatment until he is deemed safe to be released, she said.

What's important now is enabling the couple to see each other, even if in a

supervised setting, family members and his attorney said.

Margaret Attwood's health is deteriorating from the anguish of not being

able to see her husband, they said.

When Attwood's daughters would go to visit their father at Western State,

their mother would go just to wait in the car, so her husband would know she

loves and supports him. As they drove away, he would stand by his window so

she could wave to him from the parking lot, mindful of the 1,000-foot

restriction set by the no-contact order.

Sometimes, Margaret said, she sobs all night in bed. It has been hard to

sleep.

She attended one of his first court hearings in October, at which her

husband's attorney asked the court to allow them to see each other. It

devastated her to see him in a bright orange jail jumpsuit. She shouted his

name as he exited the courtroom.

" All I know is that I had to be there to show him I adored him, " she said.

The proposal already has been rejected once by a judge and the prosecutor's

office. But, Brammall thinks the emotional stress of separation is too much

for her client and his wife to bear. A hearing on his mental state could be

weeks away.

" The best thing is to let him enjoy his sunset years with his wife. I do not

believe there is any community safety issue here. I am also certain he will

not do anything like this again, " Brammall said.

The issue is not as clear for Senior Deputy Prosecutor Steve Straume, who

said he still needs to see all the facts before making a decision.

The case is considered domestic violence, the type of case that frequently

forces prosecutors into unpopular decisions. Many domestic violence victims

don't realize the danger they're facing from a loved one. " It is a hard case

to deal with, " Straume said. " And that is why you need to get as much

information as you can before making any decisions. We are gathering

information and trying to come into a fair and reasonable decision that

takes into account public safety and the needs of the family and the

community, " he said.

" We have an obligation to make sure that she is safe. I would have to look

at the plan before I would agree one way or the other for visitation. "

Meanwhile, Margaret Attwood is staying with her daughters and relying on

them for care.

's mental health seems to have improved since he has been in custody and

his good spirit has returned, his daughters said.

said she broke down when her mother talked about her marriage vows.

" She said, 'When you get married, you say your vows in sickness and in

health' and she can't do anything for him in sickness and she feels so

robbed of that because she can't help him heal. "

Rapuzzi said her father is appalled at what he did.

" It's so awful to think of that being in the same sentence as dad's name, "

she said.

His daughters say that he told them during a visit in jail that something

came over him when he attacked their mother.

" He can't believe what he did, " Rapuzzi said.

" They have been so upstanding their whole lives. They are good, hard-working

people, " she said. " And they love each other so. "

Gutierrez covers courts, crime and law enforcement for The Olympian.

He can be reached at 360-754-5465 or by e-mail at

sgutierrez@....

[Guest guest]

The fact of the matter is that every patient on a psychotropic drug has a

substance used disorder. These pushers come in white coats. I once

considered them legitimate members of my profession. Fred Baughman, MD

Gang, Here is a senseless, all-too-familiar, family tragedy. The time

frame and the symptoms of akathisia that appear in this story are well known

to those gang members who have lost loved ones. Gang member

Rapuzzi's 82 year old father is charged with attempting to murder his 79

year old wife of 60 years. Her father was newly prescribed the

antidepressant Wellbutrin. On the 12th day on the drug he attacked his wife

and was planning to take his own life. Vince

http://www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=0060212/NEWS/60212008

'It wasn't my '

A Yelm couple's lives are torn apart after one terrifying night.

Was medication to blame?

BY SCOTT GUTIERREZ

THE OLYMPIAN

YELM - Margaret Attwood's eyes opened just as her husband of 60 years thrust

the kitchen knife into her neck.

She had little time to react, not even out of disbelief. She turned over in

bed to see her husband, , his face with no expression, no emotion,

preparing to strike her again with the knife.

At that moment, as she looked into that vacant, cold face, she knew she had

to survive - not only for her daughters, her grandchildren and her

great-grandchildren.

She had to survive to be his witness. Only she could describe that vacant

expression, the proof to her that something had gone terribly wrong in his

mind.

" If I don't stop him, if he kills me, there won't be anybody to know how he

looks, " said Attwood, as she recalled her thoughts on the early morning of

Oct. 3. " There was no sign of an expression on his face. It was just blank,

just like a zombie. "

The previous six months had not been easy. Health and financial problems had

overcome Attwood, a retired Boeing draftsman, and he sank into an

uncharacteristic depression. Uncertain of what to do, his daughter took him

to a Yelm family doctor, who put him on the antidepressant Wellbutrin.

Twelve days after taking the first pill, attacked his wife, and was

planning to kill himself, court documents say. His family, now aware of

recent governmental warnings about potential risks associated with

antidepress- ants, suspect there is a connection between the drug and 's

violent outburst.

Now, Attwood, 82, is in jail, charged with attempted first-degree

murder. His mental state at the time of the stabbing will be key as the

justice system decides how to proceed. He has spent the past three months at

Western State Hospital in Tacoma, undergoing evaluation.

And at a time when Margaret Attwood, 79, and her husband should be enjoying

their grandchildren and their twilight years together, they are coping with

a horror that has torn their lives apart.

For the first time in their 60-year marriage, they are apart, prevented from

seeing each other by a court order that is standard in domestic violence

cases.

The separation is breaking Margaret Attwood's heart, and family members

worry that it is beginning to crumble the inner strength that enabled her to

survive the unfathomable knife attack.

" This has been a very sad part of our lives that I never expected to

happen, " she said, while sitting down with her two daughters,

Carlson and Rapuzzi, during an interview last month at 's home

in Yelm.

" We just still can't believe it, " said , 52, who lives in Lake Forest

Park. " It was a nightmare then, and it is a nightmare now. "

Margaret Attwood clenches a tissue and occasionally sobs as she recalls what

happened. A pink scar, about 7 inches long, traces down the right side of

her neck.

Building a life

She and married in 1946, just after World War II, in a Methodist church

in Bristol, England, where they lived. Household goods were being rationed

because of the war, and Margaret borrowed her wedding dress from a friend.

They raised two daughters, who describe their father as a gentle, dignified,

good-humored man devoted to his family. Although he and Margaret had

occasional arguments, he never laid a hand on her.

Margaret Attwood said her husband is her closest friend. had begun his

career as an apprentice at a British airplane manufacturer.

The couple immigrated to Canada in 1957 and 10 years later to Seattle, where

was hired by The Boeing Co. He retired from the company about 20 years

ago.

He enjoyed football, soccer and fishing. He also was fond of gardening and

tended to roses, irises and daffodils in his front yard.

Last July, the couple moved from their Tukwila condominium to a small home

next to their daughter, , who purchased the adjacent property with her

parents in mind. 's husband and son remodeled the home, widening the

doorways and making the shower wheelchair accessible.

By then, age and health problems were taking their toll on .

He had survived a heart attack in 2000 and undergone quintuple bypass

surgery. He had surgery for prostate cancer and suffered a pulmonary

embolism in 1997, which nearly killed him. He also has neuropathy, which

causes discoloration and pain in his legs.

After their parents moved into the new home, the daughters learned that

financial problems also were weighing on their father. Their parents had

started going to Muckleshoot Casino near Auburn and enjoyed playing the slot

machines.

The gambling, along with high costs for medication and medical treatments,

left them with unexpected credit card debt. It soon grew too difficult to

pay the monthly bills with income from Social Security and 's pensions.

, meanwhile, grew more detached and irritable, to the point his

daughters could no longer ignore it. Just seven months after moving into the

home on their daughter's property, , took her father to see a family

practitioner in Yelm. The doctor suggested an antidepressant. didn't

think he could afford a prescription so the doctor provided him with a

two-week sample of Wellbutrin.The doctor advised them to look for

personality changes or signs of aggression and said to return in a few

weeks, said.

noticed gradual changes that she didn't attribute to the medication.

Her father, for example, had begun pacing, wringing his hands and

complaining about a funny smell days after beginning the medicine. His moods

seemed to get worse. Ten days later, his daughter called the doctor's

office with concerns about her father's behavior. The doctor, however, wasn'

t in. She left a message for the on-call physician, but never got a return

call.

A moment of terror

Margaret Attwood went to sleep just after 1 a.m. on Oct. 3.

She nodded off, only to be awakened by the metal blade puncturing the right

side of her neck. Stunned, she looked up to see her husband on top of her,

lifting the knife for another strike. " , don't do this to me, " she

cried, reaching with her hand to grab the blade. It sliced into her fingers

but she prevented him from striking again. She kicked him in the stomach and

escaped.

Margaret ran out into the cold, blood pumping from her wound as she

staggered to 's home. ran out and took her into the house. They

called the sheriff. " The whole time she was crying, 'Please don't let them

hurt him - it wasn't my ,' " said.

Meanwhile, slumped into a chair and waited. His hands were coated with

blood.

A deputy knocked on 's door and, when he answered, asked what had

happened. said he had planned to kill his wife and then, if successful,

himself, court documents say.

Margaret Attwood was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where

she underwent surgery and spent several days recuperating. The mention of

suicide is what family members and his attorney think is significant.

Margaret Attwood said that as she and her husband have grown older, they've

talked more about death. Attwood said she always told her husband she wanted

to be the first to go because she couldn't imagine her life without him.

" I wonder if that got all scrambled up in his head. At our age, when you get

to this stage in life - we've been married so long, we can't imagine being

without the other, " she said.

At Harborview, a surgeon asked the family whether had taken any

medications that might have caused him to respond violently. They mentioned

the Wellbutrin, said.

" And he said, 'That's it.' "

Before then, and knew little about Wellbutrin, or other

commonly prescribed antidepressants. After they began researching, they

started to suspect a connection.

Back in jail

returned to Thurston County Jail from Western State Hospital last week.

A report on his competency to stand trial is expected to follow.

The family's hopes rest with court-appointed attorney Margaret Brammall, who

primarily represents indigent clients with mental health disorders.

Brammall, like her client, hails from England, in a town called Dorking, not

far from Bristol.

Brammall said she's waiting to see the hospital's report. If is found

incompetent to stand trial, which would require a court to find that he is

unable to comprehend the legal process or unable to participate in his own

defense, the charge would be dismissed.

also was evaluated for diminished capacity, which exists when emotional

distress, a physical condition or the influence of a medication prevents a

defendant from understanding what he was doing when committing a crime.

According to the family, was evaluated for Alzheimer's disease and

dementia and showed no signs of either. Even if there were other health

issues, the medication at the very least made them worse, his attorney said.

If the charges are dismissed, he still could be required to undergo

treatment until he is deemed safe to be released, she said.

What's important now is enabling the couple to see each other, even if in a

supervised setting, family members and his attorney said.

Margaret Attwood's health is deteriorating from the anguish of not being

able to see her husband, they said.

When Attwood's daughters would go to visit their father at Western State,

their mother would go just to wait in the car, so her husband would know she

loves and supports him. As they drove away, he would stand by his window so

she could wave to him from the parking lot, mindful of the 1,000-foot

restriction set by the no-contact order.

Sometimes, Margaret said, she sobs all night in bed. It has been hard to

sleep.

She attended one of his first court hearings in October, at which her

husband's attorney asked the court to allow them to see each other. It

devastated her to see him in a bright orange jail jumpsuit. She shouted his

name as he exited the courtroom.

" All I know is that I had to be there to show him I adored him, " she said.

The proposal already has been rejected once by a judge and the prosecutor's

office. But, Brammall thinks the emotional stress of separation is too much

for her client and his wife to bear. A hearing on his mental state could be

weeks away.

" The best thing is to let him enjoy his sunset years with his wife. I do not

believe there is any community safety issue here. I am also certain he will

not do anything like this again, " Brammall said.

The issue is not as clear for Senior Deputy Prosecutor Steve Straume, who

said he still needs to see all the facts before making a decision.

The case is considered domestic violence, the type of case that frequently

forces prosecutors into unpopular decisions. Many domestic violence victims

don't realize the danger they're facing from a loved one. " It is a hard case

to deal with, " Straume said. " And that is why you need to get as much

information as you can before making any decisions. We are gathering

information and trying to come into a fair and reasonable decision that

takes into account public safety and the needs of the family and the

community, " he said.

" We have an obligation to make sure that she is safe. I would have to look

at the plan before I would agree one way or the other for visitation. "

Meanwhile, Margaret Attwood is staying with her daughters and relying on

them for care.

's mental health seems to have improved since he has been in custody and

his good spirit has returned, his daughters said.

said she broke down when her mother talked about her marriage vows.

" She said, 'When you get married, you say your vows in sickness and in

health' and she can't do anything for him in sickness and she feels so

robbed of that because she can't help him heal. "

Rapuzzi said her father is appalled at what he did.

" It's so awful to think of that being in the same sentence as dad's name, "

she said.

His daughters say that he told them during a visit in jail that something

came over him when he attacked their mother.

" He can't believe what he did, " Rapuzzi said.

" They have been so upstanding their whole lives. They are good, hard-working

people, " she said. " And they love each other so. "

Gutierrez covers courts, crime and law enforcement for The Olympian.

He can be reached at 360-754-5465 or by e-mail at

sgutierrez@....

[Guest guest]

The fact of the matter is that every patient on a psychotropic drug has a

substance used disorder. These pushers come in white coats. I once

considered them legitimate members of my profession. Fred Baughman, MD

Gang, Here is a senseless, all-too-familiar, family tragedy. The time

frame and the symptoms of akathisia that appear in this story are well known

to those gang members who have lost loved ones. Gang member

Rapuzzi's 82 year old father is charged with attempting to murder his 79

year old wife of 60 years. Her father was newly prescribed the

antidepressant Wellbutrin. On the 12th day on the drug he attacked his wife

and was planning to take his own life. Vince

http://www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=0060212/NEWS/60212008

'It wasn't my '

A Yelm couple's lives are torn apart after one terrifying night.

Was medication to blame?

BY SCOTT GUTIERREZ

THE OLYMPIAN

YELM - Margaret Attwood's eyes opened just as her husband of 60 years thrust

the kitchen knife into her neck.

She had little time to react, not even out of disbelief. She turned over in

bed to see her husband, , his face with no expression, no emotion,

preparing to strike her again with the knife.

At that moment, as she looked into that vacant, cold face, she knew she had

to survive - not only for her daughters, her grandchildren and her

great-grandchildren.

She had to survive to be his witness. Only she could describe that vacant

expression, the proof to her that something had gone terribly wrong in his

mind.

" If I don't stop him, if he kills me, there won't be anybody to know how he

looks, " said Attwood, as she recalled her thoughts on the early morning of

Oct. 3. " There was no sign of an expression on his face. It was just blank,

just like a zombie. "

The previous six months had not been easy. Health and financial problems had

overcome Attwood, a retired Boeing draftsman, and he sank into an

uncharacteristic depression. Uncertain of what to do, his daughter took him

to a Yelm family doctor, who put him on the antidepressant Wellbutrin.

Twelve days after taking the first pill, attacked his wife, and was

planning to kill himself, court documents say. His family, now aware of

recent governmental warnings about potential risks associated with

antidepress- ants, suspect there is a connection between the drug and 's

violent outburst.

Now, Attwood, 82, is in jail, charged with attempted first-degree

murder. His mental state at the time of the stabbing will be key as the

justice system decides how to proceed. He has spent the past three months at

Western State Hospital in Tacoma, undergoing evaluation.

And at a time when Margaret Attwood, 79, and her husband should be enjoying

their grandchildren and their twilight years together, they are coping with

a horror that has torn their lives apart.

For the first time in their 60-year marriage, they are apart, prevented from

seeing each other by a court order that is standard in domestic violence

cases.

The separation is breaking Margaret Attwood's heart, and family members

worry that it is beginning to crumble the inner strength that enabled her to

survive the unfathomable knife attack.

" This has been a very sad part of our lives that I never expected to

happen, " she said, while sitting down with her two daughters,

Carlson and Rapuzzi, during an interview last month at 's home

in Yelm.

" We just still can't believe it, " said , 52, who lives in Lake Forest

Park. " It was a nightmare then, and it is a nightmare now. "

Margaret Attwood clenches a tissue and occasionally sobs as she recalls what

happened. A pink scar, about 7 inches long, traces down the right side of

her neck.

Building a life

She and married in 1946, just after World War II, in a Methodist church

in Bristol, England, where they lived. Household goods were being rationed

because of the war, and Margaret borrowed her wedding dress from a friend.

They raised two daughters, who describe their father as a gentle, dignified,

good-humored man devoted to his family. Although he and Margaret had

occasional arguments, he never laid a hand on her.

Margaret Attwood said her husband is her closest friend. had begun his

career as an apprentice at a British airplane manufacturer.

The couple immigrated to Canada in 1957 and 10 years later to Seattle, where

was hired by The Boeing Co. He retired from the company about 20 years

ago.

He enjoyed football, soccer and fishing. He also was fond of gardening and

tended to roses, irises and daffodils in his front yard.

Last July, the couple moved from their Tukwila condominium to a small home

next to their daughter, , who purchased the adjacent property with her

parents in mind. 's husband and son remodeled the home, widening the

doorways and making the shower wheelchair accessible.

By then, age and health problems were taking their toll on .

He had survived a heart attack in 2000 and undergone quintuple bypass

surgery. He had surgery for prostate cancer and suffered a pulmonary

embolism in 1997, which nearly killed him. He also has neuropathy, which

causes discoloration and pain in his legs.

After their parents moved into the new home, the daughters learned that

financial problems also were weighing on their father. Their parents had

started going to Muckleshoot Casino near Auburn and enjoyed playing the slot

machines.

The gambling, along with high costs for medication and medical treatments,

left them with unexpected credit card debt. It soon grew too difficult to

pay the monthly bills with income from Social Security and 's pensions.

, meanwhile, grew more detached and irritable, to the point his

daughters could no longer ignore it. Just seven months after moving into the

home on their daughter's property, , took her father to see a family

practitioner in Yelm. The doctor suggested an antidepressant. didn't

think he could afford a prescription so the doctor provided him with a

two-week sample of Wellbutrin.The doctor advised them to look for

personality changes or signs of aggression and said to return in a few

weeks, said.

noticed gradual changes that she didn't attribute to the medication.

Her father, for example, had begun pacing, wringing his hands and

complaining about a funny smell days after beginning the medicine. His moods

seemed to get worse. Ten days later, his daughter called the doctor's

office with concerns about her father's behavior. The doctor, however, wasn'

t in. She left a message for the on-call physician, but never got a return

call.

A moment of terror

Margaret Attwood went to sleep just after 1 a.m. on Oct. 3.

She nodded off, only to be awakened by the metal blade puncturing the right

side of her neck. Stunned, she looked up to see her husband on top of her,

lifting the knife for another strike. " , don't do this to me, " she

cried, reaching with her hand to grab the blade. It sliced into her fingers

but she prevented him from striking again. She kicked him in the stomach and

escaped.

Margaret ran out into the cold, blood pumping from her wound as she

staggered to 's home. ran out and took her into the house. They

called the sheriff. " The whole time she was crying, 'Please don't let them

hurt him - it wasn't my ,' " said.

Meanwhile, slumped into a chair and waited. His hands were coated with

blood.

A deputy knocked on 's door and, when he answered, asked what had

happened. said he had planned to kill his wife and then, if successful,

himself, court documents say.

Margaret Attwood was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where

she underwent surgery and spent several days recuperating. The mention of

suicide is what family members and his attorney think is significant.

Margaret Attwood said that as she and her husband have grown older, they've

talked more about death. Attwood said she always told her husband she wanted

to be the first to go because she couldn't imagine her life without him.

" I wonder if that got all scrambled up in his head. At our age, when you get

to this stage in life - we've been married so long, we can't imagine being

without the other, " she said.

At Harborview, a surgeon asked the family whether had taken any

medications that might have caused him to respond violently. They mentioned

the Wellbutrin, said.

" And he said, 'That's it.' "

Before then, and knew little about Wellbutrin, or other

commonly prescribed antidepressants. After they began researching, they

started to suspect a connection.

Back in jail

returned to Thurston County Jail from Western State Hospital last week.

A report on his competency to stand trial is expected to follow.

The family's hopes rest with court-appointed attorney Margaret Brammall, who

primarily represents indigent clients with mental health disorders.

Brammall, like her client, hails from England, in a town called Dorking, not

far from Bristol.

Brammall said she's waiting to see the hospital's report. If is found

incompetent to stand trial, which would require a court to find that he is

unable to comprehend the legal process or unable to participate in his own

defense, the charge would be dismissed.

also was evaluated for diminished capacity, which exists when emotional

distress, a physical condition or the influence of a medication prevents a

defendant from understanding what he was doing when committing a crime.

According to the family, was evaluated for Alzheimer's disease and

dementia and showed no signs of either. Even if there were other health

issues, the medication at the very least made them worse, his attorney said.

If the charges are dismissed, he still could be required to undergo

treatment until he is deemed safe to be released, she said.

What's important now is enabling the couple to see each other, even if in a

supervised setting, family members and his attorney said.

Margaret Attwood's health is deteriorating from the anguish of not being

able to see her husband, they said.

When Attwood's daughters would go to visit their father at Western State,

their mother would go just to wait in the car, so her husband would know she

loves and supports him. As they drove away, he would stand by his window so

she could wave to him from the parking lot, mindful of the 1,000-foot

restriction set by the no-contact order.

Sometimes, Margaret said, she sobs all night in bed. It has been hard to

sleep.

She attended one of his first court hearings in October, at which her

husband's attorney asked the court to allow them to see each other. It

devastated her to see him in a bright orange jail jumpsuit. She shouted his

name as he exited the courtroom.

" All I know is that I had to be there to show him I adored him, " she said.

The proposal already has been rejected once by a judge and the prosecutor's

office. But, Brammall thinks the emotional stress of separation is too much

for her client and his wife to bear. A hearing on his mental state could be

weeks away.

" The best thing is to let him enjoy his sunset years with his wife. I do not

believe there is any community safety issue here. I am also certain he will

not do anything like this again, " Brammall said.

The issue is not as clear for Senior Deputy Prosecutor Steve Straume, who

said he still needs to see all the facts before making a decision.

The case is considered domestic violence, the type of case that frequently

forces prosecutors into unpopular decisions. Many domestic violence victims

don't realize the danger they're facing from a loved one. " It is a hard case

to deal with, " Straume said. " And that is why you need to get as much

information as you can before making any decisions. We are gathering

information and trying to come into a fair and reasonable decision that

takes into account public safety and the needs of the family and the

community, " he said.

" We have an obligation to make sure that she is safe. I would have to look

at the plan before I would agree one way or the other for visitation. "

Meanwhile, Margaret Attwood is staying with her daughters and relying on

them for care.

's mental health seems to have improved since he has been in custody and

his good spirit has returned, his daughters said.

said she broke down when her mother talked about her marriage vows.

" She said, 'When you get married, you say your vows in sickness and in

health' and she can't do anything for him in sickness and she feels so

robbed of that because she can't help him heal. "

Rapuzzi said her father is appalled at what he did.

" It's so awful to think of that being in the same sentence as dad's name, "

she said.

His daughters say that he told them during a visit in jail that something

came over him when he attacked their mother.

" He can't believe what he did, " Rapuzzi said.

" They have been so upstanding their whole lives. They are good, hard-working

people, " she said. " And they love each other so. "

Gutierrez covers courts, crime and law enforcement for The Olympian.

He can be reached at 360-754-5465 or by e-mail at

sgutierrez@....

[Guest guest]

The fact of the matter is that every patient on a psychotropic drug has a

substance used disorder. These pushers come in white coats. I once

considered them legitimate members of my profession. Fred Baughman, MD

Gang, Here is a senseless, all-too-familiar, family tragedy. The time

frame and the symptoms of akathisia that appear in this story are well known

to those gang members who have lost loved ones. Gang member

Rapuzzi's 82 year old father is charged with attempting to murder his 79

year old wife of 60 years. Her father was newly prescribed the

antidepressant Wellbutrin. On the 12th day on the drug he attacked his wife

and was planning to take his own life. Vince

http://www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=0060212/NEWS/60212008

'It wasn't my '

A Yelm couple's lives are torn apart after one terrifying night.

Was medication to blame?

BY SCOTT GUTIERREZ

THE OLYMPIAN

YELM - Margaret Attwood's eyes opened just as her husband of 60 years thrust

the kitchen knife into her neck.

She had little time to react, not even out of disbelief. She turned over in

bed to see her husband, , his face with no expression, no emotion,

preparing to strike her again with the knife.

At that moment, as she looked into that vacant, cold face, she knew she had

to survive - not only for her daughters, her grandchildren and her

great-grandchildren.

She had to survive to be his witness. Only she could describe that vacant

expression, the proof to her that something had gone terribly wrong in his

mind.

" If I don't stop him, if he kills me, there won't be anybody to know how he

looks, " said Attwood, as she recalled her thoughts on the early morning of

Oct. 3. " There was no sign of an expression on his face. It was just blank,

just like a zombie. "

The previous six months had not been easy. Health and financial problems had

overcome Attwood, a retired Boeing draftsman, and he sank into an

uncharacteristic depression. Uncertain of what to do, his daughter took him

to a Yelm family doctor, who put him on the antidepressant Wellbutrin.

Twelve days after taking the first pill, attacked his wife, and was

planning to kill himself, court documents say. His family, now aware of

recent governmental warnings about potential risks associated with

antidepress- ants, suspect there is a connection between the drug and 's

violent outburst.

Now, Attwood, 82, is in jail, charged with attempted first-degree

murder. His mental state at the time of the stabbing will be key as the

justice system decides how to proceed. He has spent the past three months at

Western State Hospital in Tacoma, undergoing evaluation.

And at a time when Margaret Attwood, 79, and her husband should be enjoying

their grandchildren and their twilight years together, they are coping with

a horror that has torn their lives apart.

For the first time in their 60-year marriage, they are apart, prevented from

seeing each other by a court order that is standard in domestic violence

cases.

The separation is breaking Margaret Attwood's heart, and family members

worry that it is beginning to crumble the inner strength that enabled her to

survive the unfathomable knife attack.

" This has been a very sad part of our lives that I never expected to

happen, " she said, while sitting down with her two daughters,

Carlson and Rapuzzi, during an interview last month at 's home

in Yelm.

" We just still can't believe it, " said , 52, who lives in Lake Forest

Park. " It was a nightmare then, and it is a nightmare now. "

Margaret Attwood clenches a tissue and occasionally sobs as she recalls what

happened. A pink scar, about 7 inches long, traces down the right side of

her neck.

Building a life

She and married in 1946, just after World War II, in a Methodist church

in Bristol, England, where they lived. Household goods were being rationed

because of the war, and Margaret borrowed her wedding dress from a friend.

They raised two daughters, who describe their father as a gentle, dignified,

good-humored man devoted to his family. Although he and Margaret had

occasional arguments, he never laid a hand on her.

Margaret Attwood said her husband is her closest friend. had begun his

career as an apprentice at a British airplane manufacturer.

The couple immigrated to Canada in 1957 and 10 years later to Seattle, where

was hired by The Boeing Co. He retired from the company about 20 years

ago.

He enjoyed football, soccer and fishing. He also was fond of gardening and

tended to roses, irises and daffodils in his front yard.

Last July, the couple moved from their Tukwila condominium to a small home

next to their daughter, , who purchased the adjacent property with her

parents in mind. 's husband and son remodeled the home, widening the

doorways and making the shower wheelchair accessible.

By then, age and health problems were taking their toll on .

He had survived a heart attack in 2000 and undergone quintuple bypass

surgery. He had surgery for prostate cancer and suffered a pulmonary

embolism in 1997, which nearly killed him. He also has neuropathy, which

causes discoloration and pain in his legs.

After their parents moved into the new home, the daughters learned that

financial problems also were weighing on their father. Their parents had

started going to Muckleshoot Casino near Auburn and enjoyed playing the slot

machines.

The gambling, along with high costs for medication and medical treatments,

left them with unexpected credit card debt. It soon grew too difficult to

pay the monthly bills with income from Social Security and 's pensions.

, meanwhile, grew more detached and irritable, to the point his

daughters could no longer ignore it. Just seven months after moving into the

home on their daughter's property, , took her father to see a family

practitioner in Yelm. The doctor suggested an antidepressant. didn't

think he could afford a prescription so the doctor provided him with a

two-week sample of Wellbutrin.The doctor advised them to look for

personality changes or signs of aggression and said to return in a few

weeks, said.

noticed gradual changes that she didn't attribute to the medication.

Her father, for example, had begun pacing, wringing his hands and

complaining about a funny smell days after beginning the medicine. His moods

seemed to get worse. Ten days later, his daughter called the doctor's

office with concerns about her father's behavior. The doctor, however, wasn'

t in. She left a message for the on-call physician, but never got a return

call.

A moment of terror

Margaret Attwood went to sleep just after 1 a.m. on Oct. 3.

She nodded off, only to be awakened by the metal blade puncturing the right

side of her neck. Stunned, she looked up to see her husband on top of her,

lifting the knife for another strike. " , don't do this to me, " she

cried, reaching with her hand to grab the blade. It sliced into her fingers

but she prevented him from striking again. She kicked him in the stomach and

escaped.

Margaret ran out into the cold, blood pumping from her wound as she

staggered to 's home. ran out and took her into the house. They

called the sheriff. " The whole time she was crying, 'Please don't let them

hurt him - it wasn't my ,' " said.

Meanwhile, slumped into a chair and waited. His hands were coated with

blood.

A deputy knocked on 's door and, when he answered, asked what had

happened. said he had planned to kill his wife and then, if successful,

himself, court documents say.

Margaret Attwood was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where

she underwent surgery and spent several days recuperating. The mention of

suicide is what family members and his attorney think is significant.

Margaret Attwood said that as she and her husband have grown older, they've

talked more about death. Attwood said she always told her husband she wanted

to be the first to go because she couldn't imagine her life without him.

" I wonder if that got all scrambled up in his head. At our age, when you get

to this stage in life - we've been married so long, we can't imagine being

without the other, " she said.

At Harborview, a surgeon asked the family whether had taken any

medications that might have caused him to respond violently. They mentioned

the Wellbutrin, said.

" And he said, 'That's it.' "

Before then, and knew little about Wellbutrin, or other

commonly prescribed antidepressants. After they began researching, they

started to suspect a connection.

Back in jail

returned to Thurston County Jail from Western State Hospital last week.

A report on his competency to stand trial is expected to follow.

The family's hopes rest with court-appointed attorney Margaret Brammall, who

primarily represents indigent clients with mental health disorders.

Brammall, like her client, hails from England, in a town called Dorking, not

far from Bristol.

Brammall said she's waiting to see the hospital's report. If is found

incompetent to stand trial, which would require a court to find that he is

unable to comprehend the legal process or unable to participate in his own

defense, the charge would be dismissed.

also was evaluated for diminished capacity, which exists when emotional

distress, a physical condition or the influence of a medication prevents a

defendant from understanding what he was doing when committing a crime.

According to the family, was evaluated for Alzheimer's disease and

dementia and showed no signs of either. Even if there were other health

issues, the medication at the very least made them worse, his attorney said.

If the charges are dismissed, he still could be required to undergo

treatment until he is deemed safe to be released, she said.

What's important now is enabling the couple to see each other, even if in a

supervised setting, family members and his attorney said.

Margaret Attwood's health is deteriorating from the anguish of not being

able to see her husband, they said.

When Attwood's daughters would go to visit their father at Western State,

their mother would go just to wait in the car, so her husband would know she

loves and supports him. As they drove away, he would stand by his window so

she could wave to him from the parking lot, mindful of the 1,000-foot

restriction set by the no-contact order.

Sometimes, Margaret said, she sobs all night in bed. It has been hard to

sleep.

She attended one of his first court hearings in October, at which her

husband's attorney asked the court to allow them to see each other. It

devastated her to see him in a bright orange jail jumpsuit. She shouted his

name as he exited the courtroom.

" All I know is that I had to be there to show him I adored him, " she said.

The proposal already has been rejected once by a judge and the prosecutor's

office. But, Brammall thinks the emotional stress of separation is too much

for her client and his wife to bear. A hearing on his mental state could be

weeks away.

" The best thing is to let him enjoy his sunset years with his wife. I do not

believe there is any community safety issue here. I am also certain he will

not do anything like this again, " Brammall said.

The issue is not as clear for Senior Deputy Prosecutor Steve Straume, who

said he still needs to see all the facts before making a decision.

The case is considered domestic violence, the type of case that frequently

forces prosecutors into unpopular decisions. Many domestic violence victims

don't realize the danger they're facing from a loved one. " It is a hard case

to deal with, " Straume said. " And that is why you need to get as much

information as you can before making any decisions. We are gathering

information and trying to come into a fair and reasonable decision that

takes into account public safety and the needs of the family and the

community, " he said.

" We have an obligation to make sure that she is safe. I would have to look

at the plan before I would agree one way or the other for visitation. "

Meanwhile, Margaret Attwood is staying with her daughters and relying on

them for care.

's mental health seems to have improved since he has been in custody and

his good spirit has returned, his daughters said.

said she broke down when her mother talked about her marriage vows.

" She said, 'When you get married, you say your vows in sickness and in

health' and she can't do anything for him in sickness and she feels so

robbed of that because she can't help him heal. "

Rapuzzi said her father is appalled at what he did.

" It's so awful to think of that being in the same sentence as dad's name, "

she said.

His daughters say that he told them during a visit in jail that something

came over him when he attacked their mother.

" He can't believe what he did, " Rapuzzi said.

" They have been so upstanding their whole lives. They are good, hard-working

people, " she said. " And they love each other so. "

Gutierrez covers courts, crime and law enforcement for The Olympian.

He can be reached at 360-754-5465 or by e-mail at

sgutierrez@....