Wellbutrin® (Zyban®, bupropion) Man, 83, not guilty of stabbing wife

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Man, 83, not guilty of stabbing wife

Judge rules Yelm senior was insasne at time of attack

By Christian Hill

The Olympian

An 83-year-old Yelm man charged with the attempted murder of his

wife last year has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Attwood was accused of stabbing his wife, Margaret, as she

slept the morning of Oct. 3, 2005.

His defense attorneys had argued that Attwood was legally insane at

the time of the attack because of an adverse reaction to a

prescription antidepressant.

His trial had been scheduled to begin Monday, but Thurston County

Superior Judge Pomeroy signed an order this month finding

Attwood not guilty by reason of insanity and placing him on

conditional release. The state didn't raise objections.

Attwood will not be hospitalized because the judge found that he was

not a threat to others as long as he received proper treatment.

Among the conditions of his release:

A probation officer will monitor his activities and report changes

to the court.

Attwood must continue treatment with his primary medical and mental

health provider at Providence St. Hospital. The providers will

report to his probation officer.

He must take all medications prescribed by his provider.

He must comply with assessments by a home mental health nurse who

will examine his behavior, emotional state and stamina, among other

things.

On Sept. 12, a court hearing is scheduled to determine whether

Attwood can return home.

He has been staying at an adult family home since his release in

late June from Western State Hospital in Steilacoom, where he

underwent psychological evaluation.

One of his lawyers, Jeffery , said Attwood is taking a

different antidepressant and has been prescribed antipsychotics.

" It's night and day, " said, adding that Attwood is

the " same sort of normal, intelligent, reasonable man " that he was

up until a couple of days before the attack.

A doctor had given Attwood a sample of the prescription medication

Wellburtin during a visit after his family became concerned about

symptoms of depression.

The couple had been married

60 years without any prior incidents of domestic violence. Attwood

told investigators after the attack he planned to kill his wife and

then himself, court records say.

In 2004, Wellbutrin was one of several antidepressants the U.S. Food

and Drug Administration announced could increase the risk of

suicidal thoughts or behaviors in children or adolescents being

treated for depression.

The FDA issued a similar warning for adults in 2005, although it

noted that it needed more time to study the clinical trials to

ensure there is as high of a risk as with adolescents. The agency

did caution that adults on these medications should be monitored

closely for behavioral changes, especially when they start taking

the drug.

Attwood had been taking Wellbutrin for 12 days when the attack

occurred.

In the meantime, the FDA has cautioned that adults on any

antidepressants should be monitored closely for any behavioral

changes, especially when they start taking the drug or receive

dosage changes.

Another condition of Attwood's release is that his family can spend

unlimited time with him at the adult home. Previously there had been

restrictions.