Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

The Java Defense: Kentucky Man Alleges Caffeine Ingestion Led Him Kill Wife

A Kentucky man is claiming something akin to a “java defense.” Woody Will Smith, 33, claims that his ingestion of caffeine left him unable to control himself — leading to his killing his wife.

Many have analogized this defense to the “twinkie defense” in the trial of defendant Dan White in the 1970s.

The defense is based on Smith’s use of sodas, energy drinks and diet pills that allegedly left him mentally unstable.

Smith allegedly used an extension cord to strangle his wife on May 4, 2009, then tied her hands and feet together.

This is not the first use of such a caffeine based defense. In 2009, a man successfully used the claim after he ran down and injured two people in Washington state. Called the “Starbucks defense” in that case, ​Dan Noble was able to show that his ingestion of caffeine left him rambling and out of control. He was tasered by police at the scene.

These cases are based on the notion of “caffeine intoxication.” However, this is the first case that I know of involving a murder. Prosecutors have indicated that they will challenge the assertion that Smith consumed diet pills and energy drinks. They have noted that he tested negative for amphetamine-type substances after his arrest.

Source: Yahoo

9 thoughts on “The Java Defense: Kentucky Man Alleges Caffeine Ingestion Led Him Kill Wife”

  2. Buddha,

    Coffee’s still alright with Bach.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzX2LBfVcUg&fs=1&hl=en_US]

  4. Poor coffee. Such a scapegoat today. From a killer’s “coffee made me do it” to Gingerbaker’s “I haven’t had my morning coffee” . . . oh what a tangled web.

    Apparently a web available in both caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties which is probably a good thing for the spiders.

  5. If only the electric chair had not been banned in Kentucky, we could see a new ad campaign: “Red Bull lets you Fry”.

    Ok, I haven’t had my morning coffee.

  6. AY,

    Imagine the rampage Smith might have gone on if he had ingested Twinkies along with the sodas, energy drinks, and diet pills. Oh, the humanity!

  7. If this is true and I recently has some extra strength Cuban espresso I was like zipping……..but for some reason I didn’t get the urge to strangle anybody…..I did bite a few nails off…..

    You have to be “F” kidding right?

  9. Stupid is as stupid does, but I supose it makes a change from the usual God told me to do it BS.

    Death by order of Diet Pepsi Max *snicker*

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