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Police: 'Hiccup Girl' Murder Suspect Was Transient
Attorney says he may use a Turrets Syndrome defense
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Jennifer Mee's attorney says he may use
a Turrets Syndrome defense |
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Police: 'Hiccup Girl' Murder Suspect Was Transient
Attorney says he may use a Turrets Syndrome defense
by
David Lohr
AOL Online
October 26, 2010
Jennifer Mee, the Florida teenager who made national headlines in 2007 for unstoppable hiccups, was living a transient lifestyle prior to her arrest on a murder charge, an investigator said today.
"She didn't actually live on the street but was transient in nature because she tended to live in different motels or apartments and moved from one location to another," Maj. Mike Kovacsev of the St. Petersburg police told NBC's "Today" show.
Mee, 19, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Shannon Griffin. Two others, Laron Raiford, 20, and Lamont Newton, 22, were also arrested and charged in connection with the murder. |
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Known as " Hiccup Girl," Mee had hiccups that came 50 times a minute, causing her to miss school. She tried remedies including medication, hypnosis and acupuncture -- all without success -- until the hiccups went away after five weeks.
According to Kovacsev, Mee lured the victim to a home where the two other suspects robbed him at gunpoint. Griffin, 22, was killed during a struggle.
"She ultimately admitted that she met the victim at a social networking site and ultimately made several phone calls back and forth and had him come down and meet her," Kovacsev said. "When he arrived at that location, she brought him to the rear of the residence where the other two individuals were waiting at that time. There was supposed to be a robbery, [but] obviously it went awry and our victim in this case was shot."
Kovacsev said investigators do not believe Mee was involved in the actual shooting.
"We have an idea who handled the gun," he said.
Kovacsev also told the "Today" show that police have records of about a dozen contacts with Mee in regard to multiple domestic-related incidents.
"She was never a suspect in any cases, she has no criminal record up to this point, but she was a victim and a subject and several times a witness to several crimes," Kovacsev said.
He acknowledged that it is possible Mee's attorney will blame her alleged involvement in the case on attention she received as the "Hiccup Girl." Kovacsev also said it is possible her lifestyle could be used by the defense.
"Sometimes when you live a little bit of a transient lifestyle you tend to hang around some unsavory individuals," Kovacsev said. "[The] individuals this case ... have very minimal criminal records, but some of the individuals she was previously with -- her ex boyfriend is in jail for unrelated robbery -- so it you kind of deal with people who are unsavory in that light."
Even though police do not believe Mee was involved in the actual shooting, Florida law considers her an accessory to the robbery that resulted in a death. If convicted, she faces a possible sentence of life in prison, police said.
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