Pittman Appeal Going To South Carolina Supreme Court Monday September 11, 2006 6:31pm    Posted By: Gia McKenzie ___  ABC News 4 Interact  ___    • Signup for eNews Alerts    • Whats Your Opinion?    • Printable Version    • E-Mail This Story Charleston, SC - The South Carolina Supreme Court will hear arguments next month in the appeal of the murder conviction for a boy convicted of killing his grandparents in Chester County. Christopher Pittman's attorneys are appealing the conviction last year in the 2001 slayings. Pittman was 12 at the time of the slaying. His attorneys said he was involuntarily intoxicated by the anti-depressant Zoloft and didn't know right from wrong. Defense attorney Andy Vickery says there were errors in the trial and that sentencing a juvenile to 30 years in prison amounts to unconstitutional punishment. » Find More Articles Related To This One Copyright 2006 WCIV, LLC.

HAVE AN OPINION ON THIS STORY? TELL US ABOUT IT BELOW!  Viewer Comments on Pittman Appeal Going To South Carolina Supreme Court dolly lee crout IP: Logged Posted: 09/27 5:34p 9/27/06 Zoloft has again raised it's ugly head in today's CourtTV news regarding the toxicology report stating that this one of the drug causing the death of to Anne Nicole's son Daniel Smith. Zoloft was the drug prescribed to 12 year old Christopher Pittman and if this drug prescribed and taken by Daniel Smith at the age of 20 years old caused his death and mental stability, what mental side effects did it do to Christopher's brain? Hopefully, the lawyers will bring this celebrity's child death and the drug Zoloft up on October 5, 2006 in the South Carolina Supreme court. With all the extended executions given to individuals in death row don't you feel that sending Chris to an adult prison is a little extreme. I was a single mother of 2 sons and would never have given them up for anyone, but Christopher's mother did just that. Bottom line Christopher snapped and than was given Zoloft for depression and at 12 years old wanted to end his life. Let this young man go, he has completed his GED and made valuable use during his 5 years behind bars. I have been in written contact with Christopher and he has always written very sweet letters and states he has no contact with his mother or his other 10-12 half siblings. His grandmother is his biggest supporter. I pray to God that this boy is released.  Thanking you in advance, Dolly Lee Crout, Deerfield Beach, Florida IsaacLC IP: Logged Posted: 09/17 5:17p If Christopher Pittman's sentence is NOT overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court, justice will not be served. Christopher Pittman was 12 years old. He was not 18 or 53 or of any other "legal" adult age. He should never have been placed in the adult legal system. When he was 12 he could not buy cigarettes, sign a legally binding contract, drive, vote, join the military, etc... Committing a crime is not a stepping stone into adulthood! What is happeneing to children in the justice system of the United States is horrifying, unnecessary, and wasteful. Laws need to be changed and government sanctioned child abuse needs to end. Joe Schmoe, are you aware that the only other country in the world that tries children as adults for the crimes they committ is SOMALIA??!! We, the United States of America, stand hand in hand with a third world country in the acts of trying, convicting and incarcerating children as adults! What does that say about our government officials and those of us who vote them into office??? We have the power and the responsibilty to bring about change. Now lets get busy! Lindy Lou IP: Logged Posted: 09/16 4:01p I've followed Christopher Pittman's case since the day of the verdict and watching his family on Larry King Live.  I've been very concerned ever since how Christopher Pittman has been treated by our justice system in this country for juveniles and how drugs are given to our children without the proper warnings/supervision by the appropriate medical professional (psychiatrist).  I hope Christopher Pittman is finally treated "fairly" by our justice system when the arguments for his case are heard by the South Carolina Supreme Court.  I hate to think that he, or any child in this country, does not get fair treatment and could be put away for 30 years for a crime committed while on a drug far too powerful for a child's body to metabolize properly.  If a child is not properly supervised by "responsible" adults, whether it be with drugs or guns, "bad" things are usually going to happen.  Wake up, America! Free Christopher IP: Logged Posted: 09/14 10:37p Putting someone's child away for 30 years in with adult criminals is state-sanctioned child abuse.  What happened to our Juvenile Justice system that it cannot handle these cases?  How do our laws allow prosecutors so much room to waive children up to adult status so easily?  Where was the common sense and mitigating factors that weren't considered - such as a small child being given mind-altering drugs that are known to affect the thought process? Did anyone see the courtroom theatrics of the prosecutor?  Putting a child through this trauma of an adult court and adult sanctions is just plain wrong and indecent.  Surely there must be a comprimise in handling Christopher's case.  Any psychology book will tell you that a child of 12 is far from being a mature adult understanding consequences and their Miranda Rights without any adult counsel present.  How many adults fully understand Miranda Rights let alone a scared child under the influence of powerful and intoxicating prescription drugs? Christopher Pittman's basic rights were trampled on and he deserves a chance at rehabilitation far more than throwing him away in an adult prison which will only turn him in to yet another uneducated criminal. Lily of the Valley IP: Logged Posted: 09/14 4:13p I have followed Chris Pittman's case since viewing the entire trial on Court TV.  I became a firm believer that reasonable doubt existed, and was shocked when a guilty verdict was returned.  Later, it came to the attention of the trial judge, Daniel Pieper, that on the first night of deliberations a juror stopped by a bar where he once worked and spoke to a bartender about the trial, telling him that he, the juror, thought the verdict should be (guilty).  A guilty verdict was announced the next day.  Though Judge Pieper questioned all the jurors and the bartender about the incident, he failed to throw the case out, which should have occurred.  I myself sat as a juror on a civil case in Florida several years ago in which something similar happened.  A female juror (also on the first night of deliberations) asked someone with no connection to the trial his opinion of the case, and reported what HE said to the other jurors the next morning.  He, of course, was not a witness in the trial.  Several jurors changed their votes and the plaintiff lost the case.  When the judge in that case found out what happened, he questioned the jury and declared a mistrial.  If juror misconduct is considered important in other states such as Florida, why not in South Carolina?  Would any adult reading this overlook and accept juror misconduct if it happened in his or her own case?  No. Chris Pittman's case was replete with errors. It is my fervent hope that the Supreme Court of South Carolina will right these wrongs, and find in favor of this fine young man who has suffered long enough. *** READ ALL 13 POSTS ON THIS STORY *** Opinions and Feedback You need to be a registered member of ABC News 4 to leave comments on news stories. Not A Member Yet? Click Here To Signup...Takes Just Two Minutes Lost Your Password? Click Here ABC News 4 Member Name or Email:   Password:    Your Feedback/Opinion: Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or inappropriate links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privledges. Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly. Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.