News (Media Awareness Project) - US FL: Strawberry Has Brain Damage, According To Doctors' |
| Title: | US FL: Strawberry Has Brain Damage, According To Doctors' |
| Published On: | 2001-05-05 |
| Source: | Register-Guard, The (OR) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-26 16:29:22 |
STRAWBERRY HAS BRAIN DAMAGE, ACCORDING TO DOCTORS' TESTIMONY
TAMPA, Fla. - Darryl Strawberry has been told his "brain is broken"
and he vowed to fight the drug problem that has prosecutors pushing to
send him back to prison.
"My addiction has been very strong and very powerful," Strawberry said
Friday in a brief statement to Hillsborough Circuit Court Judge
Florence Foster, who is considering the former baseball star's fate.
Foster is to sentence Strawberry for a violation of house arrest and
probation on May 17.
The statement was the first by Strawberry since he disappeared from a
drug treatment center on March 29 and surfaced four days later
following a drug binge.
He has spent the last month in a local psychiatric ward, where doctors
said Friday they have discovered he has more serious mental problems
than previously thought.
But prosecutors weren't believing testimony that Strawberry suffers
from a bipolar disorder and may have sustained brain damage from years
of cocaine abuse. Assistant State Attorney Darrell Dirks said
Strawberry needs to go to prison.
Strawberry's lawyer, Joseph Ficarrotta, is seeking to have Strawberry
sentenced to Phoenix House, a long-term drug treatment center about 20
miles north of Ocala.
Strawberry's doctors came to his defense Friday, telling a judge that
a crush of medical and mental problems were keeping the former
baseball star from beating his drug addiction.
Tampa psychologist Sidney Marin said he gave Strawberry a series of
tests last week that indicate Strawberry's brain might not be
functioning properly. Strawberry was slow to complete simple cognitive
tests and made many errors, Marin said.
Meanwhile, his cancer doctor said Strawberry must continue aggressive
treatment for colon cancer if he stands a chance of beating the disease.
Testifying first was a psychiatrist who said Strawberry likely has a
severe and recurrent form of depression that is difficult to treat.
Dr. Charles Walker described the condition as bipolar disorder II and
said he has been treating Strawberry for the past month.
TAMPA, Fla. - Darryl Strawberry has been told his "brain is broken"
and he vowed to fight the drug problem that has prosecutors pushing to
send him back to prison.
"My addiction has been very strong and very powerful," Strawberry said
Friday in a brief statement to Hillsborough Circuit Court Judge
Florence Foster, who is considering the former baseball star's fate.
Foster is to sentence Strawberry for a violation of house arrest and
probation on May 17.
The statement was the first by Strawberry since he disappeared from a
drug treatment center on March 29 and surfaced four days later
following a drug binge.
He has spent the last month in a local psychiatric ward, where doctors
said Friday they have discovered he has more serious mental problems
than previously thought.
But prosecutors weren't believing testimony that Strawberry suffers
from a bipolar disorder and may have sustained brain damage from years
of cocaine abuse. Assistant State Attorney Darrell Dirks said
Strawberry needs to go to prison.
Strawberry's lawyer, Joseph Ficarrotta, is seeking to have Strawberry
sentenced to Phoenix House, a long-term drug treatment center about 20
miles north of Ocala.
Strawberry's doctors came to his defense Friday, telling a judge that
a crush of medical and mental problems were keeping the former
baseball star from beating his drug addiction.
Tampa psychologist Sidney Marin said he gave Strawberry a series of
tests last week that indicate Strawberry's brain might not be
functioning properly. Strawberry was slow to complete simple cognitive
tests and made many errors, Marin said.
Meanwhile, his cancer doctor said Strawberry must continue aggressive
treatment for colon cancer if he stands a chance of beating the disease.
Testifying first was a psychiatrist who said Strawberry likely has a
severe and recurrent form of depression that is difficult to treat.
Dr. Charles Walker described the condition as bipolar disorder II and
said he has been treating Strawberry for the past month.
Member Comments |
No member comments available...
