EXPERT: KILLER WAS ADDICTED TO DRUGS

SARASOTA - Lawyers for the man convicted of abducting, raping and
killing 11-year-old Carlie Brucia last year plan to argue that he was
addicted to drugs and wasn't given adequate treatment as they try to
persuade a jury to spare him from the death penalty.

A drug addiction expert who examined Joseph Smith found that he had
been addicted to cocaine and opiates but is in remission because he
has been in jail for more than a year, prosecutors said at a hearing
Monday.

Katie McQueen, who will testify next week during the penalty phase of
Smith's trial, also will say Smith tried to get help but did not
receive methadone as part of his treatment. Methadone is less
addictive than morphine or heroin and is used as a substitute for
those drugs in some addiction treatment programs.