"I didn't realize I did it until after it was done, and then I realized it. This might sound weird, but it felt like I had no control of what I was doing, like I was left there just holding a gun." This is how Kurt Danysh described the moment he realized that he had shot and killed his father. Kurt's story began 17 days earlier when he was prescribed the drug Prozac by a general practitioner (who failed to perform any psychological testing). Shortly after beginning to take his Prozac prescription, Kurt, a normally outgoing teenager, became withdrawn and moody. By the second week, he was restless and violent. He got into a fight with his best friend and purposely crashed his truck into a stone wall. This was, to say the least, out of character for Kurt. Tragically, only seventeen days after his first dose of Prozac, Kurt shot and killed his father, the one person he loved most in this world. The shooting was a complete shock and made no sense to anyone who knew Kurt and his father. It was clear that the Prozac had caused a drastic, violent change in Kurt. In spite of this fact, Eli Lilly & Co., the maker of Prozac, claimed that their drug would not cause aggressive behavior. As a result of this claim and regardless of the fact that Kurt had no history of violence prior to Prozac, he was convicted of murdering his father and sentenced to 22.5 to 60 years in prison. Finally, in 2004, eight years after Kurt's conviction, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized that so-called SSRI antidepressants, including Prozac can cause suicidal and/or violent behavior particularly in adolescents and children. Additionally, it's been revealed that Eli Lilly & Co. concealed data from 1988 which linked Prozac to violence. Armed with this new evidence we hope to gain Kurt a new trial. Our goal is to obtain justice for both Kurt and his father. The Truth About SSRIs SSRI antidepressants (Prozac, paxil, Zoloft, Luvox, Celexa and Lexapro) were originally advertised as miracle drugs with few side effects. This has been proven to be untrue. On March 22, 2004 the FDA warned that SSRIs may cause anxiety, aggitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, impulsiveness, akathisia (extreme restlessness), hypomania and mania. In 2004 the FDA issued a so-called Black Box Warning for all SSRIs. This kind of warning is one step below a ban. It's reserved for drugs which can result in death. The warning indicates that the drugs increase suicidal thinking and suicidal behavior. The FDA's Advisory Event Reporting System reports 70 cases of murder linked to Prozac. On January 1, 2005 the British Medical Journal quoted the original FDA reviewer of Prozac as stating, "I do agree now that those stimulatory side effects, especially in regard to suicidal ideation and homicidal ideation are worse than I thought at the time that I reviewed the drug." SSRIs are similar to cocaine in their effects on the brain chemical serotonin. SSRIs are known to trigger manic episodes in bi-polar patients. Kurt Is Not Alone Saddly, Kurt's experience is not rare. Many incidents of violence and/or suicide have been linked to adolescents taking prescription antidepressants. Eric Harris, the triggerman in the Columbine school shootings, killed his fellow students and took his own life while taking Luvox. Fifteen year-old Kip Kinkel killed his parents and two classmates while taking Prozac. Thirteen year-old Chris Fetters killed his favorite aunt while taking Prozac. Twelve year-old Christopher Pittman murdered both his grandparents while taking Zoloft. Thirteen year-old Mathew Miller hung himself in his bedroom closet after taking Zoloft for 6 days. Fifteen year-old Jarred Viktor stabbed his grandmother 61 times after 5 days on Paxil. This is just a few examples of antidepressant violence. The list goes on and on. Additional information on SSRI antidepressants and violence may be found at: Drug Awareness dot Com Antidepressants Facts dot Com www.breggin.com www.pssg.org How To Help Kurt The only obstacle in the way of getting a new trial for Kurt is the inability to afford an attorney. Neither Kurt nor his family can afford the fee required for an attorney to handle the appeal. For this reason, we've started the Kurt Danysh Legal Aid Fund. It's our hope that after people hear Kurt's experience, they'll help gain justice for him and his father. The sad fact is that if we can't raise enough funds to cover the cost of an attorney, Kurt will spend the next 13 to 51 years in prison. We pray that Kurt's plight will inspire you to make a financial contribution and/or share this plea with others who may. Contributions may be sent to: Kurt Danysh Legal Aid Fund c/o Josephine Milea 111 Fox Run Road Stewartzville, NJ 08886 908-479-2289 You may also send letters of support directly to Kurt in prison at: Kurt Danysh DL-4879 1111 Altamont Blvd. Frackville, PA 17931 In spite of the fact that he IS imprisoned, Kurt strives to warn others about the dangers of SSRIs. He hopes that his experience will educate others so that no more families will have to suffer. His efforts even caught the attention of the Opra Winfrey Show which wrote to Kurt: "We have been following your story and admire your honesty and desire to try and make a difference. We think you have an important message for others to hear." Rebecca's Bargain Antiques Collectible Vintage Photos Fine Prints - Old Maps Sheet Music - Old Books Elegant Antiques and Collectibles "My lord, surely it's time to torture on this stubborn wench" words spoken by George Zucco in Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1939 You are welcome to use or republish any of our material. Please give www.prisoners.com credit as the source. Return to the Prisoners Biographies Menu Return to the Legal Help Wanted Menu Return to the Main Menu Go to our site's Search Engine Send us Your Comments or Input.