Gunman Says Sound of New Jersey Made Him Snap

Thu Feb 14, 7:24 AM ET

GALVESTON, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas jury on Wednesday found Thomas Mitchell guilty of aggravated assault for shooting his girlfriend because he thought she was about to say the words "New Jersey."

His attorney unsuccessfully sought his exoneration on grounds that certain words set off an uncontrollable rage in Mitchell, who has a history of mental illness.

Words that triggered a bad reaction in Mitchell included "New Jersey," "Wisconsin," "Snickers" and "Mars," lawyer Maria Mercado told the court.

Throughout the three-day trial, Mitchell, 54, covered his ears when he thought the words were going to be spoken.

Witnesses used flashcards with the words written out instead of saying them in court.

"When he has one of these episodes, he isn't focused," lawyer Mercado said.

Prosecutors contended that Mitchell was troubled, but not crazy.

He was convicted for shooting girlfriend Barbara Jenkins three times on March 19, 1999, when he believed she was about to utter the phrase "New Jersey." She survived the attack, but died from unrelated causes just before the trial.

In a statement, Mitchell told police: "I had seen that word at my mom's house and then Barbara said what she said (and) I just snapped."

-- (don't@say.that), February 14, 2002

Answers

"Words that triggered a bad reaction in Mitchell included "New Jersey," "Wisconsin," "Snickers" and "Mars,"

I can understand New Jersey and Wisconsin, but Snickers and Mars??

Must have had a bad trick-or-treating experience.

-- (candy@bar.phobia), February 14, 2002.

It seems that every story of this ilk ends with the caveat; “…a history of mental illness”.

Of course, we should immediately exonerate these nut bags due to their inability to conduct themselves in a reasonable manner. They spend some time in a friggin’ loony bin and then get turned loose to continue the madness.

The shrinks are just as fucked up as the patients.

-- So (cr@t.es), February 14, 2002.

ilk alert!

-- helen (random@acts.of.ilk), February 14, 2002.

Shrinks are a strange breed Socks. The only group of MDs I rank stranger are pathologists. Those guys are really wierd.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), February 16, 2002.

We are weird.

-- (college@dictionary.com), February 18, 2002.

Many of you are!

-- So (cra@t.es), February 19, 2002.

The Sounds of New Jersey

Squealing tires, honking horns, crumpling fenders, roar of diesels

Uzis in the night

"Big Pussy" going "glub, glub, glub"

Rumbling freight trains in the distance

Tugboat and freighter horns in the fog

Children asking "mommy, what's that funny smell?"

The last robin-red breast's chirp o' death

Net's fans anguished groans

The Donald counting his money

Crashing surf

E Street Band

-- (lars@indy.net), February 19, 2002.