Huckleberries Online

Lawyer: Blame It On The Caffeine

Posted by DFO

Dec. 9, 2009 1:36 p.m. • 17 comments

Dan White infamously had the “Twinkie defense.” Dan Noble may use the “Starbucks defense.” Noble, the 31-year-old Moscow man accused of an erratic driving episode Monday morning that put two Washington State University students in the hospital, made his first appearance in Whitman County Superior Court Tuesday afternoon. Mark Moorer, his Pullman attorney, told Judge David Frazier that Noble’s strange behavior Monday and the days before could have been caused by what he called “caffeine psychosis.” … He described Noble as a type-A personality who worked long hours as a financial analyst in the University of Idaho Trust and Investment Office. Noble would often rise as early as 4 a.m. and begin consuming copious amounts of energy drinks and Starbucks coffee, Moorer said/Joel Mills, Lewiston Tribune. More here. And: Moscow-Pullman Daily News version here.

Question: You be the juror. Would you be open to a defense argument of “caffeine psychosis” in a case like this?

17 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

moscow_minidoka on December 09 at 1:44 p.m.
Give me a break. The dude drove to Pullman in his pajamas at 7:30 am on a weekday and plows into not one, but TWO students innocently walking to campus.

There may be psychosis involved, but it has nothing to do with caffeine.
idawa on December 09 at 1:49 p.m.
hey, I always thought his name was familiar but I know, knew this guy. I can’t place where from though. Is he from Cd’A or did he attends the UofI? (must say, he’s a little heftier than last I saw him)
Sisyphus on December 09 at 1:49 p.m.
Points for originality.
Digger on December 09 at 1:50 p.m.
He looks familiar - I believe he has shopped at my store before. Hopefully the free coffee we serve as a courtesy to our customers isn’t part of his caffene induced rampage! :-)
Charlie on December 09 at 1:50 p.m.
Sounds like Mr. Moorer, an aspiring attorney may be trying out a new gig for Comedy Central. Good luck.
Digger on December 09 at 1:51 p.m.
Mark Moorer = Billy Flynn from Chicago….

Give ‘em the old razzle dazzle
Razzle dazzle ‘em
Give ‘em act with lots of flash in it
And the reaction will be passionate
Give ‘em the old hocus pocus
Bread and feather ‘em
How can they see with sequins in their eyes?

What if your hinges all are rusting?
What if, in fact, you’re just disgusting ?

Razzle dazzle ‘em
And they’ll never catch wise!
Charles_Dixon on December 09 at 1:52 p.m.
Sure I’d be open to it. Just like I’d let a defendant charged with killing someone while intoxicated blame it on the alcohol.
moscow_minidoka on December 09 at 1:53 p.m.
“He looks familiar”

Digger and Idawa, I recognize him, too. I was shocked when I was his photo - he’s got a memorable face/physique, and I’ve seen him around Moscow for years. I wouldn’t doubt him coming into your store Digger, or perhaps just seeing him around town.

He works for the UI, so he’s someone you might see around on campus, too.
MatthewRoot on December 09 at 1:55 p.m.
he ran from police, shows he knew what he did was wrong, no temporary insanity defense

Book him, Dano
jazzyvandal on December 09 at 1:58 p.m.
I don’t know him personally, but know who he is. I’ve seen him at Vandal football games and around campus. He was really involved in campus life as a student. Sad story for all parties involved.
Bree on December 09 at 2:24 p.m.
He’s from Post Falls and went to U of I as a student. And apparently never left. =)

He was a good guy when I knew him. Totally shocked to see this. I knew right away it couldn’t be drugs, but then again people change. I’m very anxious to see the outcome of his mental evaluation.

He also used to be the Joe Vandal mascot. Very involved guy. So tragic for him and his wife.
Bree on December 09 at 2:26 p.m.
Sorry, even more tragic for the people he hurt. Not defending, him, just still in shock that it was him.
fillmoreandthewhigs on December 09 at 2:29 p.m.
The “Caffeine Psychosis” defense aside, the LMT and Mr. Mills put out a pretty sub par article.

The “Twinkie Defense” is a myth. The verdict in Dan White’s murder case had nothing to do with Twinkies or that junk food causes psychosis. The “Twinkie Defense” was coined after a single throwaway line was used by one of many defense psych witnesses.

The “Twinkie Defense” is a myth, plain and simple. For Mr. Mills to include that in his lede pushes the article to a realm that is based more in sensationalism than journalism.

This is a difficult situation for the victim and their families as well as Mr. Noble’s family. Tell the truth and tell it well, but don’t resort to comparisons to a myth.

It’s not often that one can say this, but the Moscow-Pullman Daily News won the day with much better written article.
Cindy_H on December 09 at 2:31 p.m.
Sorry, I missed deadline. I was suffering from “caffeine psychosis.”

Dear family,
I’ve moved to the Bahamas with Boise firefighter Mr. August. My doctors say I have “caffeine psychosis” but Mr. August and lots of sunshine will set me right again.

Just think— without lawyers we’d have to suffer through the indignities of personal responsibility.

Thank goodness Noble didn’t kill anyone. Hope he gets the help he needs.
DFO on December 09 at 2:57 p.m.
@ Fillmoreandthewhigs; I’ve added a link to the Moscow-Pullman Daily News version of the Starbucks defense story out front. You can also read it here: http://media.spokesman.com/documents/2009/12/Document2____.pdf
moscow_minidoka on December 09 at 3:13 p.m.
The Daily-News article is much, much better, and of much higher quality. That happens a lot with these two papers - the tone of the Lewiston Tribune is much more sensational than the D-N. Which is interesting, since they share an owner…
Digger on December 10 at 9:53 a.m.
@MM - Those of us who read the paper up on the flats (and not in the valley) are able to comprehend a well written article. Sometimes it seems that the LM Tribune is “dumbed down” to fit the audience - much like the Gazette Record in St. Maries.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.