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U.S. NEWS Thursday 14 sepTember 2017

Mother gets 30 to 80 years in sons’ bathtub drownings

By JOE MANDAK Two character witnesses
Associated Press described Schlemmer as
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A “kind and caring” and not-
Pennsylvania woman who ed her volunteer work as
drowned her two youngest a Sunday school teacher
sons in their bathtub be- and choir member.
cause she felt that would “This is the same church
enable her to be a better where the pastor told her
mother to their older broth- to stop taking her medi-
er was sentenced to 30 to cines?” Pellegrini asked
80 years in prison. one witness.
Allegheny County Judge Schlemmer professed
Jeffrey Manning called deep remorse and told the
the sentence imposed judge she thought she’d be
Wednesday on 44-year-old ideally suited to volunteer
Laurel Schlemmer a de- as a prison chaplain, and
facto life term given her looked forward to con-
age. tributing to society upon
The judge found Schlem- her release.That didn’t sit
mer guilty but mentally ill of well with prosecutors, who
two counts of third-degree noted Schlemmer didn’t
murder in March, so she’ll Laurel Schlemmer, center, is escorted to court by Allegheny County Sheriffs for her sentencing mention her dead sons by
begin her sentence in a hearing, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, in Pittsburgh. Schlemmer, who drowned her two youngest name.
state mental hospital and sons in their bathtub because she felt that would enable her to be a better mother to their older “It’s almost inconceivable
be moved to prison if doc- brother, was sentenced to 30 to 80 years in prison. that their names were not
tors ever deem her cured. (Lake Fong/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP) mentioned during the sen-
The McCandless woman’s Manning had delayed the cations and her symptoms who sought the maximum tencing hearing,” said the
attorney had argued her sentencing for a month, be- were aggravated. But prior possible prison term, 40 to district attorney’s spokes-
diminished mental capac- cause he was concerned to sentencing, the judge 80 years. “How can she be man Mike Manko.Psychia-
ity kept her from forming Schlemmer might not be said she was on medica- a seven out of 10?”Defense trists for the prosecution
the intent to kill her sons, mentally competent. But tion.Schlemmer reported attorney Michael Machen and defense testified in
6-year-old Daniel and he said a psychiatrist found her mood as a “seven” blamed Schlemmer’s March that Schlemmer
3-year-old Luke, in April no symptoms of any of the on a scale of one to 10, a crimes on a lack of read- was obsessed with the idea
2014. mental illnesses Schlemmer statement Assistant District ily available mental health that her two youngest sons
Schlemmer’s husband, par- suffered from when she Attorney Lisa Pellegrini ridi- care, noting the state hos- were autistic and would
ents and surviving son, who killed her sons. culed in her arguments to pital where she spent much never grow up normally,
was 7 years old at the time Doctors told the judge the judge. of her time since her arrest even though a battery of
of the incident, weren’t in before trial that she often “A mother who killed her was about 60 miles (96.6 tests she put them through
court. wouldn’t take her medi- children?” said Pellegrini, kilometers) from Pittsburgh. showed otherwise.q
Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli has bail revoked, heads to jail

By TOM HAYS into custody immediately. hyperbole, parody or sar- sentencing for his securi- failed hedge funds he ran.
Associated Press A defense attorney had ar- casm,” wrote the lawyer, ties fraud conviction. Pros- The defense had argued
NEW YORK (AP) — gued in court papers that Ben Brafman. ecutors said the posting that investors got their orig-
Former pharmaceuticals Shkreli’s recent offer to pay “There is a difference, prompted the Secret Ser- inal investments back and
company CEO Martin a $5,000 bounty for secur- however, between com- vice to use more resources even made hefty profits.
Shkreli had his bail revoked ing a Hillary Clinton hair ments that are intended because it ran the risk that Shkreli has said he feels
and was headed to jail with a follicle while she’s on to threaten or harass and many of Shkreli’s social me- “exonerated” despite
Wednesday while awaiting a book tour was merely a comments — albeit offen- dia followers would think his conviction and thinks
sentencing for a securities tasteless joke comparable sive ones — that are in- he was serious.Shkreli, who there’s a “50-50 chance”
fraud conviction. to some of President Don- tended as political satire or is best known for hiking up he won’t face any punish-
A judge heard arguments ald Trump’s derisive com- strained humor.” the price of a life-saving ment. He chatted with fans
about whether the provoc- ments, not a threat worthy The attorney was re- drug and for trolling his crit- on his YouTube channel
ative online antics of Shkre- of putting him behind bars. sponding to government ics on social media, was and sparred with a reporter
li, dubbed the Pharma Bro, “Indeed, in the current po- filings last week that ar- found guilty last month on after last month’s verdict.
were bad enough to put litical climate, dissent has gued Shkreli’s behavior charges, unrelated to the “In sum and substance,”
him behind bars and de- unfortunately often taken was threatening enough price-fixing scandal, that he said, “I feel exonerat-
cided to have him taken the form of political satire, to jail him while he awaits he cheated investors in two ed.” q