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Expert "Psychopharmocologist" Brian Derrick

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September 09, 2003, 12:13
jws
Expert "Psychopharmocologist" Brian Derrick
Has anyone heard or dealt with Brian Derrick of San Antonio? And can anyone tell me what a psychopharmocologist is and what qualifies someone to be one? (I have a case where the defense is claiming insanity -- we say the guy was just on meth.)
September 09, 2003, 13:51
LH
A psychopharmocologist will testify concerning the effect drugs have on the mind. Mainly, they deal with psychotrophic medication that might be prescribed by a psychiatrist although I think they might testify on the effects of other illegal mind-altering drugs. They mainly have training in the pharmaceutical field and are not medical doctors.
September 10, 2003, 12:29
jws
Sorry -- if you don't know me, you wouldn't have realized that my question "what the heck is a pharmocologist?" was rather sarcastic, and signalling my skepticism of this as a legitimate scientific field that would pass muster under Daubert/Kelly or really be helpful to the question of legal insanity. This guy Derrick is associated in some way with UTSA.
September 10, 2003, 14:17
JB
Given that voluntary intoxication is not a defense, how would the testimony be relevant? It doesn't seem all that relevant for an expert to describe the effects of meth on the mind if the jury can't use that information to negate intent.