'RED BULL KILLER' STEPHEN COFFEEN NOT GUILTY

MENTAL

THE man dubbed the "Red Bull Killer" has astonishingly been found not guilty by reason of insanity in the murder of his father who he suffocated with a pillow. 
Stephen Coffeen, 42, claimed the energy drink made him mentally unbalanced and along with sleep deprivation, meant he did not know what he was doing when he strangled his 83-year-old father, Robert Coffeen, a World War II veteran.    
Circuit Judge Nancy Moate Ley told the Pinellas, FL courtroom: "At the time of the killing, the defendant did not understand the wrongfulness of his actions."
"He was suffering from a mental infirmity, disease or defect."
Citing reports filed by five doctors who concluded Coffeen was legally insane at the time he killed his father she added: "In all of my many years of experience, and a lot of homicide cases, I have never seen a situation that was so clear cut as far as everyone agreeing."

The defendant's brother, Thomas Coffeen, insists insanity had nothing to do with the slaying and maintains his brother has no history of mental illness.
He added that his brother killed their father because he was jealous of Thomas' success in life and that he feared that his sibling would return to hurt his family.
A court hearing on whether he should be released from the state hospital could be scheduled in six to seven months.