Poor Mee - Reflux Redux
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 1:22PM “My love is nt a game im real n dnt wnt a fake lien cheaten azz nigga”
- Jennifer Mee, from her Myspace page
On February 16, 2007, I wrote a post about the poor St. Petersburg girl who couldn’t shake off hiccups. Believe me, I could relate. Although hers lasted more than a month, mine only hung around for about 2 weeks. Doctors tried everything with her, but in my case, a heavy dose of one medication in particular knocked them for a loop. Today, at the first sign of a hiccup, I panic. No way do I ever want them again.
Interestingly, and in one of those “Whatever happened to…” moments, Jennifer Mee has resurfaced in the news, not that she ever reached an acclaim that gave us pause to wonder where she went to begin with. Today, the now 19-year-old sits in a jail cell in St. Pete, charged with first-degree murder, along with two cohorts. In a statement released late Sunday, Sgt. T. A. Skinner, of the St. Petersburg Police Department, said Mee had been arrested along with Laron Raiford, 20, and Lamont Newton, 22. All three had been taken into custody in connection with the death of 22-year-old Shannon A. Griffin. Allegedly, Mee lured the victim to a house where the other two robbed him. When he struggled, he was shot several times. Dead. They admitted their involvement to authorities.
This is a sad story. Where did she go wrong? During the course of her young life, nothing has come close to this, which I would describe now as a giant hiccup that will rob her of her freedom for years to come. No one is accusing her of pulling the trigger, but in Florida, when someone dies during the commission of a felony, everyone involved in the crime can be charged with murder, even if Mee had no idea of the outcome. She had to have known a gun was involved.
Here is her profile, in her own words, at Myspace:
My name is jennifer, im almost 19 but dont let the age fool you, the struggles ive been through has made me grown up so much. Im always havin fun chillin or vibbin to some gucci:) im a down ass chick and all the others will never compare so dont try me like im the next hoe. Ive lived in florida for a while now but my heart is still in vermont? im trying to better myself and just move on in life. Im single& not lookin but if a real nigga comes along then im here:) hit me up if you need to kno anymore
Read more: http://www.myspace.com/jennifer_plies#ixzz13OqZA4JA
In any event, this is the story I wrote back in the beginning of 2007. My hiccup encounter was over 6 years ago now. By the way, Jennifer’s mother found my story and commented. You can read the original HERE, along with those comments.
♦
Poor Jennifer Mee. She’s the 15 year old girl from St. Petersburg, Florida who can’t seem to shake off the hiccups. She’s had them for more than 3 weeks now. I can definitely relate. Two years ago, I had them for a week and a half and they pretty much drove me nuts, or as my friends might say, nuttier than I already was. I did a lot of research on the Internet, trying to find any sort of cure. I experimented with just about everything I read, to no avail. I tried holding my breath. I put sugar under my tongue and in the back of my throat. I breathed into a paper bag and drank out of the wrong side of a glass. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. I could not sleep at night and I got desperate. Finally, I made an appointment to see a doctor. My doctor had died, so I had to find a new one, one who had never met me or knew of my medical history.
When I got in to see this new doctor, I (hic) explained (hic) my (hic) dilemma. He looked down my throat.
“I don’t like the redness I’m seeing,” he said. He listened to my neck, chest and abdomen. After a few minutes of careful examination, he made a diagnosis. “I believe you have a lung tumor.”
My heart sunk down into my butt. That should have been enough to scare the hiccups away, but it didn’t. “You’re kidding?”
“No, that’s pretty much what I think it is. I’ve had cases like this before and that’s what it generally has turned out to be. I’m going to schedule you for chest x-rays and an upper GI.”
“Oh, wow. In the meantime, can you give me anything, like Thorazine?”
“Thorazine? How do you know about that?” he asked.
“I looked it up on the Internet.”
“No, really, how did you know about Thorazine?” He gave me a rather sharp and puzzled look.
“I’m telling you, I tried looking for a cure on the Internet and read about it.” Thorazine (chlorpromazine) is a drug prescribed for schizophrenia. Seriously. It’s also used to treat chronic hiccups. I think he wondered if I had a history of schizophrenia or some other psychotic problem.
[I recall responding to my doctor when he asked me about Thorazine. After the second time, I turned my head to the right and openly told my imaginary friend to mind his own business; that I would answer. Be Quiet! It was at that point he laughed and realized I was a joker and that I was in complete control of my faculties. Ha!]
“Yes. I’m going to give you a prescription for that.” I felt a little relieved, in the hope that this drug would cure me. Hic, I mean, heck, I was more concerned with getting rid of this immediate problem than I was about dying of lung cancer. I left, and hiccuped my way to the pharmacy.
When I got home, I immediately unscrewed the cap and swallowed one of those pills. An hour later, nothing. Man, I thought, this is crazy. I took another one. About an hour after that, I was in some sort of la la land I had never been to before. Wow. I was somewhere up in the clouds and decided I needed to get into bed. That was it for me. I woke up the next morning and the hiccups were gone. Bingo! Cured! My first solid night of sleep in what seemed like forever.
The following week, I went to get the tests done and a few days later, I went back to see the doctor. As I was walking into one of those waiting rooms, he passed me in the hall and said he had some good news and some bad news, but don’t worry, the bad news isn’t that bad.
He walked in with some papers. “You do not have a tumor. You have a hernia on your esophagus. You also have one here and here.” He pointed to parts of my stomach. “You also have GERD.”
GERD is short for gastroesophageal reflux disease. I have always had bad heartburn and I knew I had damaged my esophagus through the years.
“I want you to get some Prilosec OTC and take 2 capsules (not one) a day.”
“For how long?”
“Until I tell you to stop.” which I interpreted as never. “I’m also going to write a prescription for an ulcer medication, not that you necessarily have one, but it will aid in the GERD.”
I had a couple of follow up visits and everything seemed fine. I never really got the hiccups again, at least not like that. Every time I do hic a few times, I get scared. Oh, by the way, I asked what I should do with the rest of those schizo pills. “Throw them away. You don’t need them.”
Yeah, right, like I was going to do that. Hah! At least, I never drove when taking them. That would have been crazy.
[To be truthful, I don’t believe I ever took them again. The hiccups were gone, but as a former Boy Scout, I learned to be prepared, just in case. - My heartfelt condolences go out to the Griffin family.]
To see larger images, click HERE
Dave Knechel | tagged GERD, Jennifer Mee, Lamont Newton, Laron Raiford, Sgt. T. A. Skinner, Shannon A. Griffin, St. Petersburg Police Department, Thorazine, chlorpromazine, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hiccups | in Casey Anthony, Caylee Anthony, Dave Knechel, David B. Knechel, David Knechel, Marinade Dave, Marinade Dave Knechel, Marinade Dave’s Caylee Anthony Posts, marinadedave | Share Article 
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Reader Comments (67)
Ahhhhaaaa!! Here you are with the new post......I thought I had gone back in time......I read the original post and thought it was current.....did not look at the dates.......I posted 3 times about the murder charges.......I should have KNOWN you would not make a boo boo like that. Shame on me!!
Actually, Carole, that old post was on mothballs and I resurrected it this morning for this occasion. What a shame, but I remember I had to heavily edit her mothers two comments. Talk about hick language, she was hard to understand.
Thanks for letting us kow about this case, Dave. I find it so sad when young people end up going so far astray like this. I wonder since she has been in the news before if this will be a big case that draws a lot of media like Casey's did. Please keep us updated as you can regarding this case. I know I am interested to see what happens with it.
Dave- I heard about this on the 12 o'clock news. I really do not understand our youth today. Very sad situation. At least they had the sense God gave a goose to tell the truth. Unlike other high profile cases where it is the norm to lie and cover up.
Hi, Mary Jo - I wonder if her future defense will argue that the hiccups affected her brain and, therefore, led her to a life of crime. As the news pours in, I will keep you up-to-date. Yup.
Tony - Yes, they seemed to have fessed up, but I wouldn't put it past the defense attorneys to have that thrown out. Did the police intimidate them? Unfortunately, it could play out that way.
Thanks, Dave, for covering this...I don't get the paper and rely on the net to keep me up on the news...I had seen that this young man had been shot but had no idea that Ms Mee was involved until I saw it on my MSN home page...I was in WV when she had her hiccups and do remember seeing her on TV...What a travesty for anyone to become involved with the likes of the two young men that she assisted...I'm sure we won't have to wait two years or so for this to come to court...I'll try to go observe this case first hand if I can get "Old Bessie" running...In the meantime please do keep us posted on this...Thanks again...
Estee - I've heard mixed reports. One said that all three perps are female, but Laron and Lamont don't sound like it to me. I will keep you posted. Thank you!
Dave...I checked out the "Who's in Jail" site of Pinellas County Sheriff Office...Laron and Lamont ARE males... I also saw where Jennifer had last posted on My Space on Sunday and said she was a "hustla"...Guess she has hustled her last...Wonder what excuse she will give for getting involved in this...Drain Bramage ain't gonna buy it...
Estee - When I read your last comment, I went over to her Myspace page and linked it on the post. Thanks for that information. Yup, she said she's a hustla, alright. She's going to be a shuffla in and out of the prison system now. What a shame.
Thanks for adding the myspace link, Dave. Her last log in on myspace was yesterday. She will be hustla in jail, but I am sure it won't be the kind she was thinking when she put that on her page.
Mary Jo, when people bring me information related to the story, I try to post it and give them the credit that's due. It's the least I could do. This is a team effort! I hope.
You do give credit where and when it is due. This is a team effort. I wonder if she will end up with a public defender or be able to get a private attorney that she pays for or does it pro bono.
What irony...I had just read the story and then came to your page...I was feeling really bad that her mom may have read about it on here as she did not mention it when she posted..I felt the need to explain my
" Haha's" after reading her post..They were, and always are due to the humor you inject into your post..Plus the fact you are so accurate in what you report. Remember, all this took place in a matter of minutes. Actually unfolding as we read.
I actually felt sorry for her until I read the whole story then my sorrow as always was for the victim.
Folks- Check out her MySpace page pics before her Defense gets it shut down!
http://www.myspace.com/jennifer_plies/photos/albums/my-mobile-photos/1771587
Holy Smokes, what a junk product from our junk culture. "F***'* Up" indeed. What possessed her to pose next to a toilet? In the bikini, looking like a zucchini, pudgy and soft, a true stoner with some persistant munchies...
Hah, and she states she's trying to "better" herself. Couldn't get much worse...
I remember this girl Dave. I would think it would be if not painful at lease very annoying to hiccup all the time. I am glad that your hiccups are gone. I can only imagine how horrible that may be to deal with.
It does make you wonder why anyone would take such a turn in their life like this. Even if she did not know a gun was involved, which I doubt, she had to know something bad may go down. What would make a young girl like her get involved with this kind of dealings. Of course, what would make the two guys get involved with her.
There seems to be so much crime in Florida lately. I have been watching the trail of a senior citizen accused of killing one of his guests in his home. Apparently the victim was "helping" one of the women play which really ticked off the other guy, accused him of cheating. They were playing a card game, Phase 10. It is probably the most aggravating card game I have every played. You can get stuck in one of the phases for a very long time. Mike was stuck there one time for 9 hands, very frustrating. But this guy and the guy he killed, allegedly had been having problems before. Why would you even invite someone you did not get along with to your home to play cards? Guess the statement, you can't fix stupid, applies to this guy.
Karen, you can't put a link here you have to do it a different way. The instructions are on the bottom of this page. Personally I think they are as clear as mud, but that may be just me LOL.
Jennifer's pictures
Well, beyond me, Dave! But honestly, why do people think it's a good idea to show off their drug use on pics, on their MySpace, FaceBook pages? Right off the bat she tells us she's all about the money. There's a pic of 2 little kids- hoping NOT hers...
Depressing...
I missed it...Already gone.
I really do give credit where due. I think it's very important to do that, not just from an ethical standpoint, but people are more than willing to jump in with something. Oh, I'm sure she will get a public defender, unless someone like Baez comes along. Not him, but some lawyers look at the opportunity to defend someone lie her.
GLENDA - I just watched WESH and Amanda Ober stated that Jennifer's mother was on a radio station in Tampa today and said her daughter got in with the wrong crowd after her brush with fame. What a loser she turned out to be. She could have done so much good.
Yuck, Karen, don't remind me of that bikini shot. She sure went downhill.
My guess with the card game is that alcohol was involved. Maybe drugs, too. Alcohol and cards can make strange bedfellows at times. Remember the old West?
But back to the hiccups, I really epmathized with her back then. Today, I feel nothing but contempt.
Karen - She's a dumb 19-year-old, obviously, with all the brains of a trailer park tire.
Apparently Dave, there was no booze at the card party, at least none consumed by the Defendant or the victim. All six were senior citizens. One of the guys that was at the house did say he was drinking some O'dools, has I guess less than 1% alcohol. I could be wrong, but I do not think drugs were involved, at least none of the witness' have said anything about that.
Anyway, your right about her, she is a dumb 19 year old and she just screwed up her entire life. You do not kill anyone, or be involved in a killing in Flordia and not spend a lot of time in prison if not life.
Peggy - She may be able to work out a deal with the state if she sings loud enough, but there's no way she's not going to spend a long time behind bars. It would be in her best interest to take a deal if she's offered one.
As for the card game death, look at how crazy people are online. Not to mention names, but there are several who are calling for the deaths of people they really don't know. They are even nuttier.
Yes they are Dave. I was going to comment on the DP but decided that I better shut my mouth. As a good Democrat...... And speaking of that, I will be glad when this election is over.
I will never understand the stupidity of people when they get so upset they do something that they can never take it back. Does someone have to die for the authorities to take something seriously? I will never understand Dave why some people can do what they do and nothing happens to them.
Laws, Peggy, it's all about laws. Law enforcement can only uphold the law, but I will keep my comment limited to that for now. Yes, though... people can be very stupid while bragging about their superior minds.
One thing is certain, Jennifer Mee won't be facing the death penalty unless she pulled the trigger, which I doubt. She hung around with some bad dudes.
The bad thing about getting your 15 minutes of fame is that when something really bad happens everyone knows your name already. I felt sorry for her when she had the hiccups and it was extremely unusual. I'm a firm believer that every person is responsible for their own actions and what "crowd" they get into. I get so tired of hearing "she was a good person, she just got in with the wrong crowd". I imagine every little pusher girl and boy's mama says the same thing. It all involves choices and she made some wrong ones. She'll be the one to deal with it, good or bad, not her "wrong crowd".
I don't agree that Florida has an unusually high crime rate. I've lived in enough places that I've seen worse. Florida just has this "sunshine law" so we hear about more of them than we would in other places I think. Jacksonville is more dangerous per capita than Miami they say. I've lived in Cincinnati Ohio and I'd say it's right up there with the rest.. you just don't hear about the crime as much because the laws aren't as open.
And Dave? Flush the meds!!! Boy Scouts are always prepared but meds can either grow in strength or get weaker with age.. wouldn't want to go that route with Thorazine.
Connie - I didn't say I flushed those meds. They were in my medicine cabinet for years and one day I threw them in the garbage. No way was I going to mess with an expired drug like that.
Crime is crime is crime, wherever it occurs, and I'll bet you the Los Angeles area has a higher crime rate. I always remind people when they stereotype Florida that most of its citizens came from somewhere else, like Ohio, and that means they brought their crime with them.
Jennifer's Myspace is down now, but she said she was in Vermont at heart, where her father lives.
You know, for that matter, a lot of criminals have Myspace accounts. Does that mean anything? Of course not.
Hey Dave, there are a lot of people out there all over the country that have done horrible things to other people, I suppose they just do not talk about them as much as they do Florida. I did not notice that until the Caylee Anthony murder. Texas has the Death Penalty and the crime in Texas is really bad.
So young so stupid., No thoughts of consequences. " the crowd " is not responsible for this girl, she made her choice without athought for her family or the victims family, so now she is equally guilty. Dave, I say a prayer every day for the Purple Pill------ Nexium for my Gerd.
Yup, Peggy, crime is everywhere and it's been around since Cain slew Abel. Think about it, we had presidents and vice-presidents who shot and killed a political opponent in a duel. That's just for disagreeing with ideas.
I'm against the death penalty and I've made that clear on my blog, but it's the law in Florida and I'm not on a crusade to stop it. That's for attorneys to argue. The only thing we can do is to peacefully let our politicians know how we feel. If the death penalty is supposed to be a deterrent, it's not working.
Mee made her own bed. I agree with you, Margaret. She chose to hang around a bad crowd because she wanted to be a tough guy. Tough luck is all she's got now.
Here it is, six years later and I'm still taking it, only I take it in prescription form because it's cheaper that way. Omeprazole is the generic equivalent. I can't miss a day of it.
The Death Penalty isn't working Dave when two states like Florida and Texas have more crime that possibly any other state. But then that maybe be because of how large they both are. I too am against the DP, it has not value IMO. To be put in a cell all alone for years then strapped to a gurney and get something to kill you does not sound like they are getting what they deserve. It also costs more to put a person on Death Row than it does to keep them in prison for the rest of their lives. Let them live with people just like them, maybe they will just kill each other. I also belief that sex offenders should be put away for life. They are letting them out, perhaps not all, but some are not rehabilitated and going back to what they were doing before. The laws have to change.
I'm not a huge death penalty fan, however: How do we know it's NOT making a difference? Do we know how many MORE murders would have been committed if not for the death penalty? Possibly it IS working.
I strongly believe that the vile animals who slew the Petit Family, absolutely deserves (and has earned) the death penalty. They raped, tortured and killed the Petit family women. Eye for an eye. I believe these two men should be raped (mop and broom handles will suffice), tortured (gasoline slowly dripped on the heads) and killed (set on fire while ALIVE).
Mee wanted to be bad and gangster. Well, Mee, you're bad and gangster now. Do you feel "all that" now that you're behind bars? I do not feel sorry for her one bit. Another spoiled brat.
I'm sure the death penalty will be discussed for decades to come. For now though, I'm glad it's in place for some cases and in other cases I don't think its warranted. See, I can't even agree with myself. How can I expect a population of people to agree on the matter?
Good Morning Dave....Just had to let you know the latest here...Well, it looks like Ms Mee has made it big time again...Her recent escapade was on NBC..Today Show today and Mom's clip about her "Hiccup Stardom" as the beginning to the end was mentioned...I heard on the radio that Jennifer has retained attorney John H. Trevena...I have witnessed him in action...I served on a jury of a case that he tried and won...He is a huge bear of a man...about the size of a full grown male grizzly...Just his size alone is intimadating, however he can be meek and very personable...He has a website, as most attorneys do in this day and age...Also heard on the radio that Ms Mee is singing like a canary...No doubt she will go for a plea, if one is offerred; but if it should go to trial it will be an interesting one...Thanks for the "booking sheets".
Hi, Peggy - I don't see any advantage of seeking death. For one thing, people who commit crimes do so because they never think they'll get caught. Even the 3 strike rule has its faults. No one expects to get caught. Plain and simple. Also, did any of those 3, including Mee's accomplices expect to kill the guy? No, and they expected to get away with the robbery. People like that are stupid. They come up with stupid plans and they act incredibly dumb. It is very rare that anyone gets away with a serious crime. They almost always mess up. Do we need change? In my opinion, get rid of the death penalty and stiffen up sentencing. Increase prison time and teach inmates a viable trade so they can acclimate themselves back into society. Of course, I'm dreaming.
Hi, Sarah - I know the frustration you feel, but once again, those brutal rapists and murderers of the Petit family never expected to get caught. It seems that your common, every day murderer doesn't come up with a follow through plan. They may plan a murder, but they don't formulate an escape plan. Take a look at Casey, for instance. Let's say she's found guilty. OK, she did it. I have many questions to ask. Not her, mind you, but people who follow this case. I'll tell you why. Apparently, Casey was brilliant enough to come up with an elaborate plan of execution, with secret code words and all. The ZG name and the property owners closest to "Hope" or whatever she said. OK, there's a lot more people are suggesting, but what, then? She carried out her plan for the murder and where did she go from there? Nowhere. Period. She didn't know what to do with the body, so she kept it in the trunk until her car smelled to high heaven. Hell is more like it. Instead of dumping her daughter in a river or lake, or in the Atlantic, she tosses the body in woods practically next to her house. Dumb move. The rest - the partying and lying to law enforcement only went to show how stupid she was. She plotted right up to the murder and never followed through. This is the case of many criminals and it's one of the main reasons they get caught. Didn't she know she would be questioned? Probably not, because she's had a lifetime of honing her dirty little skills by practicing on her parents and friends. You see, most criminals are really that stupid. They leave trails they don't recognize, because most of them are not well-disciplined or trained assassins.
In my opinion, the death penalty is not a deterrant because, like Casey, murderers are way too scatter-brained.
They'll need her for testimony against the others, but, Me, if I were on that jury I'd be advocating for an extra 10 years on top of everything else for those pics alone. What a waste product. I do feel sorry for the Mom. Hey Kids, stay away from drugs and gangstas- all that hiccup stuff was only 3 short years ago....
Good morning, Estee - I'll have to take a look at the attorney. I saw that she had hired one, but no name was given. I had a feeling Mee would be singing like a canary. She may be offered a deal, but she's still looking at 20 years, I'll bet you. Let's see what her attorney says, but if she goes to trial, I won't be driving over to Pinellas County. Thanks.
She's a waste product, alright, Karen. I feel no sympathy for her no matter how remorseful she may be today. Hopefully, she will get what she deserves, and then some.
Dave, I have always been pro Death Penalty but the justice system is slowly changing my mind..We have the Black Widow,Blanch Taylor Moore, in my home state of NC, and she has been there for over 20 years. Old age will get her before the DP does..I'm afraid the same will happen with Casey if she does happen to get the DP. We already see it affords them the best of everything..Lawyers, Investigators, food, solitude, and lots and lots of time. Then once convicted they get all these frivilous appeals..More tax payers money..More publicity. Fl and Tx. does seem to follow through better than here..I agree with you..Casey honed her skills for years on her parents and now she's doing it on the sympathatic idiots that send her money for being a nothing..Which is what I would call her even if i didn't think she had killed her child..No decent Mother is going to allow her small child to be missing that long and do nothing but party. I may sound harsh and cold to some, but that is IMO only.
Dear Dave, I am reading your posts everyday--wouldnt miss them, friend. My granddaughter who is 7 has had GERDs since she was born and she takes omeprazole every day as I and my daughter do also. It is really good. Hope you are having a good day there in Florida. It is kind of w arm and humid here in the Houston area again today. But it cools off some at night now. I went through August here without air conditioning in my car. I didnt have the money to have it fixed and I drive 56 miles one way to work so I can do ANYTHING. And it seems positively cool out to me after the summer. Love ya!!!!
I have a hundred percent cure for hiccups .You get a bucket of water an stick your head in it three times.You only remove your head twice ..
i love your hiccup cure Ecossie..lol.
They may have found Zahra...
Oh Karen - That is so terrible about Zahra - She looked like such a sweet child and had been through so much. It is just so terrible that so many families would have taken her in and given her a good life.
OK, app. the martress...
BTW, see where this lil' Gangsta Gurl's lawyer is claiming TOURETTE'S? I swear...