Pubdate: Tue, 16 May 2006
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Copyright: 2006 Journal Sentinel Inc.
Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/news/editorials/submit.asp
Website: http://www.jsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265
Author: Dan Benson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?132 (Heroin Overdose)

CEDARBURG TEEN PLEADS GUILTY IN HEROIN OVERDOSE

Port Washington - Cedarburg teenager Caitlin Schuette pleaded guilty 
Tuesday to helping provide heroin to a friend, Angela Raettig, 17, 
resulting in Raettig's overdose death.

Schuette's guilty plea to one count of first-degree reckless homicide 
by delivery of drugs represents the first conviction in a series of 
heroin cases in Ozaukee County in the past 6 months.

Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Joseph D. McCormack set Oct. 9 for 
sentencing Schuette, 17, who was charged in December under the 
state's so-called "Len Bias law."

The law allows for someone who provides drugs that are a "substantial 
factor" in a death to be prosecuted for homicide. The law is named 
after a University of Maryland basketball player who died of a drug 
overdose in 1986.

According to a criminal complaint, Schuette and Benjamin R. Stibbe, 
23, of Grafton helped obtain the heroin Nov. 29 from a dealer in 
Milwaukee. Raettig injected some of the heroin, according to a 
criminal complaint, and was found dead in her bed the next morning.

Ozaukee County District Attorney Sandy Williams recommended Schuette 
be sentenced to "a period of incarceration" but did not specify how long.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in state prison.

Williams requested that sentencing be set for October so Schuette 
could continue in a drug rehabilitation program.

Meanwhile, Stibbe's lawyer argued in court Tuesday that the heroin 
dosage taken by Raettig might not have been enough to kill her and 
asked to be allowed to inspect Raettig's medical records to learn 
more about her drug history, including what other drugs she might 
have been taking.

William Mayer argued that Raettig's history of heroin use might have 
caused her to build up such a resistance to the drug that the dosage 
she took that night in November might not have been enough to kill 
her, suggesting that her death may have been caused by a combination 
of other drugs or medications she was taking.

An autopsy concluded that Raettig died of "heroin toxicity."

Assistant District Attorney Adam Gerol and McCormack wondered whether 
Mayer's doubts were relevant to the case since the state does not 
have to prove that heroin caused Raettig's death, only that it was a 
substantial factor contributing to her death.

Stibbe is in custody in the Ozaukee County Jail. Schuette was freed 
earlier this year after posting $30,000 bail.