Florida's 'Hiccup Girl' On Trial For Murder
CLEARWATER (CBSMiami/AP) — In 2007, Florida teenager Jennifer Mee made national news because she could not stop hiccupping. She became known as the 'hiccup girl'. Now, Mee is making headlines again for being on trial for murder.
Jury selection got underway Tuesday in Clearwater where Mee, 22, is charged with first-degree murder in the 2010 death of Shannon Griffin. Prosecutors say Mee met Griffin online and lured him to a vacant home where two other men robbed him at gunpoint. Griffin struggled with the suspects and was shot several times.
Mee's co-defendant Laron Raiford, 23, was sentenced to life in prison in August 2013 after he was convicted of first-degree murder.
Raiford was the first of the three suspects in the killing to stand trial.
Mee's prolonged hiccups of up to 50 a minute gained her national attention when she was just 15 years old. She tried home remedies and consulted medical specialists, a hypnotist and an acupuncturist, until the hiccups finally stopped on their own. She appeared on several TV shows and while on the "Today" show, was hugged by fellow guest and country music star Keith Urban.
Mee's attorney, John Trevena, has said she was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome, a neurological disorder that can cause involuntary movements and speech problems. Trevena said that hiccups are a symptom of Tourette's and that Mee's still suffers from periodic bouts.
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