Mistrial Declared in Suit Over Use of Drug Ritalin
A Glendale Superior Court judge on Thursday declared a mistrial in a lawsuit involving the alleged forced use of the drug Ritalin after a witness referred to the race of the child involved, in violation of an earlier court order.
Judge Joseph Kalin was presiding over what lawyers say is the first trial seeking damages from a school district for allegedly encouraging the use of Ritalin, an amphetamine-like drug used to treat hyperactive children.
Adelia Lorenzo, who is seeking $5 million, charged that her son Michael, now 11, suffers headaches and depression because he used Ritalin in 1987. She says that the principal at Balboa Elementary School in Glendale threatened to expel Michael if he did not take Ritalin.
Mehrang Day, a former teacher in Balboa’s day-care center, testified Thursday that she heard the boy’s classmates taunt him, using racial epithets. Defense lawyers said Kalin made a pretrial ruling that excluded references to race.
Lawyers for the Lorenzos called the ruling “ridiculous” and said they will seek to have the case retried in Los Angeles.
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