VIDEO: Florida Man Blames Red Bull & Lack Of Sleep For Killing Father

Posted on Feb 07, 2011 @ 03:53AM

print it send it

Stephen Coffeen says Red Bull, in part, made him do it.

The Pinellas County, Florida man said through his attorney that a lethal combo of the energy drink and lack of sleep put him into a frenzied state that led him to smother his 83-year-old father to death with a pillow in December 2009.

PHOTOS: Celebs Who Have Done Jail Time

Coffeen's lawyer George Tragos is arguing that because of such circumstances, his client be found not guilty by reason of insanity in his ongoing trial.

"The insanity at the time of the offense is normally a perfect storm where all sorts of factors come into play all at once, all at the same time causing the break down," Tragos told My Fox Tampa Bay.

PHOTOS: Celebs In The Best, Worst And Wackiest Courtroom Couture

Stephen Coffeen's brother Thomas told WFTS-TV he doesn't buy his brother's “high-energy” defense.

"It's crap; I don't even think the man even drank Red Bull," Thomas told the station. "They can not 100 percent tell me he did not know what he was doing."

PHOTOS: Celebrity Mugshots

Stephen Coffeen is due back in court February 17.

RELATED STORIES:

PHOTOS: Stars Who OD'd

PHOTOS: Celebs Who Have Battled Drinking Problems

PHOTOS: Celebrities Who Died In Bizarre Circumstances