A horrific crime in South Florida has put the dangers of bath salts, which contain amphetamine-like chemicals, on the public's radar and into national headlines. A 31-year-old man in Miami stripped naked on a walk from South Beach and video surveillance footage shows the man attacking the victim, a homeless man, by first stripping off his clothes, then beating him. The man then proceeds to spend several minutes crouched over the victim and chews off the face of the homeless man in what is being called a "zombie-like attack," according to WPTV.com.
Authorities report that when they arrived and initially demanded that the man stop, he "growled like an animal" and continued to eat the man's face.
The attack lasted a total of 18 minutes, which ended only after police shot and killed the 31-year-old. The victim is in critical condition at Jackson Memorial hospital. Police suspect that the man was under the influence of bath salts, a drug that is not actually used in baths and that has dangerous side effects, including paranoia, psychotic episodes, and hallucinations. The report indicates that Panama City police have seen two very serious incidents linked to bath salts in 2011, one where a woman tried to behead her own mother, and another where a man used his teeth to tear up the backseat of a patrol car.
This specific face-eating incident has spurred a crackdown on bath salts and synthetic drugs across the state of Florida.
At Musca Law, our Dade County violent crime defense attorneys believe that anyone accused of a violent crime deserves expert legal defense in order to preserve their lawful rights and protect their future. We have years of experience successfully defending clients from a variety of criminal charges and will apply our knowledge to your case to have your charges reduced or dismissed. The initial consultation is free, so to discuss your case with us at no-cost, call (888) 484-5057.