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'Hiccup girl' has schizophrenia, says attorney in her murder trial

CLEARWATER, Fla., Sept. 17 (UPI) -- An attorney for a Florida woman who gained fame for non-stop hiccuping said Tuesday he plans to tell the jury in her murder trial that she has schizophrenia.

John Trevena made the comment during a brief break in the second day of jury selection for the trial of Jennifer Mee in the robbery and murder of a St. Petersburg man, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

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Mee attracted national media attention in 2007 after she developed a second case of hiccups after the first case lasted five weeks. She's now 22, and charged with killing Shannon Griffin in 2010.

Of 70 potential jurors, 56 remained to be questioned Tuesday afternoon. Judge Nancy Moate Ley has dismissed 14.

Testimony in Mee's trial could begin as early as Wednesday.

Mee has also been diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, Trevena has previously said.

Laron Cordale Raiford, 23, has been convicted in the death of Griffin. Another man, Lamont Antonio Newton, 25, is awaiting trial.

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