Famous Hiccuper Convicted of First Degree Murder in Florida
The tragic tale of “Hiccup Girl,” a Florida woman famous for hiccuping, has ended predictably enough: with a first degree murder conviction.
When she was 15, Jennifer Mee became famous for developing an uncontrollable case of hiccups; Mee reportedly hiccuped non-stop for five straight weeks. She appeared on the Today Show several times in early 2007 to discuss her ailment and her unsuccessful attempts to cure it. Mee briefly made headlines later that year, when she ran away from home, but it wasn't until 2010 —when Mee was arrested for murder — that people really started to pay attention again.
In 2010, Mee lured Shannon Griffin, a 22-year-old Wal-Mart worker, to an abandoned home under the pretense of buying marijuana. Once there, two of Mee's friends robbed Griffin at gunpoint — but he struggled and was shot four times.
While Mee didn't actually shoot Griffin, she orchestrated the kidnapping and burglary. Prosecutors played a recording of Mee speaking with her mother, during which Mee confessed to planning the crime.
"Because I set everything up," Mee said during the call. "It all went wrong, Mom. It just went downhill."
Mee's co-defendant, LaRon Raiford, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. A second co-defendant, Lamant Newton, has not yet gone to trial.
Mee was sentenced to life in jail with no parole. No word if her hiccups are still a problem.
[Image via AP]