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Methadone Tolerance Questioned During Cusick Trial

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OTTAWA – A Forensic Toxicologist says Tracy Cusick’s death was not an overdose. 52-year-old Kenneth Cusick a former Ottawa fireman is accused of killing his wife Tracy by drowning her in a toilet in 2006. According to Dr. Christopher Long, toxicology reports show A blood alcohol content of .07 and a methadone level of .41 micrograms. Long says both levels of ethanol and methadone were not high enough to have caused an overdose and supports pathologists findings of water-like fluid in her lungs. Long and forensic pathologists believe Tracy developed an tolerance to the drug and found no indication of overdose to her body. He says when a person dies of an overdose a froth like substance is evident in the lungs, something that was not found. Defense lead Long to testify that there is no way to test for tolerance that they believe Tracy had. The only way to determine such would be through medical records, something Tracy did not have because she was never prescribed the drug. Long also says despite reports of people operating motor vehicles of the same levels of methadone, it is still within the fatal range. More witnesses will take the stand this afternoon on behalf of prosecution, at the LaSalle County Courthouse.

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