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WWE Hall of Famer Tammy Sytch's sentencing hearing is underway in Volusia County, Florida. PWInsider.com will update as we confirm details.
Sytch is in attendance at the sentencing, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit. Her family does not appear to be present.
Judge Karen A. Foxman noted that Sytch plead no contest to the charges of one count of DUI causing death (DUI Manslaughter, a felony in the third degree), one count of causing death while operating a vehicle with a suspended or revoked driver’s license (a felony in the third degree), four counts of DUI causing injury to a person, and three counts of DUI causing damage to property in relation to the March 2022 death of 75-year old Julian Lasseter during a traffic incident in Ormond Beach, Florida.
Lasseter's family is in attendance at the sentencing.
The defense and the prosecutors have each brought in expert witnesses to argue how Sytch should be sentenced. The defense's side will go first. They have several psychologist who will speak about Sytch's mental health issues.
Dr. John Fabian, A forensic psychologist from Texas who has examined Sytch is giving testimony. He examined her in the Spring of 2023. Sytch had been treated for anxiety and depression, hypertension, diabetes 2, pancreatitis, back pain and PTSD. She reported nightmares of being choked, punch and beind assaulted by "her most recent partner." He met with her twice, including a Zoom call in October 2023. Sytch's parents each struggled with alcoholism. He learned from Tammy's sister Laurie that they had struggled with dependency issues and alcohol issues. He spoke with Missy Leslie (Brutus Beefcake's wife) and learned there were a lot of abusive relationships with men and a lot of chaos and alcohol abuse. Sytch had periods where things were great and then times where she "hit the bottle" to cope with her issues. Sytch's brother also struggled with alcohol issues.
Sytch also dealt with "heavy hits" with grief and loss, including the loss of her father, her niece who died in a car accident and the death of Chris Candido 16 years into their relationship after his ankle surgery. He stated the blood clot after flying story, although the Candido family has since clarified Chris passed from pneumonia. He explained Sytch went through cycles of euphoria and depression.
In regard to Sytch's time in professional wrestling, she wanted to be with Chris Candido, so she didn't pursue a scholarship in Miami and instead went to school in CT and PA before moving to Knoxville. She got involved with Smoky Mountain Wrestling and then WWF, working for one three days and the other four days. She worked for "Extreme Wrestling" and there was a lot of movement through different organizations. There was a lot of broadcasting and she wasn't wrestling but was later "thrown in the ring." There was a lot of drugs, pills, pain medication in that world. Sytch tore her ACL and quad and nearly a half-dozen concussions and didn't have medical insurance. In his opinion, she drank and used Xanax.
In regard to her relationships, he spoke about Candido first. She realized that he was the one person who consistently loved her and she made mistakes in that relationship, getting involved with another wrestler. She qualifies for borderline personality disorder in his opinion. There's a profound sensitivity to rejection in individuals. Everything is baited breath and end of the world. Even if a person is abusive to you, you are trying to earn back that love and act impulsive. It is a psychiatric disorder.
They brought up a police officer John Sytch had dated. Sytch had difficulties "being alone." He cited there was physical abuse and death threats against her and her mother, according to Sytch's account. She struggles to get out of these abusive relationships and then gets drawn back in. There was one police report where there were lies that she went down the stairs and hurt herself because the officers knew him and she didn't want him to get arrested for domestic abuses. She would almost apologize for being abused. There were periods of sobriety and periods where she felt abandoned and abused and would self-medicate.
Sytch's relationship with independent wrestler Damian Darling. She would find out "some of these guys" were unfaithful and would try to win them back. A lot of the areas of her life were unstable. She didn't have a lot of inner strength to break through and get out of these relationships. He broke down how those with border-life personalities deal with these situations. They have fear of abandonment and rejection. There will be problems with anger and temperament and self-destructive behavior. She was never suicidal or a cutter but was self-destructive in other ways, supplements and steroids so you "look the part and don't lose your job." Some of that was the business and some of that was her disorder. There were impulsivities in her life. She never felt like she was good enough.
He was asked about the relationship she was in at the time of the incident. They wrote each other for a long time and got together and it was a lot of dysfunctional abuse and chaos. There was controlling behavior by her partner towards her. Threats towards her if she called the cops, calling her phones, she can't go to AA, "false imprisonment, so to speak. He wouldn't let her leave." Sytch was in a number of abusive relationships and this followed that pattern.
Sytch would have euphoria, problems with sleeping, doing activities, a lot of fast-paced activities and then almost crippling depression. Sytch did received mental health help but it was most medications like Prozac, Xanax and Lithium, among others. He had belief Sytch had some brain damage from concussions an ten reported seizures. She was diagnosed a medication for seizures. Then, there was wrestling and the relationship history. It is his understanding that she took blows to the head where she was dazed.
Sytch being tested for neuro-psychological issues was discussed. She tested above average for intelligence. He described her as having a "pretty sturdy IQ." He began breaking down how she reacted to different mental tasks. He also conducted Psychological tests. There was evidence of PTSD, depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, substance abuse disorder, alcohol. A lot of preoccupation with chronic pain. Potential of delusion thinking, which "I did not see."
He conducted PTSD tests. Evidence of intrusive experiences, disassociative experiences. Her PTSD scale was elevated. He broke down some of the tests he had Sytch go through.
His overall impression of Tammy in regard to brain damage, he said she is a damaged individual. There are three areas where the emotional side were a fusion of alcoholism, abusive relationship and the blows to the head didn't help either. He diagnosed with her PTSD disorder, bipolar disorder, cognitive disorder, alcohol abuse disorder (described as severe) and borderline personality disorder. She never received correct treatment for any of her disorders. She requires, in his opinion, specialized treatment. She has psychiatric disorders. He would start treatment with her PTSD and bipolar disorders first. The grief and loss in her life is the trigger of her PTSD, mentioning the loss of Candido and her father. She has multiple disorders separate of her substance abuse disorder.
The Prosection spoke with him. Prior to being brought in to evaluate Sytch, he had no knowledge of her case. He met her a year after she was imprisoned after her arrest. They noted that perhaps her time incarcerated and knowing she was facing a long sentence could be a cause for depression, as well as gaining weight and losing the adulation of her fans. Sytch's defense wasn't happy with that, objecting over the mention of the deterioration of Sytch's physical appearance, saying it wasn't relevant but the judge overruled that. These are all things that could cause depression, which the doctor agreed with.
They asked him about Sytch's diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and the cycle that he described. Many of the relationships mentioned were from her early 20s, a period where women are trying to find their way. They were basically noting that at 50, when she's been in jail for a year, she is using things from her youth as a reason for what happened. He said he didn't sense she wasn't being candid about her history. He agreed that the excessive use of alcohol could also destroy relationships.
In regard to Sytch's chronic pain, the Prosecutors brought up that this would be in line with someone who spent time in pro wrestling and who was also of middle age, noting she is 50 years old now. They asked if Sytch was aware prior to the crash in this case that she had PTSD. The doctor said he doesn't know she had a lot of insight into the diagnoses and problems that she has before he evaluated them. The prosecutors said she chose to solve her problems with alcohol. He agreed she did when it came to abusive relationships. He agreed alcoholism could exacerbate all of her issues.
When he spoke with her, it was a year into incarceration and it was noted that she no longer has a fan base nor can she enjoy her celebrity. It was noted, again, that she's "gained weight" and is depressed. They asked him if he ever had Sytch physically assessed. He did not, he just referred to the Volusia County Jail records. They are arguing that Sytch sounds no different than any other woman her age who was going through menopause. He said he would agree.
Sytch's alcohol abuse started at 23 after work and by 28, it was chronic and she suffers from pancreatitis.
Her defense attorneys pointed out Sytch was diagnosed with spinal stenosis. She was diagnosed with depression back in 2014. The Dr. said she's had these issues for details. Her relationship with Chris Candido was noted as being 16 years in length, so most of her abusive relationships were in her 30s and 40s. This completed his testimony.
Coverage continues on Page 2.
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