Coroner's Report: Richard Jeni was mentally ill

CherryDarling · June 29th, 2007, 10:47 PM

LOS ANGELES -- Comedian Richard Jeni, who shot himself to death in March, had a history of mental illness and was hospitalized late last year for suicidal depression, according to a coroner's report obtained Thursday. Jeni, 49, died at a hospital after shooting himself in the head at his Hollywood home on March 10, authorities have said.

His girlfriend heard him talking to himself about a week earlier, saying "'just squeeze the trigger,'" according to a police report cited by the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

She was making breakfast downstairs when Jeni shot himself in the mouth with a .38-caliber Colt Detective Special handgun, according to the report.

Jeni, whose birth name was Richard John Colangelo, had not made any previous suicide attempts and left no note, the report said.

However, the report said Jeni was involuntarily hospitalized on Dec. 28 after he showed up in a hospital emergency room with suicidal depression and indicated he would jump off of a building.

Days after his death, Jeni's family disclosed the comic was mentally ill and said in a statement that he had been diagnosed earlier this year with "severe clinical depression coupled with bouts of psychotic paranoia."

According to the coroner's report, Jeni's girlfriend said he had problems with "insomnia, paranoia and high blood pressure due to stresses of his work schedule."

He also had a history of schizophrenia and had taken several antidepressants and a sleeping aid, the coroner's report said.

source: Coroner's Report: Jeni Was Mentally Ill - MSN TV News

McJag · June 29th, 2007, 10:53 PM

Sad.

sweetness · June 29th, 2007, 10:55 PM

God rest his soul.

yoyoma · June 29th, 2007, 11:02 PM

Rest in Peace. Such a tragic way to end your life.

sprynkles · June 29th, 2007, 11:44 PM

My gawd this is sad.
I knew he must have been mentally off to have taken
his own life.
He must have refused to take meds or something.
I still have his HBO special and it's one of our favorites. I will always love him.

RevellingInSane · June 30th, 2007, 05:18 AM

Sad.

Lily · June 30th, 2007, 03:12 PM

That is very sad. Severe depression is common among comedians. And depression--my god, it's a monster. It's a monster.

sweetness · June 30th, 2007, 03:14 PM

^^ Yes, and schizophrenia is a heartbreaking disease too.

Lily · June 30th, 2007, 03:19 PM

Yes....and people with depression or schizophrenia are often stigmatized. I don't think people understand what kind of suffering goes along with it. I suffer from dysthymia--and have had moments of "double depression"--and it's something that one can't talk about, for fear that people will start treating you like a mental patient. It's bollocks.

Poor Richard Jeni.

SweetPea · June 30th, 2007, 10:13 PM

This poor man was at his wits end. So sad.

sweetness · June 30th, 2007, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lily

Yes....and people with depression or schizophrenia are often stigmatized. I don't think people understand what kind of suffering goes along with it. I suffer from dysthymia--and have had moments of "double depression"--and it's something that one can't talk about, for fear that people will start treating you like a mental patient. It's bollocks.

Poor Richard Jeni.

You are so right. My brother is schizophrenic and things are really tough for him.
The medications available don't work all that great, plus he says they make him feel awful.

I'm so sorry to hear of your dysthymia.

I've got those dreadful depression genes too...... depression sucks!

Lily · June 30th, 2007, 10:30 PM

^Thank you. I appreciate it.

The problem with depression is that people think someone can just "snap out of it," as if the depression isn't real. It's like telling someone to "snap out of" cancer or "snap out of" diabetes.

When I was diagnosed, I did a lot of research. There were some f*cking amazing people who suffered from depression--sometimes extremely severe. It's like reading a list of luminaries of all the arts & sciences: Churchill, Lincoln, Poe, Woolf, Newton, Beethoven, Hemingway, Dickens. There are some recent celebrities who have been brave enough to talk about their depression (Shawn Colvin, Ashley Judd, Bonnie Raitt, Jim Carrey).....and yet there is still a stigma.

My heart goes out to the memory of Richard Jeni and his family.

nana55 · June 30th, 2007, 11:01 PM

My daughter's first boyfriend had serious depression and eventually killed himself. He was a brilliant young man. I often feel that sometimes when you are given a gift or talent, something else is lost.

kingcap72 · July 1st, 2007, 02:15 AM

I feel bad for his family. My aunt committed suicide back in the early 90's, so I know what that feels like. And I liked Richard Jeni too. He was funny. May he find some peace.