An Alabama chiropractor, Brian Mann, 36, is facing serious allegations of attempting to kill his wife by mixing her medications with lead. He claims, however, that he is also a victim of addiction.
According to authorities, Mann used lead from a construction project to contaminate the drugs he gave to his wife, Hannah Pettey, 25, beginning in the summer of 2021. Her lawyer stated that this was done to boost her immune system. Pettey spent two months in the hospital, and officials believe Mann intended to “unconsciously” introduce lead particles into her system.
Mann’s legal team contends that he, too, experienced lead poisoning in their shared home. Reports indicate that investigators were called to look for potential sources of lead within the residence. Mann cooperated initially, providing the vitamins that Pettey had taken during her hospital stay.
Despite conducting two separate searches, officials reportedly found no evidence of lead sources in the home. Mann told police they should still investigate where their children might be exposed.
An alert nurse at Decatur General Hospital contacted the police after Mann mentioned that he had done his own x-ray and suspected lead exposure. When the nurse suggested another x-ray was necessary to evaluate the intake severity, Mann appeared visibly anxious, leading her to believe he might flee.
Following another scan, a nurse practitioner informed police that he had discovered a substance in Mann, but it seemed to have been there only briefly.
In an affidavit from Hartselle Police Colonel Alan McDalmond, it was noted that Mann’s medical records suggested he believed he had intentionally ingested lead, which he argued was indicative of his addiction.
After his hospital visit, Mann reportedly informed authorities that he had been engaged in a construction project, where he left excess lead near the X-ray room in his office.
Mann was arrested in September 2022. His defense team argued that the collection of urine samples from his wife was mishandled, with it being done in the back parking lot of the police station using a five-gallon bucket and a strainer.
Both the prosecution and Mann’s defense did not respond to inquiries for comment. Mann has been released on a $500,000 bond and is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder charges.
