Alleged Killer's Mother Backs "Bath Salts" Ban

In the months since she died, Pamela Schmidt was remembered as a devoted friend, daughter and  sister. Now the slain 22-year-old will also be remembered for the law that bears her name and bans the sale of the designer drug that allegedly led to her at the hands of her Cranford boyfriend.

On Monday, Gov. Chris Christie signed "Pamela's Law," which criminalizes the manufacturing, distribution, sale and possession of designer drugs labeled as "bath salts" in New Jersey. The bill was named in memory of , a Warren Township resident and Rutgers University student who was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend, , 22, of Cranford, while he was believed to be under the influence of bath salts.

“By signing Pamela’s Law, we are continuing to address the real world impact of these so-called ‘bath salt’ designer drugs that have already negatively impacted the lives of too many New Jerseyans," Christie said in a press release after signing the legislation. "These chemicals have no valid medical use and can only cause life-threatening harm to those who ingest them."

The designer drugs, labeled as have been associated with intense, severe side effects that include suicidal thoughts, self-mutilation and violent outbursts. The main ingredient in bath salts, methylenedioxypyrovalerone, is better known as MDVP. Bath salts are frequently marketed as “cocaine substitutes” and recently had been available for purchase on the internet and in retail establishments such as gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops, according to the governor's office. The designer drug, which can be snorted to mimic the effects of cocaine and methamphetamines, have been associated with dangerous side effects such as increased blood pressure and heart rate, hallucinations, extreme paranoia, delusions, violent outbursts and suicidal thoughts.

The drug earned its nickname among users because it visually resembles therapeutic salts used in home tubs and spas. The drug was usually packaged in brightly colored packets, often with some type of kid-friendly cartoon on the label. In April, New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow, calling bath salts “an imminent threat to public health, safety and welfare,” issued a temporary ban on the drug.

Diane Parisio, the mother of William Parisio, said she was relieved to hear that the governor had signed Pamela's Law, which has received bipartisan support in the state.

"I'm glad because it might save other families the tragedy that Pam's family and our family have gone through," Diane Parisio said Wednesday morning.

The Cranford woman, who still lives in the Greaves Place home where Schmidt's slain body was discovered four months ago, said she does not intend to pay the $400,000 bail to have her son released from Union County Jail in Elizabeth. She has admitted that William was suffering from a drug addiction that was spiraling out of control. He suffered from paranoia that she believes may have been brought on by the use of bath salts.

In the years leading up to his arrest, had struggled with mental illness and drug dependency, having been in hospitals and rehab facilities in an attempt to overcome his addiction. Parisio said that she believes jail is the safest place for her son right now. He's undergoing treatment while he awaits the next phase of the legal process.

"He needs to be protected from himself," his mother said. "Now that he's in a structured environment and he's taking his meds regularly, he's getting closer to — not quite there yet — but getting closer to the Bill that Pamela loved," she said. 

Her son is believed to have started using bath salts last December, and may have been under the influence of the drug at the time of the alleged murder.

Parisio added that she's relieved that Pamela's Law has come to New Jersey. "I'm relieved that it's been done not only in New Jersey, but that there's a movement in other states as well," Parisio said.

Union County Prosecutor's Office Spokesman John Holl said there are "no updates" on the status of the Parisio case. On March 18, during Parisio's , his public defender, Elizabeth Ramsey, entered a not-guilty plea and waived a reading of the charges. No additional court dates were set. Ramsey could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday morning.

In April, Thomas R. Calcagni, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety, reclassified six substances to Schedule I of the “New Jersey Controlled Dangerous Substances Act.” Since issuing the order, the DCA and the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System have joined local law enforcement in monitoring the increasing prevalence of these drugs throughout the state.

The bipartisan legislation was sponsored by Assembly Republicans Mary Pat Angelini, R-Monmouth, and Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, R-Union, Essex, Morris and Somerset, along with Assembly Democrats John McKeon, Linda Stender and Upendra Chivukula. Pamela's Law criminalizes the possession, sale and manufacture of substances containing chemicals found in bath salts.

“The new law sends a message to young people and their parents about how important it is to understand how dangerous this latest synthetic drug is,” Bramnick, the Assembly Republican Conference Leader, said in a press release. “Protecting the public, especially our youth, must always be a top priority. Gov. Christie and the Legislature reacted to this unfortunate tragedy in a timely manner that will prevent similar misfortunes from taking place.”